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Chronology of Father Luigi Guanella
December 19, 1842 |
Luigi Guanella was born in Fraciscio di Campodolcino, in the province of
Como, Italy, and a few hours later, on the morning of December 20, was baptized
in St. John the Baptist Parish, in Campodolcino. |
June 24, 1849/50 |
On one side of the Church of St. John the Baptist, he saw a poor old man
begging who then suddenly disappeared. |
April 8, 1852 |
On this day, Holy Thursday, he recieved his First Holy Communion. Later
in Gualder, he was shown by the Blessed Mother a "vision" of his future
charitable works. |
November 4, 1854 |
He started his grammar and humanity studies at Gallio Academy, in Como. |
November 4, 1860 |
He entered the Seminary of St. Abbondio. |
1865 |
During his summer vacation, Luigi took his first trip to Turin, where he
to know Cottolengo's Institution and met St. John Bosco. |
May 26, 1866 |
Luigi was ordained a priest by Bishop Bernadine, M. Frascolla,
Bishop of Foggia, who was a political exile in Como. |
May 31, 1866 |
He celebrated his First Solemn Mass in Prosto, in the province of
Sondrio, where he was appointed to serve his first year of priestly
ministry. |
May 17, 1867 |
He started his ministry as an acting pastor in Savogno, a suburb of
Prosto. He organized and taught as its sole licensed teacher in the
town elementary school. |
January 6, 1872 |
His booklet, "Familiar Advices...," dedicated to Bishop Carsana was published
by St. John Bosco as one in a series of books called "Letture Cattoliche,"
which caused a strong reaction from the local anticlericals. At this
time St. John Bosco invited Father Luigi to join him in Turin. |
January 29, 1975 |
Father Luigi joined St. John Bosco, being accepted as a Salesian the previous
month. During his three years with the Salesians he served as Vocation
Director for Late Vocations, Director of the House in Trinita di Mondovi,
with duties of preaching, teaching catechism and as a teacher in their seminary
of Valsalice. |
September 16, 1878 |
At the expiration of his vows, Father Guanella returned to the Diocese of
Como upon his Bishop's request and was appointed Assistant in Tranona,
Valtenllina. |
May, 1879 |
He purchased a former monastery in Traona in which he conducted a private,
free school, which he was later forced to close by the government. |
1880 |
From 1880 to 1887 he published a series of popular little
ascetic-moral books. |
November 16, 1880 |
A governmental decree deprived him of pay due him from the municipality as
an Assistant Pastor. This decree was lifted on December 7, 1882. |
March, 1881 |
The police monitored all his preaching. At this time the friction between
Father and the civil authorities reached its highest point. The civil
authorities forced the Bishop to transfer Father Guanella to the isolated
little town of Olmo di Chiavenna, in the province of Sondrio. |
August 26, 1881 |
Father Luigi left for his new assignment in Olmo di Chiavenna |
November, 1881 |
Appointed by the Bishop, Father Luigi moved to Pianello Lario, in the province
of Como, getting away from the interferences of the civil authorities of
Sondrio. |
1882 |
He took charge of a little Home just begun by Father Coppini, his predecessor.
From the work of this little home, the new Congregation of the Daughters
of Saint Mary of Providence had its beginning. |
August 7, 1885 |
First attempt to expand this Work by establishing a newe House in Ardenno
Masino. It failed because of outside interferences. |
April, 1886 |
Beginning of the Work in Como, with [Blessed] Sr. Clare Bosatta. |
April 20, 1887 |
[The Blessed] Sister Clare Bosatta, died in Pianello. The process of
her beatification were started in 1912. |
February, 1888 |
First attempt to establish his Work in Rome, in the former Pious Schools
close to Our Lady of Rest, Madonna del Riposo. It failed because of
a general ordinance by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome prohibiting new foundations. |
June, 1890 |
Beginning of the Work of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of
Providence in Milan, with Kindergartens and a Home of St. Ambrose ad Nemus |
November 12, 1891 |
Father Luigi started construction of the Sacred Heart Shrine in Como, the
first church built by him. |
1894 |
He published the "Principal Norms for Internal Regulations," the first rules
for his two Congregations. After some changes, they were followed by:
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the "Constitutions for the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence" in 1907,
temporarily approved in 1908 and then definitively in 1917;
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after a series of Regulations, by the "Constitutions for the Servants of
Charity," in 1907 and the Regulations of 1910. The "Decree of Praise"
of the Congregation of the Servants of Charity was granted in 1912.
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January 22, 1895 |
Ordination of the first priest for the Servants of Charity: Fr. Peter
Moroni. |
November 1, 1896 |
Serious fire, perhaps arson, in the House of Como, with no fatalities. |
November 18, 1896 |
Beginning of the House of the Sisters in Belgioioso, Pavia. |
June 20, 1897 |
Establishment of the House of St. Mary in Lora, Como, which later became
the generalate of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence. |
May 6, 1898 |
Establishment of a church for the Italian immigrants in Splugen, Switzerland.
Father Luigi, for the same purpose, took charge of the Church in Andeer,
in the Reno Valley, Switzerland. |
December 8, 1898 |
Beginning of a kindergarten and a House conducted by the Sisters in Roveredo,
Switzerland. |
1899 |
On the occasion of the world-wide celebration in honor of Alexander Volta,
Father Guanella suggested the construction of a beacon, above the city of
Como. Vico Necchi was the president of the Committee for the celebrations.
During the
celebrations, Father Guanella hosted the cleric, Angelo Roncalli, the future
Pope John XXIII. |
October, 1899 |
The Servants of Charity opened an institution for boys in Roveredo, in the
Grisons Canton, Switzerland. The Sisters opened a House in Capolago,
in the Ticino Canton, Switzerland. |
December 8, 1899 |
Opening of the House staffed by the Sisters in Stimianico, Como. |
March 1, 1900 |
Beginning of the Hose of the Holy Family staffed by the sisters in Fratta
Polesine, Rovigo, at the invitation of Bishop Anthony Polin, a friend of
Father Guanella. |
July 28, 1900 |
Father Guanella started the charitable social Work of Pian di Spagna by
reclaiming an abandoned and malaria infested land on which he founded a new
town, Nuova Olonio. There he established and institution for mentally
retarded and on May 5, 1901 blessed the status of Our Lady of Work. |
August, 1900 |
In the midst of great difficulties brought about by the Protestant-environment,
Father Guanella brought back the Catholic Mass in the Bregaglia Valley, Grisons
Canton, Switzerland, in a temporary chapel, and later built the Church of
the Immaculate Conception, 1904. In the same valley he established
another church in Vicosoprano, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, its magnificent
marble altar was donated by St. Pius X in 1910. |
September, 1900 |
Beginning of the Sisters' Work in Ardenno Masino, Sondrio, with a kindergarten,
oratory, and Home for mentally retarded girls. |
April, 1901 |
The Belgian Countess of St. Rocco donated her house and gardens in Menaggio,
on Lake Como, for mentally retarded girls. |
March, 1907 |
Opening of the House of Saronno, Varese for the Sisters. |
March 24, 1908 |
In Como, first Religious Profession of the Priests, Servants of Charity. |
November, 1908 |
Father Luigi accepted the Institution for boys in Ferentino, Frosinone. |
December 12, 1908 |
He could not go personally to Messina, the site of the terrible earthquake,
but welcomed many of those made homeless in his Houses. |
January, 1909 |
Beginning of the parochial activities in Rome of St. Joseph al Trionfale.
Father Aurelius Bacciarini appointed his first Pastor. |
March 19, 1909 |
Father Luigi accepted the institution for boys in Gatteo, Cesena. |
Fall, 1909 |
Beginning of the Houses in Carpignago, Pavia, and Musso, in Lake Como. |
October, 1909 |
Opening of the House staffed by the Sisters in Trecenta, Rovigo. |
Spring, 1910 |
Beginning of the House in Trenno Milanese which was later moved to Albizzate,
Varese. |
August 4, 1912 |
He participated in the International Marian Congress in Trevers, Germany,
where he read a report on his Works. |
December 12, 1912 |
With a magnificent hand written letter of recommendation from Pius X, Father
Luigi left for the USA to lay groundwork for a new Foundations. |
February 2, 1913 |
Canonical establishment of the Pious Union of the Death of St. Joseph, a
crusade of prayers for the dying, with millions of members enrolled. |
May 3, 1913 |
Departure of the first sisters for North America to Chicago. |
December 28, 1913 |
Dedication of the House staffed by the Sisters in Laureana di Borrello, Calabria. |
October, 1914 |
He decided to establish his last foundation: the House staffed by the
Sisters in Berbenno di Valtellini. |
January, 1915 |
With Father Aurelius Bacciarini, Father Luigi rushed to Marsica,
devastated by an earthquake. Those few days of extreme cold and
hard labor in the mountains and in the snow were the beginning of his failing
health. |
July 2, 1915 |
The Provincial Deputation of Como granted to him a golden medal for his good
social and charitable service to the needy. |
September 27, 1915 |
Father Guanella was struck with paralysis, which, along with other illnesses,
caused his death. |
October 24, 1915 |
Father Guanella died in Como at approximately 2:15 p.m. |
October 25, 1964 |
Luigi Guanella was beatified by Pope Paul VI. |
(Text Credit: Mazzucchi, Leonardo. The Life, the Spirit
and the Works of Father Louis Guanella. Trans. Father Peter Di
Tullio, S.C. Broomall, PA: Havertown Printing Co.,
1980.)
(Image Credit: Congregazione Figlie di S. Maria della Provvidenza,
http://www.cgfsmp.org/)
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