DIOCESAN PRIEST AND FOUNDER FOUNDED OF THE CONSOLATA MISSIONARY PRIESTS AND BROTHERS

Beatification date:  October 7, 1990 by Pope John Paul II.

PROFILE

Born January 21, 1851 at Castelnuova, Asti, Italy. Fourth of five children; nephew of Saint John Cafasso. His father died when Joseph was three years old. Studied at the Salesian Oratory in Valdocco, Italy; Saint John Bosco was one of Giuseppe’s spiritual directors. He entered the diocesan seminary of Turin, Italy in November 1866. Ordained on  September 20, 1873. Spiritual director of the Turin seminary. Appointed rector of the Consolata Shrine on  October 2, 1880; he remodeled the shrine, and made it a source for spiritual renewal throughout the diocese. Founded the Consolata Missionary Priests and Brothers on  January 29, 1901; the first missionaries reached Kenya in 1902. On  January 29, 1910 he founded the Consolata Missionary Sisters for women with a missionary vocation .He died  February  16,1926 at Turin, Italy of natural causes