Along with being the feast day for Blessed Titus Brandsma, a Dutch Carmelite friar who was martyred at hands of the Nazis at Dachau concentration camp in Germany as part of the Holocaust, July 27th is the feast for Venerable Maggiorino Vigolungo, an Italian boy who died of a serious illness at age 14.
Maggiorino Vigolungo was born into a peasant family in 1904 that was rich in faith. As a young child, Maggiorino entrusted himself to Fr. Aberione, the founder of the Pauline family, as his spiritual director. Maggiorino determined three things which became his ideal 1) sanctify himself quickly 2) become a priest 3) to become an apostle of the good press.
Maggiorino entered the Society of St. Paul in 1916 at age 12. He was spiritually sustained with the Holy Eucharist. Vigolungo kept to his precis to "make a little progress everyday". When Maggiorino developed a serious illness, his spiritual director asked him if he wanted to recover or go to Paradise and the boy answered: "My desire is to do the will of God." Maggioirino's last words were: "Salute all of my companions for me that they may pray for me and that we might be united in Paradise".
Maggiorino Vigolungo was declared venerable in 1988 by Pope Blessed John Paul II. Vigoluno's life serves as an example that sanctity is possible even for the young. Due to his aspiration to be an apostle of the good press, some have dubbed Maggiorino Vigolungo as the patron for social media.
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