Leonardo Murialdo

Painting by Leonhard Murialdo

Leonhard (Leonardo) Murialdo (born October 26, 1828 in Turin ; † March 30, 1900 there ) was a Roman Catholic priest and founder of the order , who was canonized by his church .

Life

At the age of five he became a half-orphan due to the early death of his father. In 1836 his mother sent him to the Piarist College in Savona . After he returned in 1845 to Turin, he decided to become a priest and studied at the University of Turin theology . After completing his studies, Murialdo was ordained a priest on September 20, 1851 at the age of 23 by the Archbishop of Turin . In the same year his mother died.

At first he worked as a collaborator of Don Bosco in his oratorio in Valdocco . In 1857 Don Bosco entrusted him with the direction of the second Salesian oratorio in Turin San Luigi . But he did not appear in the Congregation of the Salesians of Don Bosco one, but went in 1865 for a year for further study in France, where he in the Seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris especially apologetics and church law deepened. There he got to know the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Vinzenkonferenz). After a short stay in London, he returned to Turin in 1866.

Artigianelli College

There he campaigned for the establishment of a Christian workers' movement, especially the working class youth, and became rector of the Collegio Artigianelli of Turin, a religious institution founded by Father Johannes Cocchi to accompany poor and neglected children.

Image of St. Joseph, before whom Murialdo founded the congregation

In 1873, Murialdo founded the Turin Congregation of St. Joseph in order to maintain his social and charitable activities.

After his death he was first buried in the Turin Central Cemetery, then he was transferred to the parish of St. Barbara . Since 1971 his relics have been venerated in the sanctuary of Borgo Vittoria .

canonization

Murialdo was by Pope Paul VI. Beatified on November 2, 1963 and canonized on May 3, 1970. His feast day is March 30th, the Salesian own calendar lists him on May 18th.

He is one of the Turin social saints and is considered an apostle of the young working class in Italy .

literature

• Fernando Bea, Beato Leonardo Murialdo: fondatore dei Padri Giuseppini , Rome 1963
• José Cottino, beato Leonardo Murialdo , 1963
• Vittorio Garuti, Blessed Leonard Murialdo: Apostle of youth , 1963
• Armando Castellani, Leonardo Murialdo , Rome 1966
• Vittorio Garuti, Leonardo Murialdo , Padua 1988
• Pier Giuseppe Accornero, Il pioniere: Leonardo Murialdo tra giovani e mondo operaio Turin 1992
• Ekkart Sauser :  Murialdo, Leonardo. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 22, Bautz, Nordhausen 2003, ISBN 3-88309-133-2 , Sp. 866-867.

Web links

Commons : Leonardo Murialdo  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Biography on heiligenlexikon.de
• Portal of the Famiglia del Murialdo (Italian)
• Homepage of the Congregation Giuseppini del Murialdo (Italian)
• Homepage of the Italian province of Giuseppini del Murialdo (Italian)