Priest (1751-1831)
His life
+ Vincent was born into a poor, pious family in Naples, Italy.
+ His study of the life and writings of Saint Alphonsus Liguori and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament inspired him to dedicate his life to the Church as a priest and he was ordained in 1775.
+ He spent his entire life serving in the village church in Torre del Greco and was known for his simplicity and his style of preaching was straightforward and intended solely for the benefit of the faithful.
+ After an eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed his church and parts of the village in 1794, he helped clear debris and worked to rebuild the church with his own hands.
+ Vincent showed special care for the orphans and children in the region, taking special interest in the quality of education they received. He recognized good education as an important aspect of evangelization the promotion of Christian values.
+ Saint Vincent Romano died on December 20, 1831, and was canonized in 2018.
For prayer and reflection
O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
Prayer
O God, eternal majesty, whose ineffable Word
the immaculate Virgin received through the message of an Angel
and so became the dwelling-place of divinity,
filled with the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant, we pray, that by her example
we may in humility hold fast to your will.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal: Collect for December 20)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
And today we celebrate...