28
Thu, Mar

Everyone does everything with enthusiasm and the Founder builds up the “wonderful Pauline Family” transmitting to it the incredible novelty of an apostolate not expected by the Church, making use for the moment of the good press, understood as preaching of the Word of God and announcement that transmits salvation to souls.

At his side are Canon Francesco Chiesa, his professor and spiritual director, and the first Pauline priest, Fr. Timothy Giaccardo. On the first magazine founded in Alba in 1918, the Unione Cooperatori Buona Stampa (Union of Cooperators of the Good Press), they present a theoretical formulation, together with a practical realization of the Pauline apostolate.
Fr. Alberione prays at night and during the day he visits the various communities and gives the meditation or lessons of every type and level. He teaches the clerics philosophy and theology. In the first generation, whether male or female, there emerge a creativity and a dynamism that are extraordinary. If the houses become packed, they transfer. Space is given to printing machines that are more and more functional: the first linotype is greeted as a cathedral of evangelization; they go to Berlin by plane to order the first rotary press, because there is no time to lose.

The same spirit accompanies the start of the foundations. The first, in 1926, has Rome as objective, near the Pope, close to the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls, halfway between the tomb and the place of martyrdom of the Apostle. The true foundational contagion explodes at the start of the 1930’s, when the first missionaries leave for Latin America: Brazil and Argentina. The foundations in the Far East follow: Japan, China, the Philippines. Other confreres reach France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland.

The Pauline Family becomes the center of complete circular production: from the authors to producers to propagandists, among whom the Daughters of Saint Paul who stand out for their dynamism and laboriousness.

In 1938 the charism is enriched by other means of social communication. Together with books and magazines, cinema is welcomed with the production of Abuna Messias that wins the Festival of Venice and is awarded the Mussolini Cup. A numerous group of films produced as one’s own or reduced to 16mm format follow with very good success. In the 1950’s, after recovery from the ruins of war, the radio apostolate is born and develops not without hard work. Divine help is assured. The Founder does not tire of repeating the promises that the Divine Master has revealed to him at the start of the 1920’s in a moment of particular difficulty: “Don’t be afraid, I am with you. From here I want to enlighten. Be sorry for your sins.”

Regarding the canonical aspect, the Congregation obtains the diocesan approval on 12 March 1927 from the Bishop of Alba, Mons. Giuseppe Francesco Re, and the definitive papal approval on 27 June 1949 from His Holiness Pius XII.

{mospagebreak title=I General Chapter (1957)}

I General Chapter (1957)

It is the Chapter of the consolidation of the Congregation from the juridical point of view. Several times announced and postponed, also due to the difficulties of the post-war period, it is held in Albano Laziale (Rome) from 4 to 16 April 1957 under the presidency of Fr. James Alberione. “It was matter of evaluating, writes the Founder, forty-three years of life. The Chapter has made a good examination regarding its spirit, and has approved it through Confreres representing Confreres... The spirit with which the Congregation has been born and has grown has received its definitive seal. Other successive Chapters will have the task of making grow the good tree, planted along the course of the Eucharistic waters: they will gather other fruits and fruits that are abundant” (San Paolo, April 1957; cf CISP, p. 158).

In the afternoon of 11 April 1957, the Capitulars unanimously elect Fr. James Alberione as Superior General of the Society of Saint Paul. He will hold that office until 5 August 1969.

Three years after the General Chapter, in April 1960, the most important Pauline international meeting takes place: for the first time in Ariccia (Rome) are gathered 126 Paulines selected among the more elderly confreres of all the Circumscriptions for a special month-long Course of spiritual exercises that the Primo Maestro has thought as a time of “updating of the life of each one and of the houses according to the Constitutions” (San Paolo, August-September 1959; cf CISP, p. 195).

From 18 May to 2 June 1966 the Primo Maestro, following the Constitutions, convokes in Ariccia all the Provincial and Regional Superiors “to deal, together with the Officials of the General Curia, with matters of big importance to the Society.” Among “the matters of big importance,” he enumerates the following: 1) Examine if the dispositions of the General Chapter (1957) have been applied in the Provinces and Regions. 2) The examination of the Conciliar Decree of Vatican II: De accommodata renovatione vitae religiosæ. 3) Our Constitutions, according to the letter and the spirit. 4) Examination of the Directory (prepared in 1947, and now updated). – The San Paolo (June-July 1966) publishes the report of this first Intercapitular Meeting “handed down after the Vatican II Ecumenical Council in the eventuality that some new disposition might be given” and “celebrated in fervor and Pauline joy” (cf CISP, pp. 212-222).

1° GENERAL CHAPTER
House of Writers- Albano 4-15 aprile 1957

Fr. Giacomo Giuseppe M. Alberione
Superior General

Fr. Luigi Damaso M. Zanoni
Vicar General

Fr. Eugenio Pierino M. Marazza
General Councilor

Fr. Carlo Tommaso M. Dragone
General Councilor

Fr. Valentino Ambrogio M. Gambi
General Councilor

Fr. Aldo Cipriano M. Poggi
Procurator General

Fr. Fedele M. Pasquero
Secretary General

Fr. Torquato Tito M. Armani

General Bursar

{mospagebreak title=II General Chapter(1969-1971)}

II General Chapter (1969-1971)

It is the Chapter of renewal, “special” and “ordinary,” following the dispositions coming from Vatican II Council. It is held in Ariccia in two long sessions, with an interval of more than a year between one and the other. The presence of the Founder is not continuous, but intermittent because of his precarious health; in fact he will pass away on 26 November 1971. The preparation for the Chapter is quite long (with a wide survey among all the members of the Congregation) and the elaboration of the five “documents” turns out to be very laborious: after an initial phase of informative conferences and methodology, the five commissions work for three months on successive redactions regarding “End and members,” “Spirituality and religious life,” “Apostolate,” “Formation,” “Government and administration.”

The first “special” session takes place from 22 April to 2 August 1969; a brief “ordinary” session follows from 4 to 6 August. On 5 August 1969 the Capitulars elect as Superior General of the Society of Saint Paul Fr. Luigi Damaso Zanoni and proclaim the Founder as “Superior General emeritus for life.” His first successor will remain in office until 1 July 1975.

The drafts of the documents elaborated during the first session and translated in several languages are sent to the communities. In most of them, during the year 1970, an intense animation, study and debate is made; observations are gathered in view of definitive redaction which takes place during the second “special” session fixed from 1 April to 2 July 1971. For the first time we can have in our hands and adopt the brief but very rich charismatic autobiography titled at that time Io sono con voi (I am with you) (the actual Abundantes divitiæ gratiæ suæ = The abundant riches of his grace) and many other writings of the Founder. With these aids − in addition to the doctrine of the Council and the doctrine about the religious-apostolic life, as well as the experience made by the same Founder and by his first disciples in the phase of the planting of the work − it is possible explain the charismatic bases of the Congregation.

At the conclusion of the Chapter a Commission is set up with the task of drafting the new text of the Constitutions-Directory based on the content of the Documents. It is consigned to the General Government at the end of 1971 and is made up of a doctrinal-charismatic part (“Rule of life” or Constitutions true and proper) and a juridical part (Directory). The Congregation for the Religious appreciates the text, but does not approve it because it wants that the charismatic and the juridical sections be integrated in just one text. If it approves the whole thing, the successive General Chapters will not be able to modify even the Directory without the approval of the Holy See.

On 19 June 1971, by decision of the “special” General Chapter, the Center of Pauline Spirituality (CSP) is established at the service of the Congregation and the entire Pauline Family.

The Intercapitular Assembly of the Congregation takes place in Ariccia from 1 to 24 May 1973. Participating there are the Superior General Fr. Luigi Zanoni, the General Council, the General Officials and the Provincial and Regional Superiors.

2° GENERAL CHAPTER - SPECIAL
Casa Divin Maestro - Ariccia
First Session: 22 April -6 August 1969
Second Session: 1° April -2 July1971


Fr. Giacomo Giuseppe M. Alberione
Superior General emeritus for life

Fr. Luigi Damaso M. Zanoni
Superior General

Fr. Renato Marcello M. Perino
Vicar General

Fr. Luigi Paolo Stanislao M. Crovella
General Councilor

Fr. Guido Giacomo M. Paganini
General Councilor

Br. Angelo Bruno M. Baldin
General Councilor

Br. William Aloysius M. Milella
General Councilor

Br. Mario Luigi M. Prando
General Councilor

Fr. Fedele M. Pasquero
Procurator General

Br. Alberto Silvano M. De Blasio
Secretary General

Fr. Antonio Silvano M. Gratilli
General Bursar

{mospagebreak title=III General Chapter (1975)} 

III General Chapter (1975)

It is celebrated in Ariccia from 25 May to 12 July 1975. The most demanding work is that of approving the text of the Constitutions and Directory taking into account the observations advanced by the then SCRIS (Sacred Congregation for the Religious and the Secular Institutes). Furthermore, the “Programmatic choices” on themes regarding the four wheels are elaborated: Consecration and prayer, Vocations and formation, Apostolate and organization − even at international level, − Government and administration. The Constitutions-Directory, presented to the Holy See are approved “ad experimentum” for nine years, according to the iter established then by the documents of application of Vatican II.

On 1 July 1975 Fr. Raffaele Tonni is elected Superior General of the Congregation. He is the second successor of the Founder and will remain in office until 24 March 1980.

From 10 to 23 May 1978 the Intercapitular Assembly takes place in Alba. Present are the Superior General Fr. Raffaele Tonni, the General Council and the General Officials, the Provincial and Regional Superiors.

3° GENERAL CHAPTER
Casa Divin Maestro - Ariccia 1° June-2 July 1975

Fr. Raffaele Ildefonso M. Tonni
Superior General

Fr. Renato Marcello M. Perino
Vicar General

Fr. Teófilo Bernardo M. Pérez
General Councilor

Fr. Giuseppe Gabriele M. Zilli
General Councilor

Br. Honorio Pascoal M. Dalbosco
General Councilor

Br. William Aloysius M. Milella
General Councilor

Br. Mario Luigi M. Prando
General Councilor

Fr. Umberto Pierluigi M. Muzzin
Procurator General

Br. Alberto Silvano M. De Blasio

Secretary General

Fr. Luigi Paolo Stanislao M. Crovella
General Bursar

{mospagebreak title=IV Generla Chapter (1980)} 

IV General Chapter (1980)

The celebration of the Chapter, anticipated by about a year due to the illness of the Superior General, takes place in Ariccia from 24 February to 13 April 1980. The preparation turns out to be a little hurried and the works start with some difficulty.

In the Chapter, taken as point of reference is “the Pauline ideal” just as Fr. Alberione has described it, and starting from that point are defined some priority objectives, the operative lines (regarding the consecration, the community, Paulinity and the apostolate) and the moments of verification. Furthermore, some changes in the Directory are approved, based on the suggestions that came from the confreres after the years of experimentation and based on two “motions” (the priest-disciple relation, houses of apostolate with a special statute). And complying with a disposition of the SCRIS regarding the definite drafting of the Constitutions-Directory, it is referred to the General Government to constitute a special Commission. The Constitutions-Directory are definitively approved by the Holy See on 4 April 1984.

Fr. Renato Perino, the third successor of the Founder, is elected Superior General on 24 March 1980. The office will be renewed for him during the V General Chapter, on 19 March 1986. He will guide the Congregation until 3 April 1992.

From 4 to 29 April 1983 the Intercapitular Assembly is held in Alba, composed of the Superior General Fr. Renato Perino, the General Council and the General Officials, and by the Provincial and Regional Superiors.

From 16 to 27 September 1984 the Seminar “At the center is Jesus Christ Way, Truth and Life” is celebrated in Ariccia, organized by the Center of Pauline Spirituality (CSP). Its Acts are gathered in the volume “The Christocentric heredity of Fr. Alberione”.

4° GENERAL CHAPTER
Casa Divin Maestro - Ariccia 24 February -13 April 1980

Fr. Renato Marcello M. Perino
Superior General

Fr. Giacomo Elpidio M. Giraudo

Vicar General

Fr. Antonio Mario M. Cesaro
General Councilor

Fr. Varghese Paul M. Vechoor
General Councilor

Br. Francesco Gabriele M. Bernardi
General Councilor

Br. Ugo Bruno M. Cioccoletta
General Councilor

Br. William Aloysius M. Milella
General Councilor

Fr. Umberto Pierluigi M. Muzzin
Procurator General

Br. Alberto Silvano M. De Blasio
Secretary General

Fr. Luigi Paolo Stanislao M. Crovella
General Bursar

{mospagebreak title=V General Chapter (1986)} 

V General Chapter (1986)

The theme chosen for this Chapter celebrated in Ariccia from 28 February to 27 March 1986 is the following: “Stir up a process of participation in the renewal of the Pauline mission, to respond to the present-day challenges of evangelization, in a vocational perspective.” As frame of reference the papal exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi is taken in the tenth anniversary of its promulgation. Arranged beforehand is a dense “instrument of work,” composed of a series of texts of said exhortation, plus others taken from the Chapter Documents of 1969-71, then a wide-ranging questionnaire to be studied and to which to give answer as a community.

With the results received (coming by 89% from the communities and by 93% from the members) the Capitulars try to make a diagnosis of Pauline evangelization, considering also the principal challenges, and elaborating four priorities for the six-year action plan at various levels: general, circumscriptional and local: a) Deepen the charism as a community; b) Impart a formative thrust that is integral and permanent, oriented more decisively toward our mission; c) Favor inculturation; d) Take up the vocation dimension as element of personal and community growth, indispensable for a vocational proposal.

As natural development of the theme of mission, from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in the seats of Ariccia and Milan is celebrated the “International Seminar of Pauline Editors” and successively, on 18 November 1988, the CTIA (International Technical Committee for the Apostolate) is established in service of the General Government.

Making itself urgent is the need to realize a single logo, of global dimension, for all the apostolic products of the Congregation. The date 25 December 1991 marks the launching of the new logo that the VII General Chapter will take up also as our institutional symbol.

Of equal urgency is the need to coordinate the apostolic activities within every Circumscription and at geographic-linguistic level. Appearing on the scene are the Pauline editors: Europe Group, CIDEP (Ibero-American Center of Pauline Editors) and CAP-ESW (Conference of Asia Pacific and English-Speaking World).

The Intercapitular Assembly, the first outside Italy, takes place in Cidade Paulina, at the periphery of São Paulo (Brazil), from 1 to 16 April 1989. In it is approved the Ratio formationis, pressed for by the Chapter and published ad experimentum on 26 February 1990.

The beatification of Fr. Giuseppe Timothy Giaccardo, the first Pauline priest and the first blessed of the Congregation and of the Pauline Family, marks in a significant way the sixth decade on the Congregational and Church level. Pope John Paul II proclaims him blessed on 22 October 1989.

5° GENERAL CHAPTER
Casa Divin Maestro - 28 February -27 March1986

Fr. Renato Marcello M. Perino
Superior General

Fr. Silvio Pignotti
Vicar General

Br. Francesco Gabriele M. Bernardi
General Councilor

Br. Basil Chennamkulath

General Councilor

Fr. Aderico Dolzani
General Councilor

Br. Bernardo Favaretto
General Councilor

Fr. Carlo Recalcati
General Councilor

Fr. Umberto Pierluigi M. Muzzin
Procurator General

Fr. Guido Gandolfo

Vice Procurator General

Br. Alberto Silvano M. De Blasio

Secretary General

Fr. Antonio Mario M. Cesaro
General Bursar

{mospagebreak title=VI General Chapter (1992)} 

VI General Chapter (1992)

This is celebrated in Ariccia from 15 March to 16 April 1992. The preparation has consisted above all in a survey around the theme “The Pauline, a man of communication,” to which have answered 68% of the members. The answers have then been tabulated and analyzed in a numerical-statistical reading and in an interpretative reading. In a report on the state of the Congregation, the Superior General presents a wide-ranging panorama of our Pauline history with proposals for the immediate future. The study Commissions elaborate three priorities and the consequent operative lines at all levels (general, circumscriptional, local) around these themes: a) The Pauline, a man of communication; b) A community of communicators; c) The one mission to communicate the Gospel.

The fourth successor of the Founder as Superior General of the Society of Saint Paul is Fr. Silvio Pignotti, elected on 3 April 1992. He will remain in office until 5 May 1998.

Among the tasks entrusted by the Chapter to the new General Government, these stand out: 1) Give out some guidelines for an apostolic coordination at national and international level (the Government responds through the document “Regarding the 3d priority,” 16 December 1992); 2) The organization of an International Seminar on Formation (celebrated from 12 to 23 October 1994; the Acts and the Final Document are published on 19 March 1995); 3) The redaction of a Manual of Authority; 4) The organization of an International Seminar on “Jesus, the Master” (celebrated from 14 to 24 October 1996; the Acts “Jesus Master, yesterday, today and always” are published in February 1997).

The Intercapitular Assembly takes place in El Hatillo, on the periphery of Caracas (Venezuela) from 2 to 13 May 1995. In it is approved the Manual of Authority redacted at the request of the Chapter and published ad experimentum on 19 March 1996.

6° GENERAL CHAPTER
Casa Divin Maestro - Ariccia 14 March -16 April 1992

Fr. Silvio Pignotti
Superior General

Fr. Teófilo Bernardo M. Pérez
Vicar General

Fr. Pietro Campus
General Councilor

Br. Basil Chennamkulath

General Councilor

Fr. Aderico Dolzani
General Councilor

Br. Bernardo Ri
General Councilor


Br. Maurizio Tirapelle
General Councilor


Fr. Guido Gandolfo

Procurator General

Br. Alberto Silvano M. De Blasio

Secretary General

Fr. Antonio Mario M. Cesaro
General Bursar

Fr. Giuliano Saredi **
Secretary General

** On 4 December 1994 Fr. Silvano M. De Blasio, Sec. Gen. died unexpectedly.
He is succeeded – at the nomination of the Sup. Gen. dated 9 March 1995 by – Fr.  Giuliano Saredi.

{mospagebreak title=VII General Chapter (1998)}

VII General Chapter (1998)

It is the last celebrated in the XX century. It takes place in Ariccia from 15 April to 15 May 1998 and among its peculiarities is that of being presided by a Papal Delegate, Mons. Antonio Buoncristiani, Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina. Conflicts that have arisen within the Congregation have caused the intervention of a Papal Delegate.

The unfolding of the Chapter reveals the predominance of a strong sense of congregational unity and at the same time the awareness of having to deepen and reread in today’s complex reality the charismatic heredity transmitted to us by the Founder. The four priorities and the corresponding operative lines elaborated by the Chapter reflect this commitment of deepening, cohesion, integrality and actuality. After examining the congregational reality in light of the theme of the Chapter “Your parish is the world” and of the expectations of the Church and of contemporary society, the VII General Chapter assumes and proposes to execute the general objective: “Assume decisively the universality of our mission, accelerating first of all a change in mentality and attitude on the part of all the members.” During the Chapter, in fact, this basic postulate of dynamic fidelity prevails in an implicit or manifest way: every renewal must start from the persons, from their mentality, from their formation.

On 5 May 1998 turning out to be elected as Superior General of the Society of Saint Paul is Fr. Pietro Campus, fifth successor of the Founder. He will remain in office until 10 May 2004.

The Intercapitular Assembly takes place in New Delhi (India) from 26 February to 10 March 2001. As natural development of the theme of mission and, specifically, of the elaboration of a congregational apostolic project declared “unpostponable” by the Assembly, the CTIA convokes the first international meeting of the General Directors of the Apostolate of the Circumscriptions of the Congregation, with as object to reflect on the theme: “The Pauline, single multimedia editor.” The meeting unfolds in Ariccia from 30 April to 5 May 2001.

The most significant event of this sixth decade for the Society of Saint Paul and for the entire Pauline Family happens in St. Peter’s Plaza on 27 April 2003, when Fr. James Alberione is declared blessed by Pope John Paul II.

7° GENERAL CHAPTER
Casa Divin Maestro, Ariccia 15 April - 15 May 1998

Fr. Pietro Campus
Superior General

Fr. Abramo Parmeggiani
Vicar General

Fr. Juan Manuel Galaviz
General Councilor

Br. Luigi Ivo Furcas

General Councilor

Fr. Jose Pottayil
General Councilor

Br. Lorenzo Vezzani
General Councilor

Br. Francesco Chessa
General Councilor

Fr. Guido Gandolfo

Proucrator General

Fr. Giuliano Saredi
Secretary General

Fr. Antonio Mario M. Cesaro
General Bursar

{mospagebreak title=VIII General Chapter (2004)} 

VIII General Chapter (2004)

It is the first Chapter of the new millennium and is celebrated in Ariccia from 20 April to 20 May 2004.

In light of the Chapter’s theme “To be Saint Paul living today. A Congregation straining forward,” the Capitular Assembly examines the reality of the Congregation, analyzes the expectations of the Church and society in present-day circumstances and the future prospects and approves the Final Document, whose general objective is thus formulated: “Intensify, as individuals and community, the experience of Christ, in the way in which it has been lived by the apostle Paul, interpreted and entrusted to us by blessed James Alberione, so as to announce to all peoples the Word of salvation using the languages most appropriate for the modern culture of communication.” It inspires the contents and the lines of action of the five areas that articulate the Document: spirituality and community life; promotion and formation; apostolate; poverty, service of authority, administration; Pauline Family (accompanied by a specific capitular declaration). Among the Acts of the Chapter special mention merits the deliberation on the “Manual of Authority,” that closes the period ad experimentum, making it normative with the new title Service of Authority in the SSP. Manual.

On 10 May 2004, the Capitulars elect as Superior General of the Society of Saint Paul Fr. Silvio Sassi, sixth successor of the Founder.

The principal stages that cadence in succession the application of some provisions of the Chapter, are the following:

  • The second International Meeting of the General Directors of the Apostolate of the Circumscriptions of the Congregation, that takes place in Ariccia from 9 to 15 October 2006 upon convocation by the CTIA. The aim is that of reflecting on the strategies to run better the apostolic organization and deepen the editorial lines of the Congregation (approved on 16 November 2005).
  • The Intercapitular Assembly at Cuernavaca (Mexico) from 16 to 29 April 2007. In it, among others, it is suggested to the General Government to gather the most significant texts of the successors of blessed James Alberione: Fr. Luigi Zanoni (1969-1975), Fr. Raffaele Tonni (1975-1980), Fr. Renato Perino (1980-1992), Fr. Silvio Pignotti (1992-1998) and Fr. Pietro Campus (1998-2004) for the purpose of putting at the disposal of Paulines the contribution that each of the General Superiors have offered for the “straining forward” of the Pauline charism. The texts can be found in the official site of the Congregation www.paulus.net, with the title: “Documenti dei successori di Don Alberione, (two volumes).”
  • The constitution of the SIF (International Secretariat for Vocation Pastoral and Formation) dated 25 January 2008, followed by, from 14 to 21 September 2008 in Ariccia, the first International Meeting of the General Coordinators of Vocation Pastoral and Formation of the Circumscriptions of the Congregation.
  • The two important events: the International Seminar on the Pauline Charism, from 17 June to 3 July 2008 in Ariccia, and the International Seminar on Saint Paul, also in Ariccia from 19 to 29 April 2009. By happy coincidence, they fall in the framework of the Pauline Year, 28 June 2008 - 29 June 2009, willed by Pope Benedict XVI to commemorate the bimillennium of the birth of Saint Paul.
  • The first International Meeting of the Delegates of the Pauline Institutes of Consecrated Secular Life, from 12 to 18 September 2009 in Ariccia.
8° GENERAL CHAPTER
Casa Divin Maestro, Ariccia 20 April - 20 May 2004

Fr. Silvio Sassi
Superior General

Fr. Jose Pottayil
Vicar General

Fr. Juan Antonio Carrera
General Councilor

Br. Francesco Chessa *
General Councilor

Fr. Juan Manuel Galaviz
General Councilor

Br. Walter Rodríguez
General Councilor

Fr. Takahito Tokuda
General Councilor

Fr. Filippo Rappa

Procurator General

Br. Lorenzo Vezzani
Secretary General

Br. Marco Bulgarelli
General Bursar

Br. Giuseppe Galli **
General Councilor

* On 30 August 2007 Fr. Francesco Chessa died.
** He is succeeded – at the nominaton of the Sup. Gen.dated 11 September 2007 by – Br. Giuseppe Galli.