REAL HEROES! (@REAL_HEROES)

REAL HEROES! - Saint Luigi Orione "It is not among the palm trees that I would like to die, but amongst the poor who are Jesus Christ." Luigi Giovanni was born on June 23, 1872, in Pontecurone, or the Kingdom of Italy, into a poor family and he was baptized the next day. His father, Vittorio Orione, was a street paver of few words and his mother, Carolina, was a well educated, energetic, pious, and thrifty homemaker. At 10, even though he felt a calling to the priesthood, he helped his father with his work for 3 years. Obeying the call he then entered the Franciscan Friary but contracted severe pneumonia and had to leave after only a year. He became a pupil at the Oratory at Valdocco in Turin where Saint John Bosco, the founder, saw his special qualities. Although Luigi continued to suffer from poor health, at Saint Bosco's funeral 3 years later, his ailments were miraculously cured. He entered the seminary of the Archdiocese and became a member of both the San Marziano Society and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Inspired by Saint Bosco, at the age of 20, he opened his own oratory to educate the poor boys of the city and the following year he started a boarding school for the poor. Two year later he was ordained a priest. At 27, he began gathering priests and clerics to become the Little Work of Divine Providence group and in a couple of years, received full authorization from the bishop as a religious congregation, called the Sons of Divine Providence. On December 28, 1908, the deadliest earthquake in European history struct the Strait of Messina, near Sicily and Calabria, resulting in 120,000 fatalities with more than 90% of the structures levelled. Luigi rushed to Sicily with his community, organized orphan care, and worked personally among the dying. The Pope made him Vicar General of the diocese of Messina. Several years later he founded branches to his order that included the Congregation of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity, the Blind Sisters - Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Contemplative Sisters of Jesus Crucified. He also developed associations for lay people; Ladies of Divine Providence, Don Orione Secular Institute, and the Lay People's Movement. In 1913, he sent his 1st religious to Brazil. In 1915, he went to Marsica when central Italy had a similarly devastating earthquake. Following WWI, he increased the number of schools, boarding houses, agricultural schools, charitable and welfare works, and care facilities for the suffering and abandoned. His missionary zeal caused the orders to expand into other countries around the world, including Argentina, Uruguay, Palestine, Poland, England, Albania and the United States. The Popes and Holy See's Authorities, entrusted him with confidential tasks of resolving issues and healing wounds both within the Church and in relation to society. He was a preacher, confessor, and tireless organizer of pilgrimages, missions and processions. He loved Our Lady deeply and fostered devotion to Her and in 1931, he founded the Shrine of the Madonna della Guardia out of gratitude for ending the hostilities of WWI. In the winter of 1940, he suffered serious cardiac and pulmonary ailments and died on March 12th surrounded by fellow priests. He was buried in the church he built. He is the patron saint of the abandoned. His feast day is May 16. [See the website posting for photos of the earthquake and chapel] For God's Glory. REAL HEROES! Website Posting: https://real-heroes.org/saint-luigi-orione/