PALLOTTI, Vincent, Blessed. - Born in Rome on 21 April 1795, died there on 22 January 1850. Ordained a priest on 16 May 1818, he began his apostolic work in associations for young men. In 1827 he was appointed spiritual father of the Roman Seminary; later he was a confessor at the Urbano, Greco, English and other colleges. He was no less concerned with workers and with the direction of souls.
On 9 January 1835 he was inspired to consolidate, spread and defend a threefold apostolate: 1) of "all Catholics to propagate the faith," 2) to discern, preserve and increase the faith among Catholics, 3) "of universal charity." P. proposed a mobilization of everyone, priests and laity alike, and similarly a greater coordination of Catholic forces. Although Gregory XVI blessed the Pallottine plan on 11 June 1835, not a few difficulties prevented the ideas from being realized uniformly and universally. Nevertheless, in a few years P. succeeded in forming an institute of secular priests (v. SOCIETÀ DELL'APOSTOLATO CATTOLICO), one of sisters, works of charity and education, particularly the Pia casa di carità for abandoned and endangered girls, which he entrusted to the generosity of benefactors and collaborators. He also instituted the solemn octave of the Epiphany. He formed and spread the idea of the Apostleship of Prayer. He committed himself in a special way to the propagation of the faith and to the return of the Eastern schismatics and of the Protestants. P.'s most profound and lived idea is the Catholic apostolate. Therefore Pius XI defined him as "forerunner of Catholic Action," saying that P. "divined the thing and the very name, founding the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, that is, of what is the raison d'être of Catholic Action, the lay apostolate under hierarchical direction." P. proclaimed Mary protectress and model of the Catholic apostolate under the title of Queen of Apostles.
Bibliography3 works
ibid. 1907; Mese di maggio per ecclesiastici, 5th ed., ibid. [1942]; Propositi ed aspirazioni, ibid. 1942; Lettere, ibid. 1930; Iddio l'amore infinito, ibid. 1936; Memorie biografiche, ibid. 1937; Regole fondamentali, ibid. 1944. Principal biographies: R. Mela, Life of V. P., London 1871; L. Vaccari, Compendio, Rome 1888; E. Weber, V. P., Apostol und Mystiker, Limburg 1927; F. Amoroso, V. P., Rome 1950; J. Frank, V. P., Friedberg 1952. Studies: G. Ranocchini, V. P., antesignano e collaboratore dell'A. Catt., ibid. 1943; id., V. P., Suggerimenti per chi vuole conoscerlo, ibid. 1947; Studia pallottiana, Meitingen 1952.
Ansgario Faller