26 Facts About Leonardo Murialdo

Leonardo Murialdo, CSI was an Italian Catholic priest and the co-founder of the Congregation of Saint Joseph - known as the Murialdines.

Leonardo Murialdo died in the odour of holiness in 1900 and had a reputation for deep personal holiness.

Leonardo Murialdo decided he wanted to become a Capuchin in the spirit of detachment though the canon Lorenzo Renaldi - a close friend - dissuaded Murialdo and suggested he just become a diocesan priest instead.

Leonardo Murialdo completed his philosophical course on 6 November 1845 and was then vested in the cassock for the first time after the abbot Pullini blessed the cassock in the Santa Chiara church once Murialdo began his ecclesial studies.

Leonardo Murialdo later wrote that "he never had a thought" about becoming a priest.

Leonardo Murialdo never believed he would become a priest and it was believed that his brother Ernesto would do so.

Leonardo Murialdo began a theological course in Turin from 1845 to 1850 as an external clerical student and his two tutors during this time were the theologians Augusto Berta and Pietro Baricco.

Leonardo Murialdo received his ordination to the priesthood on 20 September 1851 in the Church of the Visitation from Monsignor Giovanni Domenico Ceretti; the latter made Murialdo a subdeacon and a deacon.

Leonardo Murialdo celebrated his first Mass at San Dalmazzo church with abbot Maximo Pullini and canon Lorenzo Renaldi co-celebrating alongside him.

Leonardo Murialdo's first focus after his ordination was to work in the poor Vanchiglia neighbourhood close to the Oratorio dell'Angelo Custode which his cousin Roberto Leonardo Murialdo managed.

Leonardo Murialdo conferred and collaborated with Don Bosco as well as Joseph Cafasso.

Leonardo Murialdo returned to Turin in October 1866 and was put in charge of the Artigianelli Boarding School where adolescent men were educated and taught a trade.

In 1858 he met Pope Pius IX in a private audience after Bosco wanted Leonardo Murialdo to go with him to meet the pontiff.

Leonardo Murialdo conferred with Father Icard and the theologian William Blengio to discuss his dream while conferring with the Bishop of Alba Eugenio Roberto Galletti and the Archbishop of Turin Alessandro Riccardi di Netro as well as his successor Lorenzo Gastaldi.

Leonardo Murialdo further founded an agricultural school in addition to a centre for delinquents.

Leonardo Murialdo contracted a grave illness in 1877 but his friend Don Bosco said that he would live for much longer and would not die from his illness.

Leonardo Murialdo presented a reform project including schooling until age fourteen and the abolition of night work.

Leonardo Murialdo's last surviving siblings Aurelia and Ernesto both died in 1890 causing Murialdo great grief since all his friends and relatives were deceased at this stage.

In 1885 he suffered serious bronchitis that lasted from 1 January until 17 February; Leonardo Murialdo believed he would die during this time due to the seriousness of his illness.

Leonardo Murialdo died on 30 March 1900 in Turin due to pneumonia; his final words were: "I'm waiting".

Leonardo Murialdo's remains were interred after his funeral but later transferred to the Santa Barbara church in Turin.

Leonardo Murialdo's writings received theological approval on 13 December 1916; the Congregation for Rites validated the diocesan investigation on 2 March 1932.

Leonardo Murialdo referred to Murialdo's "loving response to God" in doing His will as well as "his conviction of the merciful love of God".

The pope continued that Leonardo Murialdo possessed a keen and "serene awareness of his own limitations" from his own education to his priesthood and during his social apostolate which the pope referred to as "the tireless zeal of action".

Benedict XVI concluded that Leonardo Murialdo "abandoned himself with trust to Providence" which motivated his life and had a profound influence on his social apostolate in Turin.

Leonardo Murialdo has become the focus for several locations and organizations such as:.