Venerable Justin Russolillo

Giustino Russolillo, SDV (Giustino Maria della SS. Trinità in religion; 18 January 1891 – 2 August 1955) was an Italian Catholic priest and the founder of the Vocationists, the Vocationist Sisters and of the Secular Institute of the Apostles of Universal Sanctification. Russolillo was a pastor at St. George Parish in Pianura, where he was born, and dedicated his life to promoting, cultivating and educating young people about God's call in their life. In doing so, he help young people to fulfill their religious vocation to priesthood and consecrated life. Russolillo was beatified under Pope Benedict XVI on 7 May 2011 and the ceremony of beatification was presided over by the Pope's delegate, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery of the Causes of Saints. On 27 October 2020, Pope Francis promulgated a decree approving a miracle attributed to Russolillo; this enabled for him to be canonized on 15 May 2022. Giustino Russolillo was born in Pianura in 1891 as the third of ten children to Luigi Russolillo and Giuseppina Simpatia. He was baptized the date after his birth, when an exceptional snowfall arrived in Pianura. While his name in the parish register was recorded as Giustino, his civic record had his name recorded as "Giustino Pietro Orazio". Giovanna, his sister, joined his female order and became the first Superior General, while his brother Ciro also entered the Vocationist and became a priest. His brother Michael became a doctor and helped him in his final month. He received his first communion in 1896 and received private instruction from his paternal aunts as well as the priest Orazio Guillaro instructing him in Latin. Once he completed his studies in Pozzuoli to become a priest – he was there since 1901 – he was ordained as priest on September 20, 1913. On his ordination he vowed to establish a religious congregation for promoting vocations to the priesthood and to religious life.