Nov. 10, Bl. Louis Guanella, Priest, Franciscan Third Order Secular.
Saint Louis Guanella was born on December 19, 1842 in the small village of Fraciscio, Italy in the Southern Alps. Louis grew up experiencing both poverty and illiteracy, which had a profound impact on his life. Louis lived during a time of intense political persecution against the Catholic Church, and its priests and religious were constantly harassed and threatened by civil authorities.
Fr. Guanella was ordained a priest on May 26, 1866 in Como, and was assigned to a small parish in Savogno. After seven years, he moved to Turin, and joined the Order of Salesian priests, led by St. John Bosco, from 1875-78. In 1878 he returned to the Diocese of Como, and spent two years at the parish of Traona before being transferred to a parish in the remote village of Olmo. From there, he was transferred to Pianello Lario, a small village on Lake Como in 1881. The first House was opened in 1886. To continue spreading his apostolate …More