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He is remembered as “the great peacemaker”, a symbol of an age marked by civil strife but also by churchmen capable of acting as bridges between opposing sides. This was Folco Scotti, probably from a modest branch of the noble Scotti family, which at the time was emerging as a dominant force on the political scene of the northern city of Piacenza, Italy.
Carlo Gnocchi was born on October 25, 1902, in San Colombano al Lambro, a small town in the province of Lodi. The third son of Enrico, a marble craftsman, and Clementina, a seamstress, he grew up in a modest family marked by early suffering: his father died when Carlo was only five years old and not long afterward his two brothers, Mario and Andrea, also succumbed to tuberculosis. His mother, left alone, moved with young Carlo to Milan, where she tried to rebuild a future for them both.
A tireless missionary, promoter of Christian culture and defender of justice, capable of uniting contemplation and action at every stage of his intense life — this was Saint Anthony Mary Claret. He was born on December 23, 1807 in Sallent, a small town near Barcelona, into a family working in the textile trade. His home was profoundly Christian and spirituality was as natural there as the air they breathed.
With the fervor of his exhortations and prayers, he encouraged the faithful and dedicated himself to defending the freedom of Christians. This is Saint John of Capestrano, born on June 24, 1386 in Capestrano near the city of L’Aquila, to a father of German origin and an Abruzzese mother. John inherited both northern and Mediterranean traits, earning the affectionate nickname “Giantudesco.” [Germanjohn]
Cardinal Karol Józef Wojtyła was elected Pope on 16 October 1978. In line with his predecessor, who died suddenly on 28 September 1978, he chose the name John Paul II. He was the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, since the death of the last foreigner, Adrian VI from Utrecht, in 1523. He was also the first Pope from Poland and the first Pope to be a native speaker of a Slavic language. His Pontificate was among the longest in history, second only to Saint Peter and Pius IX. It lasted almost 27 years.
In a turbulent period for the Church, Gaspar distinguished himself by his courage. When, in 1810, priests were required to take an oath of allegiance to Emperor Napoleon, he resolutely refused. This act cost him exile and then four years of imprisonment which he endured with serenity and unshakable faith. Saint Gaspar del Bufalo never hesitated to reject any compromise with those who threatened the life of the Church and the Pope.
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