Joseph DePiro was born in Malta on November 2nd, 1877 into a wealthy and
influential family. As a young man he thought about becoming a lawyer but
then felt that God was calling him to the priesthood. In 1903, after the
completion of his studies, he was ordained in Rome.
He was involved in different ministries within the Church, but his main
concerns were the missions and work amongst the poor. As a young priest, he
began to work towards bringing to fruition his long cherished dream of
establishing a Society of priests and brothers committed to the spreading of
the Good News. June 30th, 1910 was the foundation day of the Missionary
Society of St. Paul. To its first members he passed on his missionary zeal
and his love for those in need.
In 1927 he sent his first missionary, Br. Joseph Caruana, to Ethiopia. Six
years later he himself was going there to help consolidate this new mission,
but on September 17th, 1933 he died leaving a small group of priests and
brothers without his valuable leadership. The Society went through difficult
times till the 1950's, its members holding on to DePiro's prophetic words
spoken not long before he died, "The Society will grow only after my death."
Today Paulist Missionaries seek to live out their founding charism in a
world of change. We are witnessing to God's love through our missionary
commitment: in parishes, in schools, in youth centres, in migrant centres,
among the poor and the needy, and in far away lands. Our missionary presence
is in Australia, Peru, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United States, Canada,
Italy and Malta.
The Missionary Society of Saint Paul, together with Church authorities, is
currently in the process of trying to obtain the Beatification of its
Founder, Joseph DePiro. This prayer is to help in the process. Please pray
it regularly, and feel free to spread it around.
God our Father, your servant Joseph De Piro
gave witness to the faith
by his service to the poor and his missionary zeal.
May his loyalty to Christ and the Church,
his love for Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God,
his benevolence towards the orphaned
and his constant aspiration to evangelize the world,
give guidance to the Christian people today.
We beg you to grant the favours we ask through his intercession
so that his holiness may be recognized by all
and the Church may proclaim him a Saint.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The info above was taken from the following website:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/4439/DePiro.htm
Submitted by Christine Apap-Bologna
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