Blessed Timothy

As I wrote in my last blog, the Pauline Family celebrates the Feast of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo on October 22. He died on January 24, 1948. His Feast Day marks the date on which he was beatified. I believe it was in 1989. Born Joseph Giaccardo in the town of Narzole in Italy's Piedmont region, Giaccardo is a holy man of the media of communications. He was one of the very first to join the Society of St. Paul in Alba, Italy. He was convinced that the press and other communications media are powerful instruments that can be consecrated to broadcasting the Good News of the Gospel. The Founder of the Society of St. Paul, Blessed James Alberione was assigned to the Church of St. Bernard in Narzole only for a brief amount of time. In that assignment, he noticed the young Giaccardo and encouraged him to pursue his call to the priesthood. In the seminary, Giaccardo again met Alberione who was one of his professors--apparently one of the most influential of them all. On this day when we celebrate the holiness of Timothy Joseph Giaccardo we pray that the media of communications may be used more and more "for God" and to uplift the lives of men and women throughout the word.
The photo on the left is a painting of Bl. Giaccardo in his home parish. The center picture shows him walking with the Founder. On the right is an artist's rendition of his likeness.