John Baptist Scalabrini – Biography

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John Baptist Scalabrini – Biography

«Deeply in love with God and extraordinarily devoted to the Eucharist, he knew how to translate the contemplation of God and His mystery into an intense apostolic and missionary activity, becoming all things to all to proclaim the Gospel».

Saint John Paul II

fondatore scalabrini biografia

Biographical notes

  • Born and baptized the same day in Fino Mornasco (Como) on July 8, 1839.
  • Ordained priest on May 30, 1863; professor and rector of the St. Abbondio diocesan seminary.
  • In 1870 he named pastor of St. Bartholomew parish in Como.
  • Ordained bishop in Rome on January 30, 1876.
  • Entry into the diocese of Piacenza on February 13, 1876.

Bishop of Piacenza

  • He did five pastoral visits to the 365 parishes of the diocese.
  • He celebrated three Synods: 1879, 1893, and 1899.
  • He founded the School of Christian Doctrine; Pope Pius IX called him Apostle of the Catechism. Founded the catechetical review il Catechista Cattolico; held the first National Catechetical Congress in 1889.

Father to the migrants

  • On November 28, 1887 he founded the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles.
  • In 1889 established the St. Raphael Lay Association for Assistance to Migrants.
  • On October 25, 1895 he founded the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles.
  • Visited his missionaries and their missions in the Americas: in 1901 in the US and in 1904 in Brazil.
  • Died in Piacenza on June 1, 1905 (Solemnity of the Ascension).