La Crosse seminarian has ties to newly beatified friend of St. John Bosco

When Blessed Luigi Guanella is added to the calendar of saints on Oct. 23 by Pope Benedict XVI, there will be many from the Diocese of La Crosse with a special connection to the man who founded congregations, served as a model for the priesthood and Christian charity, and at the time of his canonization will be officially be recognized by the Church for enjoying eternal bliss with God in heaven.

Born in 1842 in a small mountain village in northern Italy, Blessed Luigi was ordained a priest and, as a close friend of St. John Bosco (1815-1888), founder of the Salesians, he carried on St. John’s mission of establishing academies and vocational training schools for orphans and troubled youth. Like his friend, he also established two orders in his time, the Servants of Charity for men and the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence for women. Both orders have houses in the United States.

Blessed Luigi died in 1915 and was beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1964, and his incorrupt body is on display for veneration at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Como, Italy, where he founded his orders.

Among those who plan to be in St. Peter’s Square for the canonization is a seminarian for the Diocese of La Crosse, Alan Guanella. That he and the Church’s newest saint share the same last name is no coincidence.

A fifth cousin of Blessed Luigi, Guanella has compiled an extensive archive of his relative’s life and works at www.luigiguanella.com.

continue at TheCatTimes