St. Hannibal Mary di Francia
Posted on June 2, 2019 by admin No comments
Born: 5 July 1851 Messina, Italy
Died: 1 June 1927 Messina, Italy
Venerated: in Roman Catholic Church
Beatified: 7 October 1990, St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: 16 May 2004, St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II
Major shrine: Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Messina, Sicily, Italy
Feast: June 1
Patronage: Prayer for Vocations, Orphans, Poor, Messina, Italy, Anthonian Orphanages
St. Hannibal Mary di Francia, or St. Annibale Maria di Francia, (July 5, 1851 in Messina, Italy – June 1, 1927) is a saint venerated by the Roman Catholic Church. His father Francis was a Knight of the Marquises of St. Catherine of Jonio, Papal Vice-Consul and Honorary Captain of the Navy. His mother, Anna Toscano, belonged to the noble family of the Marquises of Montanaro.
Childhood
The third of four children, he lost his mother when he was only fifteen months old. The sad experience of being around a father figure would profoundly affect on his life and made him deeply empathetic towards orphans. At the age of seven he enrolled in the College of St. Nicholas, run by the Cistercian Fathers. He was a devout child. Here under the guidance of his spiritual director, he was introduced to a devout life and he developed such love for the Eucharist that he was allowed to receive the Holy Host daily, something exceptional in those days.
Student
He was only seventeen, when as he was at prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament solemnly exposed, he was given the “revelation of Rogate”, that is, he deeply felt that vocations in the Church only come through prayer. Later on he found in the Gospel the very words of Jesus commanding such prayer: “Beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather his harvest”. (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). These words became the main source of inspiration for his life and the charism which led his apostolate.
On July 11, 1909 he wrote to Pope S. Pius X: “From my youth I have devoted myself to the words of the Gospel: Pray therefore the Lord of the Harvest…In my charitable institutions, orphans, poor, priests and nuns, all pray incessantly to the loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary, to the Patriarch St. Joseph and to the Apostles, that they may provide the Holy Church with numerous and chosen laborers for the harvest of souls”.
Young Annibale proved to be of high intelligence and had a poetic disposition. When he was fifteen years old he continued his studies under the tutelage of the famous Sicilian poet Felice Bisazza. He looked to a brilliant and secure career as a writer and poet but chose the religious life. When, on December 8, 1869 he was given the clerical garb, he soon began putting his talents to work and became a well-received preacher. People, especially the simple and those from the lower classes, loved to listen to him because of the clarity of his sermons.
Priest of God and Servant of His People
Once his theological studies were completed he was ordained a priest on March 16, 1878. A few months before his ordination, when he was still deacon, he met a poor blind beggar, Francesco Zancone, who “providentially” led him to discover a world unknown to him: “Le Case Avignone” (The Avignone squatters), in the outskirts of Messina. It was to be his new field of apostolate. He defined this as the “spirit of a twofold charity: the evangelization of and the care for the poor”. Together with the intuition of the “Rogate”, this spirit of charity would be the characteristic of his life.
Anthonian Orphanages
With the blessing of his Archbishop and the encouragement Don Bosco he began an evening school for boys, a day kindergarten for girls from five to eight years old. Then, the girl’s orphanage got under way and, on November 4, 1883, the boys’ orphanage. He placed them under the patronage of St. Anthony of Padua. Later on all his charitable institutions for poor children will be called “Anthonian Orphanages”. He was concerned that in his institutions the children were provided not only with food and prepared for a job, but more importantly that they would receive a solid moral and religious education. After their elementary-grade instruction, the girls were involved in sewing, knitting, and home economics in general. He used to say: “We should love children with tender and fatherly love. This is the secret of secrets to gain them to God”.
Thirteen sisters were killed in the earthquake of 1908. Although the boys dormitory collapsed none of the orphans there or at the girls residence lost their lives. Additional orphanages were opened: including one in Bari for orphans of the 1910 cholera epidemic, and one in Altamura for orphans of the First World War.
The monthly periodical entitled “God and Neighbor” was first published in 1908. Having a modest format and a circulation that rose to more than half a million, it spread throughout the five continents. “God and Neighbor,” the organ of all the Anthonian orphanages lasted until 1942.
Rogationist Fathers
With the help of those who were his most reliable collaboratores – Fr. Pantaleone Palma and Fr. Francis Vitale – he was able to lay the groundwork of his male congregation, which he named after the Rogate: The Rogationist Fathers of the Heart of Jesus. He perceived that the “Rogate” was the answer to his query. “What are these few orphans we attend to, these few people we bring the good news to, compared to the millions who are lost and abandoned as sheep without a shepherd?…I looked for an answer and I found a complete one in the words of Jesus: “Beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather his harvest”. I concluded then that I had found the secret key to all good works and to the salvation of countless souls”.
Daughters of Divine Zeal
Fr. Hannibal decided to found his own congregation of nuns whom he called Daughters of Divine Zeal, patterned after the inspiration of the Rogate – the expression of the zeal burning in the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls. The Institute was given a one-year trial. During that year, he had as a cooperator for his work none other than Melanie Calvat, the famous young shepherdess to whom the Mother of God appeared on the mountain of La-Salette. Melanie remained at the Institute for one year, from September 1897 to September 1898 – a year which, in the words of Saint Hannibal, was a year of blessing. The trial period was weathered successfully, having a healthy and vigorous effect on the community, and the women’s congregation was put on a safe footing.
He was noted for propagating the devotion of the “Servitude of Love” taught by St. Louis of Montfort and he embodied the spirit of complete abandonment into the hands of Mary. His charity knew no bounds, and it was directed toward all those in need, including priests facing difficulties and cloistered nuns who often are forgotten by benefactors. In Messina they used to say: “This is the house of Fr. Di Francia. Have a seat and you’ll get something to eat.” People regarded him as a Saint even when he was still alive. Mons. Angelo Paino, Bishop of Messina, later gave this testimony about him: “He was considered a Saint by all people. By this I mean people from all walks of life, social status and religious convictions”.
Death and canonization
On June 1, 1927, Saint Hannibal died in Messina. As soon as the people heard the news of his death they began to say: “Let us go to see the sleeping saint”. A few days before the Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared to him and assured him of Her protection, a vision to reward his tender devotion toward her.
Newspapers of the entire region reported with pictures and articles of the funeral and burial. Crowds of thousands came to mourn his passing away. Local authorities quickly released the permit allowing that his body be buried in the church of the “Evangelical Rogation” which Saint Hannibal himself had built in Messina. It is the only church in the world dedicated to the Gospel’s passage: “Pray therefore the Lord of the Harvest”. Many of his contemporaries, and among them St. Luigi Orione, requested that a formal Cause for Canonization be promptly started. But World War II put a temporary stop to the undertaking.
On April 21, 1945, the information stage of the process for Canonization began with the “Diocesan Investigations”. All the writings of Saint Hannibal (62 volumes) were examined by a Special Committee of Theologians. In 1979 the Congress of Cardinals voted to begin the formal Cause for Canonization which officially began in Messina on March 8, 1980 at the same time the Eccliastical Tribunal set up a Committee of Historians.
On December 21, 1989 pope John Paul II promulgated the Decree on the “Heroic Virtues of the Servant of God”.
To proceed with the Cause of Canonization, a sign of God, a miracle was needed. On June 30, 1990 the Medical Commission of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously agreed that the case of Gleida Danese – a young Brazilian girl who was doomed to die because of the rupture of the aorta but who suddenly recovered – had no possible medical explanation. Both the Commission of Theologians on July 14, 1990 and then the Congress of Cardinals and Bishops on July 27, 1990 unanimously agreed upon the miraculous recovery of the girl and found that it was to be attributed to the intercession of the Servant of God, Hannibal Di Francia. He was canonized on May 16, 2004, by Pope John Paul II.
Prayer to St. Hannibal Mary di Francia
O Saint Hannibal, full of heavenly love, during your life here on earth, you lived faithfully according to the interests of the Heart of Jesus. You followed His Divine Command to pray for holy vocations to His Church, and dedicated your life for the poor and the little ones. Intercede for us that we may be blessed with an abundance of priestly, religious, and lay vocations in the Church. Inflame our hearts with your love that we may become holy
and edifying modern day disciples of Christ. I pray to you to obtain for me from God the necessary grace, which I ardently desire…
(Mention here your petitions)
Bless me, O Saint Hannibal, and my family that we may all live together in unity, peace, and love. Grant, through your intercession, the graces of which your devotees are in great need. May all be for God’s glory and the greater good of our souls. Amen.
Prayer of St. Annibale Di Francia to Mary Immaculate
– Give me the grace to annihilate my will before the Will of Your Divine Son so that the Will of Your Divine Son be mine.
– Kindle my heart with Divine Love! See to it that the purest flame of God’s Love penetrate deeply in my spirit and rout out my selfishness. Give me a tender devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and Your holy Love in order that I love You as You deserve.
– Help me detach perfectly from everything, creatures, and myself, renouncing myself and everything to live only in God.
– My tender Mother, obtain for me a deep humility from God, internal and external humility, a deep knowledge of myself, and a spirit of mortification so that I humble myself before God and creatures. Help me to have contempts and humiliations loved, but myself despised. Mirror of humility grant me the virtue of humility and obedience.
– Grant me the virtue of meekness and sweetness so that I treat people with kindness, especially when I meet the ones against whom I feel repugnance. Give me a simple, merry, sweet, gentle, kind, benign, compassionate, humble and meek heart.
– Impetrate for me a profound contrition and intimate sorrow to make my heart bleed for my offenses against Your Divine Son.
– Grant me a spirit of holy prayer, the grace of meditating upon the sublime truths of faith, especially the Passion of Jesus and Your sorrows. Give me the grace of praying in the occasions of sin. Grant me a holy recollection, the grace of being aware of Your holy presence, and the virtue of silence.
– Grant me from God the holy virtue of spiritual and bodily purity; as well as purity of conscience through humble, frequent, and sincere confession, for the greater glory of God.
– Obtain for me a heroic faith along with a loving, filial confidence in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and in Your Motherly affection.
– Grant me fervent zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, letting me perform the duties of my priestly ministry perfectly. See to it that I celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and recite the Holy Canonical Hours with deep recollection and intimate devotion.
– My tender Mother, give me the virtue of fortitude to prevail over myself through internal and external mortification. O valiant Lady, you have conquered hell.. Give me strength to triumph over the devil, the world, and the flesh.
– You are our life and hope, please grant me holy, final perseverance in the grace of Your Divine Son. See to it that I live and die saintly, and love You in Paradise forever.
Prayer of Saint Hannibalinvocation to Obtain Holy Priests
O Jesus, to the people of the countryside and in the remote villages – send holy priests.
O Jesus, in the populous metropolis – send holy priests.
O Jesus, in the regions of the unbelievers – send holy priests.
O Jesus, for the salvation of sinners – send holy priests.
O Jesus, for the safety of endangered innocence – send holy priests.
O Jesus, for the reformation of the delinquent youth – send holy priests.
O Jesus, for the safety of the endangered virginity – send holy priests.
O Jesus, to comfort the afflicted and help the sick – send holy priests.
O Jesus, for the destruction of the kingdom of Satan and the building up of your kingdom – send holy priests.
O Jesus, for the sanctification of every soul – send holy priests.
O Jesus, without much delay – send holy priests.
O Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us and obtain for us numerous and holy priests. Amen.
Litany of Saint Hannibal
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, our Celestial Father, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
We thank you, O Lord and we praise You for the gift of the person and holiness of St. Hannibalgiven to us and to the Church.
Saint Hannibal, who answered “yes” like Mary to your calling,
which was “unexpected, irresistible” and most sure, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your living faith, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your form hope, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your ardent charity, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your strong trust in God, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your Eucharistic life and sanctity, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your understanding and zeal for the Rogate, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your tender and filial love for Mary, pray for us.
We thank you, Lord for having given the Rogate to St. Hannibal as a gift from Christthrough your Spirit.
Saint Hannibal, through your docility in listening and through your capacity of opening yourself to the Word of God, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your singular sensibility towards the necessity of prayer for priests, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your joyful and most faithful obedience to the Rogate of Christ, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your zeal in founding the Rogationists and Daughters of the Divine Zeal for an undying obedience to the Rogate in the Church, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your pastoral charity, which has made you evangelizer and collaborator in the redemption of the Harvest of the Lord, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your capacity to look with the eyes of Christ upon on the most profound needs of all, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your very tender “compassion,” which has made you the apostle of the Rogate and Father of the orphans and the poor, pray for us.
We thank you, Lord for having enriched
St. Hannibal with the gifts offidelity and love for the Church.
Saint Hannibal, through your unconditional love for the holy Church, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your love and obedience without reserve towards the Pope and the Bishops who are in communion with him, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your exemplary docility and love towards the Ordinary of the local Church, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your zeal in guarding and defending the Catholic doctrines, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your dedication for the spiritual renewal of many religious institutes entrusted to your zeal and wisdom, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your zeal and charity in helping many contemplative monasteries, pray for us.
We thank you, O Lord for arousing in the life of St. Hannibal a singular life of piety.
Saint Hannibal, through your love for the Sacramental Jesus, the center of our life, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through the gift of the Eucharistic Feast of July the First, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through the gift of your faith in the Most Holy Name of Jesus, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your gift of love to the child Jesus, pray for us.Saint Hannibal, through your love and sharing in the Passion of Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your gift of love to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our divine Superiors, pray for us.Saint Hannibal, through your gift of love to the most holy Virgin Immaculate, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through your gift of love to the holy child, Mary, pray for us.
Saint Hannibal, through the dedication of your two Congregations to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the most Holy Virgin Immaculate, our Divine Founders, pray for us.
Pray for us, Saint Hannibal Mary Di Francia…That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray…
Eternal Shepherd, in your loving plan, you chose Saint Hannibal Mary Di Francia and made him an outstanding Apostle of Prayer for Vocations and a true Father of the orphans and the poor. Through his merits and intercession send many and holy workers of the Gospel into your harvest. May we be set aflame by the same fire of love to follow his teaching and example.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.