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Giovanni Battista Scalabrini was born on July 8, 1839 in Fino Mornasco, Como, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, third of eight children.
From childhood, Giovanni was noted for being very bright and for his inclination for things religious and spiritual. He had a special love for Saints Joseph, Francis de Sales, and Charles Borromeo. In his priesthood, two other basic elements in his character became very evident: he was a dreamer who put his dreams into action, and he was a very compassionate man, especially towards those in need.
In 1863, Giovanni was ordained a diocesan priest. He wanted to be a missionary to the Indies, but his bishop told him he was needed in his Italian diocese. So, Fr. Giovanni obediently went to work as seminary professor, teaching Greek and history. In a cholera epidemic of 1867, Fr. Giovanni threw himself into caring for the sick.
In 1870, Fr. Giovanni became pastor of San Bartolomeo church where he served for six years. While in the parish, he started a kindergarten and wrote the Little Catechism for Kindergartens. His catechism was such as success, that St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians, asked for copies. Even Pope Pius IX was so impressed with Fr. Giovanni’s catechism, that he dubbed him “Apostle of the Catechism.”
St. John Bosco recommended to Pope Pius IX that he consecrate Fr. Giovanni a bishop, and the pope agreed. So, on January 30, 1876, Giovanni was consecrated and became the Bishop of Piacenza.
As bishop, he served the people tirelessly. In fact, he visited all 365 parishes of the diocese five times. Half of the parishes were accessible only by foot or by mule. He quickly discovered on his first diocesan visit, that more than ten percent of the people were immigrants. He soon developed a love for immigrants, and in time, he became known as the “Father of Immigrants.”
Bishop Giovanni served all in need, and he always took time for Eucharistic adoration. Among his passions were the care of children, immigrants, prisoners, the hungry, and priests of the diocese.
In 1887, Bishop Giovanni founded a congregation of priests and brothers called the Missionaries of Saint Charles. Often, the members of the order are called “Scalabrinians” after their founder. In 1895, he also founded the Mission Sisters of Saint Charles. The missionaries’ primary focus was to serve Italian immigrants in the New World.
Bishop Giovanni Scalabrini died on June 1, 1905. He was canonized on October 9, 2022, and his feast day is June 1. He is a patron saint of the Diocese of Piacenza, Catholic Action, Migrants, Italian immigrants, the two orders he founded, catechists, and missionaries.
