Founder of the Pauline Family
Giacomo (James) Alberione was born on the 4th of April 1884 in "San Lorenzo di Fossano" in the District of Cuneo", North Italy. He was the fifth son of Michele Alberione and Teresa Allocco. They were farmers by profession and had to work hard to sustain the family.
The little boy Giacomo began his education at the local elementary school. Although he did not have any outstanding qualities, he gave a sign of his vocation at the tender age of six. one day his teacher Rosa Cardona put a question to each of her pupils as to what each one would like to become. When the turn came to James to answer, he said quite candidly: "I am going to be a priest". He considered later on that it was his first moment of light.
After completing school, he joined the minor seminary at Bra. There, as a teenager, he became a voracious (hungry) reader, especially of romantic novels. That indiscriminate (unselective) reading put him into some sort of spiritual crisis on account of which he left the seminary.
Back at home he deeply repented of his folly (foolishness) and ardently prayed for his re-entry into the seminary. He was 16 years old at that time. The Lord providentially intervened. James' own Parish Priest Giovanni Battista Montersino had a very good opinion about the young man. At the strong pleading of the Parish Priest with the authorities concerned, James, as an exceptional case, could re-enter the seminary in Alba in the year 1900.
Some 30 years after his ordination, Fr James Alberione made a remark to a group of seminarians saying: "A young man who has read romantic novels will never be able to learn theology properly". Though this remark is an exaggeration, (overemphasis) it is a serious warning against the danger of losing one's great vocation through indiscriminate reading.
In conformity with the desire of the then Pope, Leo XIII, there was a nightlong adoration to the Blessed Sacrament on 31 December 1900 in the Cathedral of Alba to pray for divine blessings in the 20th century. Young James knelt in prayer in the Alba Cathedral with the other students. His mind was serene (peaceful) and calm as he was following the spiritual advice of his Spiritual Director (Canon Francisco Chiesa).
A few days prior to the adoration, he had attended a seminar addressed by a distinguished speaker Mr Toniolo who stressed the need for unity among Catholics as the Church at that time was struggling with internal defections and external adversaries (enemies). They had insisted on the necessity of a strong Catholic Press to counteract such evils and to communicate Catholic teachings to everyone.
In the freezing cold of that night, James was there kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament praying with a burning fervour that the new century might be born in the Eucharistic Christ, that new apostles might arise to work for the betterment of laws, of learning, of literature, of the press, and of morality that the Church might be moved by a new missionary zeal.
For four hours he remained there praying, before the Blessed Sacrament, reflecting, and listening. From the exposed Blessed Sacrament, he felt an indefinable (indescribable) but powerful invitation (Come to me all of you) being transmitted to him.
There he made a firm decision: "I must do something for the Lord and for my contemporaries in the new century". Thus, it was here he received the call to found the Pauline Congregations beginning with the Society of St. Paul and other Institutions. It was a never-to-be-forgotten night for him and he considers it as the second moment of Light. In the seminary of Alba James was very diligent (hardworking ) in his studies and observed all the rules and regulations minutely and prayed for the realization of his desire of becoming a good priest.
On the 29th of June 1907, James Alberione was ordained a priest at the age of 23. His first appointment was to assist an ailing nearby Parish Priest at Narzole. It was during this time that he got to know about Joseph Giaccardo, (Timothy Giaccardo) and sent them to the seminary of Alba and paid for his expenses.
The admiration of the people of Narzole for his work was very enriching. Meanwhile, studious (thoughtful) as he always was, he managed to obtain a Doctorate in Theology from the St Thomas Theological College, Genoa.
Seeing the spiritual and intellectual maturity in young Fr Alberione, in 1908 the Bishop of Alba appointed him as the Spiritual Director and Confessor of the seminarians. He held this duty admirably well. It was a serious responsibility for such an inexperienced man but, even as a student, Fr Alberione had already impressed his classmates, teachers and superiors by his holiness, wisdom and sound common sense.
Over the course of time, Fr Alberione was assigned more and more tasks. He lectured on Church History and taught Sacred Eloquence, Liturgy and the history of Art. He was the Master of Ceremonies to the Bishop and was deeply involved in every other aspect of seminary life.
Meanwhile, he saw quite clearly that the fruits of his liturgical studies, of new thoughts on Scripture and of other branches of sacred learning should be brought to the people in a way they could grasp. Atheism, immorality, anticlericalism, etc., were rampant (widespread) everywhere and their protagonists (heroes) were spreading their ideas through the most potent (strong) medium of the time, the Press. The very same medium, the Press, Fr Alberione thought, would be the most effective means to enlighten people in Catholic teachings and to counteract the evil forces.
Provoked by the problems of the time, the Bishop of Alba felt the need of revamping the Diocesan newspaper, well produced and edited, which would unite his people by presenting Christian teaching clearly to them. He thought Fr Alberione to be the right person to edit the Diocesan newspaper "Gazzetta d'Alba", and added that post to him on 12 September 1913. Thus, the Bishop of Alba made the hour of God strike for Fr Alberione for his future apostolate.
For many years before the origin of the first Pauline Congregation, Fr Alberione cherished the idea of having an organization of writers, printers and booksellers, who would have to be Religious men and women dedicated to the practice of poverty, chastity, obedience and the common life. With this inspired idea and with the added experience in the Press, he started the Society of St Paul, then known as "Printing School", merely with two boys, a rented house in Alba on 20 August 1914. Tito Armani and Desiderio Costa were those boys who later became great Pauline Priests. At the end of the same year, four more boys joined the little group. Timothy Giaccardo who was a seminarian joined Alberione in 1917. He died in 1948 and was proclaimed "Blessed" in 1989 by Pope John Paul II.
As the 1st World War was going on, it was a very difficult time for Fr Alberione. By the year 1921, the number of Aspirants had risen to eighty, and there was a rapid expansion of the Press. He developed a solid Pauline spirituality based on "Jesus Master, the Way, the Truth and the Life"; offered to the Paulines Mary, the mother of Jesus to be venerated as the "Queen of Apostles"; and accepted the great Apostle Paul as their patron.
Besides the Society of St Paul for men (for the spreading of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church), Fr Alberione founded different Religious Congregations for women, (and four Secular Institutes, and also the Pauline Cooperators. All these are conjointly known as the "Pauline Family".
Fr Alberione was small in stature, slight in body, and fragile in health, but he showed a surprising energy of mind and an impressive strength of will. His Fatherly concern for his spiritual children impelled him to visit each Pauline community around the world.
In November 1971 Fr Alberione, at the age of 87, fell seriously ill. On the 25th of November, in full consciousness, he received the Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum. That evening he muttered: "I am dying; Paradise!" After an hour he gasped: "I am praying for everyone!" In a feeble voice, he repeated constantly:
"Ave Maria, Ave Maria!". These were his last decipherable words. His condition worsened alarmingly on Friday, the 26th of November and by noon he was in a coma. At 5 p.m., the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI came and knelt by the bedside of the dying Fr Alberione and prayed for and over him imparting absolution and blessing. Less than half an hour later, at 6.25 p.m., the saintly Fr Alberione passed away peacefully to be with the Lord in Paradise. He was beatified on 27 April 2003 by Pope John Paul II.
Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed James Alberione
Most Holy Trinity, you wanted to rekindle in the Church the apostolic charism of St. Paul by revealing yourself to Blessed James Alberione, founder of the Pauline Family through the light of the Eucharist. Grant that the presence of Christ the Master, Way, Truth, and Life, radiate it self in the world through Mary, Queen of the Apostles. Glorify in your Church this apostle of the new evangelization and inspire men and women to be open to the "signs of the times" and who, following his example, may work with the modern means of communication to bring to you the whole of humanity. Through the intersession of Blessed James, grant me the grace I now ask... Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be, forever. Amen.
