Vincent
Pallotti was born in Rome in 1795, the son of a well-to-do grocer. In
school he was known as a “little saint” and, although bright, he was
also considered “a bit slow” – an illusion amply disproved by the
apostolic endeavors of his life.
He was ordained a priest when
only twenty-three, and taking his doctorate in theology soon after,
became an assistant professor at the Sapienza University of Rome.
As
a close friend of St. Gaspar del Bufalo, a missionary in Italy, he
decided to give up his teaching post for a more apostolic life. Inflamed
by the missionary spirit, he longed to send missionaries throughout the
world and to work for the conversion of the Mohammedans.
Don
Pallotti, as he was known, was a great confessor and fulfilled that
office at several colleges. He had an intense devotion to the Mystery of
the Most Holy Trinity and a tender love for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In
1835 he began the Society of Catholic Apostolate. He organized schools
for shoemakers, tailors, coachmen, joiners and market-gardeners to
improve their education and general pride in their trade. He started
evening classes for young workers and an institute to teach better
methods of agriculture.
Widely regarded as another St. Philip
Neri, he was indefatigable in his work with those in need. Burning with
zeal to save sinners, he once dressed as an old woman to reach a dying
person whose relative had sworn to shoot the first priest to approach.
He was also a great exorcist, and healed the sick with a word of
encouragement or a blessing. He foresaw the future, and once predicted
the movement of Catholic Action, even its name.
Vincent Pallotti died on January 22, 1850 at the age of fifty-five. When his body was exhumed in 1906 and again in 1950, it was found to be completely incorrupt. It is enshrined in the Church of St. Salvatore in Onda in Rome.
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