St. Annibale Maria di Francia (St. Hannibal)
First Apostle of the Divine Will
Saint Annibale Maria di Francia
Born July 5, 1851 in Messina, Sicily, Italy
Ordained a Priest on March 16, 1878
He Entered Eternity on June 1, 1927
Canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on May 16, 2004
St. Annibale Maria di Francia was the Founder of the Order of Priests, Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus, and the Daughters of Divine Zeal. He was well known as the Father of the Orphans and of the Poor, and the Apostle of Prayer for Vocations.
From a young age, I have dedicated myself to the holy word of the Gospel: “Pray, therefore, to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. ” In my humble Institutes of charity, the orphans, the poor, priests, and sisters pray daily to the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph the Patriarch, and the Holy Apostles, asking them to provide the Holy Church with holy and chosen priests, the Gospel laborers of the mystical harvest of souls.” (Cf. Scritti, Vol. 58, [3658], p. 226).
St. Annibale was appointed extraordinary confessor of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta by the Archbishop of Trani, making him director over everything referring to the publication of Luisa’s writings. He was named ecclesiastical censor for the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie.
Jesus to the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta – Vol 20 – Nov 6, 1926: “When I have completed everything, I will entrust My Kingdom to My ministers so that as second Apostles they will be Its heralds. Do you believe it is coincidental the visit of Fr. di Francia, who has shown so much interest in the publication of everything concerning My Will? No, no, I have arranged it; it is a Providential Act of the Supreme Will that wants him as First Apostle and Herald of the Divine Fiat. As founder of a work it is easier for him to approach bishops, priests and people, and also in his own institute, announce the Kingdom of My Will. For that reason I assist him so much and I give him Special Light, because to understand a Divine Will, Holy and Eternal, great Graces and not a small light but a Sun, are needed, as well as great disposition from the one to whom this office is conferred.”
June 1, 1927 – From the biography of St. Hannibal: At 6:30 a.m. in Messina, at his countryside residence in Contrada Guardia, Fr. Hannibal passed away peacefully. He was assisted by Fr. Francesco Vitale and some Rogationist religious while Fr. Vincenzo Gandolfo was about to conclude Mass for the dying.
The previous morning, he had been comforted by a vision of the Holy Child Mary (Bambinella).
(Cf. VITALE, F., Il Canonico Annibale M. Di Francia nella vita e nelle opere, pp. 727-729).
Biography from the Vatican:
Hannibal Mary Di Francia was born in Messina, Italy, on July 5, 1851… (click link for more)
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040516_di-francia_en.html
Italian website with beautiful, historical photographs:
http://www.padreannibale.altervista.org/Rogazionisti_%20Oria/formazione_professionale.html
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Pope St. John Paul II – “NEW AND DIVINE HOLINESS”
Pope St. John Paul II addresses the Rogationists on a “New and Divine Holiness”
Saint Annibale Maria di Francia insisted tirelessly on persevering union with God and on union among his brothers: unity, in fact, “is a symbol of the coming of Christ (Jn 13:35; 17:21) and is a source of great apostolic power” …to bring about that “New and Divine” Holiness with which the Holy Spirit wishes to Enrich Christians at the dawn of the Third Millennium, in order to “make Christ the Heart of the world”…we must also pray unceasingly to the Lord of the Harvest, that He shall send workers to His Church in order to meet the needs of the New Evangelization.” …May every spiritual child of St. Annibale deepen his knowledge of the gift he has received and enliven it, becoming an increasingly worthy laborer of the Gospel and a shepherd after the Heart of Christ. (Vatican, 16 May 1997. IOANNES PAULUS PP. II )
“Hannibal had intuited that the “Rogate” was not a simple recommendation of the Lord, but an explicit command and an “infallible remedy.” This is why his charism is to be evaluated as the animating principle of a providential foundation in the Church.
Thus, Di Francia wrote in a 1909 petition to St. Pius X: “I have dedicated myself from my earliest youth to that Holy Word of the Gospel: Rogate ergo. In my least charitable institutes an incessant, daily prayer is raised by orphans, the poor, Priests, sacred virgins, with which the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the Patriarch St. Joseph and the Holy Apostles are implored to provide the Holy Church abundantly with elect and Holy Priests, with evangelical workers of the mystical harvest of souls.”
“Great was the love he had for the Priesthood, convinced that only through the work of numerous and Holy Priests is it possible to save humanity.”
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040516_di-francia_it.html
“Whoever loves Me will keep My Word” (Jn 14: 23). In these words of the Gospel we see illustrated the spiritual profile of Hannibal Mary Di Francia, whose love for the Lord moved him to dedicate his entire life to the spiritual well-being of others. In this perspective, he felt above all the urgency to carry out the Gospel command: “Rogate ergo… Pray then to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest!” (Mt 9: 38).
He left to the Rogationist Fathers and the Daughters of Divine Zeal (Orders he founded) the task to do their utmost with all their strength so that prayer for vocations would be “unceasing and universal”. This same call of Fr Hannibal Mary Di Francia is directed to the young people of our times, summed up in his usual exhortation: “Fall in love with Jesus Christ”.
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Letters between St. Annibale Maria di Francia and the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta
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Letters between St. Annibale Maria di Francia and the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta – Italian:
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