INTRODUCTION
An article about the life of a great man like the Blessed Joseph Allamano would be pretty lengthy for obvious reasons. With this article, instead, I intend to spell out briefly the main events in the life of Blessed Joseph Allamano – the Founder of the two Consolata Missionary Congregations (of the Fathers & Brothers, and that of the Sisters). Secondly I will give a brief summary of his main teachings for his missionaries as well as to all the people of God.
1. ALLAMANO
• Allamano was born on 21st Jan 1851 in Castelnuovo d’Asti – Italy
• Son of Giuseppe Allamano & Maria Anna Cafasso (the sister of st. Joseph cafasso)
• 1861-1866 he was a student at the Salesian Oratory, with st. John Bosco as his Spiritual Director.
• 1866-1873 he left the Oratory of the Salesian and entered the Turin Diocesan Seminary where he studied Philosophy & Theology.
• In March 29th 1873 he was ordained deacon of the Diocese of Turin
• In Sept. 20th 1873 he was ordained priest of the same Diocese
• In Sept. 1880 he was appointed Rector of the Consolata Sanctuary, the Ecclesiastical Residence (Convitto) and the Sanctuary of St. Ignatias
• On 29th Jan 1901 he got the official decree to found the Congregation of the Consolata Missionary Fathers and Brothers
• On 29th Jan 1910 he official founded the Congregation of the Conslolata Sister
• On 16th Feb 1926 Allamano Died in Turin, Italy
• 13th May 1989 Allamano was VENERATED by Pope J. Paul II
• On 7th October 1990 Allamano was BEATIFIRD by P. J. Paul II
2. HOLINESS (MISSIONARIES, YES BUT SAINTS AS WELL)
He parts from the quote of St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians: This is God’s will that you be Saints” (1Thes 4:3). Allamano had it clear that it was God’s will to Sanctify the whole world and that is why he sent His only Son.
The main goal of our Congregation is therefore: THE SANTIFICATION OF ALL THE PEOPLES. And his main slogan was: “SOULS ARE SAVED THROUGH HOLINESS”. It is impossible to make others good when we are not good ourselves. It is only the one who has received the fire of the Spirit of God that can give it to others. YOU CANNOT GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE”.
That is why for Allamano, being missionary would come second after being Saint. Since we are meant to sanctify others, we must sanctify ourselves in the first place. To be a saint must therefore be an intentional act of everyday. It is a constant struggle.
a) The extraordinary in the ordinary
The kind of holiness Allamano talks about is not of performing miracles, but that of “DOING EVERYTHING WELL”. There is a striking passage in the Gospel of Mark: after Jesus had cured the deaf mute the crowds remarked, “He has done all things well” (Mk 7,37).
Once you do the good, don’t make a show of it. It is in this that holiness is manifested. It is not how many things we do but how well we do them.
b) Do “the good” well and in silence
Allamano was aware that this proposition was not an easy one to realize in practice, especially doing so and in silence. He therefore borrowed from St. Joseph Cafasso the following suggestions as means to enable one to do all things well:
– Do everything as the Lord would do it
– Perform every action as if it were the last one of your life
– Do everything as if you had absolutely nothing else to do.
N/B:
a) The Blessed Joseph Allamano is rightfully the Founder of the two Consolata Missionary Congregations (as shown above); however,
1) For the Blessed Allamano, the real Foundress of the two Consolata Missionary Congregations is OUR LADY CONSOLATA, being the one who inspired him to found the Congretagions during the time he was the Rector of the Consolata Shirine in Turin, Italy. For this reason he gives the two Congregations the title of CONSOLATA.
2) Therefore the Allamano and Our Lady Consolata are closely linked in a correlation of a founder and a foundress of the two Cosnsolata Missionary Congregations.
NOTE: For more information on the Blessed Joseph Allamano please refer to giuseppeallamano.consolata.org
Leave a Reply