St. Vincent Pallotti

Vincent Pallotti, son of Pietro Pallotti and Magdalena De Rossi, was born on April 21st, 1795, in Rome. His parents were the decisive religious influence during his youth. He was ordained a priest on May 16th, 1818. After his ordination, he committed himself to keep alive the Christian faith of the people of Rome. His pastoral presence on all fronts urged him on to become an animator of collaboration among clergy, religious, and laity.

The city of Rome offered St. Vincent Pallotti a vast range of options for his apostolic and priestly activities. They included:

• Assisting the poor, the sick, and marginalized;
• Founding orphanages, institutions of charity, and shelters;​

• Providing spiritual assistance to soldiers, workers, students, and prisoners;

• Promoting and animating religious fraternities and associations;
• Serving as a spiritual director in several Roman seminaries and communities of sisters;
• Dedicating much time to the sacrament of reconciliation. As a confessor, he was sought by people from all walks of life;
• Preaching the work of the missions in Roman parishes;
• Promoting religious formation of the youth with evening classes and other institutions for young people;
• Caring for the Christian formation of the laity, religious, and clergy;
• Participating as a spiritual writer and promoting the printing apostolate;
• Giving impulses to missionary activity and giving special attention to the problems of the Christian Orient;

• Promoting the celebration of the Epiphany Octave as witness to the unity and universality of the Church;
• Serving as Rector of Santo Spirito, the Neapolitan National Church;
• Founding the Union of Catholic Apostolate.

​He died in Rome, at San Salvatore in Onda, on the January 22nd, 1850. On January 22nd, 1950, he was proclaimed blessed by Pope Pius XII. On January 20th, 1963, he was canonized by Pope St. John XXIII. On April 6th, the same year, he was named principal patron of the Pontifical Missionary Union of Clergy.

Charism - Unity of all in Christ
The multi-faceted apostolic activities of St. Vincent Pallotti were based on his personal experience of God’s love and mercy. He profoundly believed that the motivation of divine action is infinite love. Therefore, men and women, created in the image and likeness of God, can find the full meaning of life only when they love God and their neighbor: “My Jesus, anyone who does not love cannot live” (St. Vincent Pallotti).

This experience made it possible for Pallotti to understand Jesus, the Apostle of the Eternal Father. Jesus Christ fulfilled the mandate of the Father, especially through the works of love and mercy. He reveals the Father’s plan of salvation to all people. For the redemption of the world, he became man and accepted death on the cross. Therefore, the apostolic life of each Christian consists in imitating Jesus Christ in loving God the Father and neighbor. The words of St. Paul: “The charity of Christ urges us on” (2 Cor. 5:14) became the motto of Pallotti’s spirituality. The following of Christ and the participation in His mission to save all people are inseparable. As all are called to follow Christ, all are called to the apostolate.

Following God’s inspiration, St. Vincent Pallotti resolved:

• to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world;
• to promote missionary activities;
• to revive faith and rekindle charity;
• to raise awareness in all of the baptized of their call to the apostolate;
• to lead all people to unity in Christ;
• to live Church as communion.

St. Vincent Pallotti aspired to bring about a Church which is renewed by the power of apostolic love and, therefore, becomes a sign of unity, hope, and salvation for the whole world. For Vincent Pallotti, Mary, Queen of Apostles is the perfect model of spiritual and apostolic life.

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