A NEW MISSIONERY SAINT FOR A GLOBAL CHURCH

Pope Benedict XVI at a Public Consistory on Monday Feb 21^st  2011 in Rome announced the canonisation of a new and inspirational figure whose sanctity and world vision of faith is so needed in these times.

The Church’s newest saint is Blessed Guido Maria Conforti, founder and father of more than 800 Xaverian Missionaries and 300 Xaverian Sisters. The Pope authorised the latest miracle attributed to Blessed Conforti’s intercession, the second needed to affirm his sainthood. The Canonisation will take place in St. Peter's, Vatican city on Mission Sunday - October 23rd 2011

Bishop Conforti founded the Pious Society of St Francis Xavier for Foreign Missionaries, or the Xaverian Missionaries in 1895. Through his guidance and influence in the Italian Church he helped bring about a revival of missionary spirit at the turn of the 20^th century. Our (His) missionaries first spearheaded evangelisation efforts to China and are now present in 19 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

The first miracle attributed to Blessed Conforti came in 1965. After prayers for his intercession from the Xaverian Sisters in Burundi, 12 year old Sabina Kamariza was cured of pancreatic cancer. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1996. The second miracle attributed to Blessed Conforti, confirmed by the Vatican is that of little Thiago Joao a newborn Brazilian child. He suffered a severe lack of oxygen to the brain following a prolonged cardio-respiratory arrest during his four month premature birth.

Guido Maria Conforti was Bishop of two major dioceses in Italy, Ravenna and Parma, as well as a missionary for the world. The Second Vatican Council proclaimed that the Church is missionary by her very nature and that the bishops “are consecrated not just for one diocese, but for the salvation of the world” Conforti anticipated the Council’s insight and he lived this ideal throughout his life, becoming a model for his own missionaries, the people of his dioceses and the priests and the bishops of the entire Church of God.

Although he dedicated all his energy to caring for his two large and demanding dioceses, he also felt the daily preoccupation and concern for all the world. In commemorating the 25^th anniversary of Conforti’s death, Cardinal Giuseppe Roncalli, then Patriarch of Venice and the future Pope John XXIII, defined him well as “Bishop of Parma, but a Missionary for the entire world”.