St Luigi Guanella, also known as Aloisius, Aloysius, or Louis, was a Roman Catholic priest.
He was born on December 19 1842 in Fraciscio, Campodolcino, Lombardy, Italy and died on October 24 1915 in Como, Lombardy, Italy at the age of 72 years.
We celebrate his feast day on October 24 every year in the Catholic Church.
| St Luigi Guanella Biography | |
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| Date of Birth | December 19 1842 |
| Place of Birth | Fraciscio, Campodolcino, Lombardy, Italy |
| Profession | Roman Catholic priest |
| Place of Work | Italy |
| Date of Death | October 24 1915 |
| Place of Death | Como, Lombardy, Italy |
| Feast Day | October 24 |
| Beatification | Beatified by Pope Paul VI on October 25 1964, at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City |
| Canonization | Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 23 2011, at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City |
| Patron Saint of |
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St Luigi Guanella Life History
St Luigi Guanella was the ninth born of thirteen children. His father’s name was Lawrence Guanella and his mother was Maria Guanella. The family was very poor but rich in faith and love for God.
Luigi joined the Seminary at the age of 12 and on May 26 1866 he was ordained a priest. From 1875 to 1878, he worked with Saint John Bosco to care for homeless children.
He later became a youth director in Turin, Italy, and a parish priest in Traona, Italy. Here in Traona, he opened a school for the poor but closed doors in 1881 when the local anti-Catholic Masons forced its closure.
In 1881, he became a parish priest in Pianello del Lario, Italy, and founded a nursing home and an orphanage.
When the home and orphanage became inadequate to accommodate the huge demand, St Luigi Guanella moved the facility to a larger building which he called the Little House of Divine Providence.
In the new premises, he founded the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence to take care of the residents.
St Luigi Guanella’s congregation was approved by the pope in 1917 and to date it has over 100 homes being run by over 1,200 sisters.
He also founded, in 1908, the Servants of Charity (Guanellians), a men’s congregation which was approved by the papacy in 1928 and 1935. Today it has over 50 houses with over 500 brothers.
St Luigi Guanella wrote inspirational and meditational works and ministered to the needy. In the Sondrio region, he reclaimed wetlands and built an institute for the handicapped.
In 1912, he worked with Italian immigrants in the United States.
St Luigi Guanella was an advisor and Friend to Pope Saint Pius X and Blessed Andrea Carlo Ferrari.
He founded, in 1913, the St Joseph Confraternity whose purpose is to pray for the dying. Today it has over 10 million members.
St Luigi Guanella died on October 24 1915 in Como, Italy of complications from a stroke he had suffered on September 27 1915 when he was ministering to those who had been affected by earthquakes that had struck in the region.
Beatification and Canonization
St Luigi Guanella was beatified by Pope Paul VI on October 25 1964, at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 23 2011, at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
St Luigi Guanella is the Patron Saint of
- Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence
- Servants of Charity
- Pious Union of Saint Joseph
Other Catholic Saints whose Feast Days are in October
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