Saint Leonard Murialdo

Memorial

• 30 March
• 18 May (Salesians)

Profile

Born to a wealthy, pious family. Studied at the University of Turin, and the College of Saint Sulpice in Paris, France. Ordained in 1851 at the Church of the Visitation. After studies in France, he returned to Italy to take the assignment of “provisional director” of an impoverished college for young working men; he would spend his career there.

Founded the Society of Saint Joseph of Turin modelled after and under the patronage of Saint Joseph, the model for working people; the Society still exists, and still supports young apprentices. Founded a center for delinquent boys, the forerunner of Boy’s Town and similar institutions. Supported the Catholic Workers Union. Established a national federation to improve the level of Italian journalism. A model for Christian social workers, he was called a Socialist for advocating an 8-hour work day in 1885.

Born

• 26 October 1828 at Turin, Italy

Died

• 30 March 1900 of natural causes in Turin, Italy
• buried at Church of Saint Barbara, Turin, Italy

Venerated

• 26 April 1961 by Pope Blessed John XXIII (decree of heroic virtues)

Beatified

• 3 November 1963 by Pope Paul VI at Rome, Italy

Canonized

• 3 May 1970 by Pope Paul VI

Patronage

• apprentices

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• For All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein
• Kirken i Norge
• Letter to Father Luigi Pierini, Superior General of the Congregation of Saint Joseph on the Centernary of the Death of Saint Leonard Murialdo, by Pope John Paul II
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
• Spiritual Testament, by Saint Leonard

MLA Citation

• “Saint Leonard Murialdo”. Saints.SQPN.com. 13 February 2010. Web. 20 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-leonard-murialdo/>