Today, November 7, is the memorial of Saint Vincenzo Grossi.
Founder of the Daughters of the Oratory.
Vincenzo was born in 1845 in Italy. His mother taught him how to pray while his father instructed him on honest work and hard labor.
After his First Communion, he announced to his family his desire to join the priesthood. His father tried to stop him, but he could not convince Vincenzo to abandon his vocation. There had been delays in Vincenzo’s entrance to the seminary due to work-related concerns. He did manage to become a seminarian in 1864. Five years later, he was ordained a priest. As a parish priest, he dedicated himself to serving the poor.
Vincenzo founded the Daughters of the Oratory in 1885. His congregation’s guide were the rules of Saint Philip Neri, founder of the Oratorians. He held youth outreach programs and helped the youngsters in their discernments and vocations.
Throughout his life, Vincenzo embraced holy poverty and was famed for his preaching.
Before he died in 1917 at the age of 72, his last words were: “The way is open, we must go.” He was beatified in 1975 by Pope Saint Paul VI. Pope Francis canonized him in 2015 at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City.