CAPELLONI, PAOLO, Venerable. – Jesuit, preacher, b. in Rome on 21 Feb 1776, d. in Naples on 14 Oct 1857. A pupil of the Collegio Romano and of the Capranica, he completed his studies under the Dominicans, then served as tutor in the household of the Vitelleschi family, exercising his ministry in the church of the Gesù, where he founded a flourishing maritime congregation of young men. In 1811, having refused to take the oath imposed by the French, he was exiled to Rieti, from which he returned in 1814 to join the Society of Jesus.
After Ferentino, his field of work was Naples and the church of the Gesù Nuovo (1821–57). His principal care was directed to the people and to soldiers, organizing for their benefit a variety of works, preaching missions and retreats, always with extraordinary fruit. When the Jesuits were driven out by a popular uprising (1848), he took refuge in Malta, returning thence in triumph the following year. He zealously promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Conception. The cause of beatification was introduced in 1909.