St Joseph Cafasso assisted the condemned up to the gallows
He was born in Castelnuovo d 'Asti, the same town where Saint John Bosco was born, on 15 January 1811.
His was a peasant family and the deep faith of his parents was passed on to their son who was ordained a priest at 22 years of age. Four months later he entered the Convitto ecclesiastico di San Francesco, in Turin.
Teacher of moral theology first, spiritual director later and finally rector, he passed on his faith to future priests, but not only that.
Always attentive to the latter, he dedicated himself to prisoners, visiting dilapidated penitentiary institutions.
He was nicknamed the "priest of the gallows" because he often accompanied the condemned to the gallows, comforting them until the end.
He died on 23 June 1860: on 22 June 1947 Pope Pius XII declared him a saint.
Blessed Francesco Faà di Bruno established "economic stoves"
Before donning the cassock, Francesco Faà di Bruno lived a very intense life.
Born in Alexandria on 29 March 1825 into an important noble family, in 1840 he entered the Military Academy of Turin, starting a brilliant career as an officer until he was appointed Captain of the General Staff.
Leaving the army, his passion for science led him to graduate in mathematics at the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris and in 1857 he became a professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Turin.
A man of faith, he dedicated himself to the poorest and, in particular, to women, creating a house for mother girls and founding the Congregation of the Minim Sisters of Our Lady of Suffrage.
Its initiatives include the economic stove (to distribute hot meals to workers at a modest price), the mutual mobile library (book loan extended to all of Italy) and public washrooms.
He decided to embrace clerical life in 1876. He died on 27 March 1888 and Pope John Paul II named him Blessed in 1988.
St Joseph Marello gave a retirement home to the elderly in need
Born in Turin on 26 December 1844, Joseph Marello lost his mother at the age of 3 and moved with his father and brother to San Martino Alfieri (Asti). At the age of 12 he entered the seminary in Asti: after a brief pause for rethinking during which he returned to Turin to undertake technical-commercial studies, he returned to the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1868, assuming the position of secretary of the bishop of Asti, Carlo Savio.
In 1878 he founded the Congregation of the Oblates of St Joseph. Appointed bishop of Acqui (Alexandria) in 1889, he spent his time helping young people welcomed into the parish.
It had to be a welcoming formation school so that they could become "good Christians and upright citizens".
No less important was his intervention on behalf of the elderly in need, for whom he established a nursing home.
He died on 30 May 1895 at the age of 50 and was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Blessed Joseph Allamano started a missionary centre
Joseph Allamano was born in Castelnuovo d 'Asti on 21 January 1851: he was a relative and pupil of a saint, his uncle, who was in fact Saint Joseph Cafasso.
He studied at St John Bosco's Oratory in Valdocco (Turin). Ordained a priest in 1873 and graduated in theology from the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Turin, four years later, in 1880 he became rector of the Sanctuary of the Consolata in Turin.
Eager to bring the Word of God and concrete help to the poorest populations in the world, in 1901 he founded the Consolata mission institute, which the following year sent 4 missionaries to Kenya.
In 1910 he founded the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata.
Faithful to its motto "good makes little noise: much noise does little good. Good must be done well and without noise", he worked to raise awareness among the Church and society about the activities of missionaries, asking that a day dedicated to them be officially established (it was granted in 1926 by Pope Pius XI).
He died on 16 February 1926 and was beatified on 7 October 1990 by Pope John Paul II.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: as a rich man he gave everything to the poor
Son of Alfredo Frassati, editor of the "La Stampa" newspaper and senator, and artrist Adelaide Ametis, Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin on 6 April 1901.
After graduating from the classical high school in 1818, he enrolled at the Polytechnic of Turin, choosing mechanical engineering with a specialisation in mining. When asked the reason for this choice, Pier Giorgio replied that he wanted to study to help improve the working conditions of miners.
His deep faith led him to enrol in the FUCI (Italian Catholic University Federation) and to collaborate regularly with the Catholic charitable organisation the St Vincent de Paul Conference.
His financial resources were put completely at the service of the needy and he often remained penniless because he gave everything to the poor.
In 1922 his devotion led him to enter as a layman (tertiary) in the Dominican order, further increasing his commitment to assisting the poor.
Suffering from polio, he died on 4 July 1925. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 20 May 1990.
Source: Airone magazine
