This year the liturgical commemoration of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo directs our attention above all to the grace of his priesthood. One hundred years ago, on October 19, 1919, Giuseppe Giaccardo, 23, a member of the emerging religious community, was ordained a priest by the bishop of Alba, Francesco Re.
Blessed Timothy did not neglect the gift received during ordination, but multiplied it for the glory of God and the salvation of men. He always had gratitude to God for the grace he did not feel worthy of. He also noted Mary’s role in his priestly vocation. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his priesthood, on October 19, 1944, he wrote in his Diary: “It is very sweet for me to explicitly remember and thank Our Lady, because every priesthood comes out of her heart; and mine came out with an abundance of affection, of care, of providence, of grace, of life”. These words reflect well the Marian characteristic of the spirituality of the Blessed.
God, in his providential plans, wanted Blessed Timothy as the closest and most faithful co-worker of Fr. James Alberione and as a person who shares with the Founder his father’s concern and responsibility for the nascent Pauline Family. God has inscribed in Timothy’s vocation the mission of the educator and formator of many generations of Paulines. God also wanted him as a forerunner of the path of sanctification through the apostolate of communication. Blessed Timothy completed his priestly service and the process of his Christification by offering his life for the life of the Congregation of the Disciples of the Divine Master. On January 24, 1948, the faithful servant returned to the house of the Father to receive the crown of justice prepared for him by Jesus Master.
For this special remembrance of Blessed Timothy this year we have prepared three programmes that will help us to appreciate again the gift of his person and his life for the Pauline Family:
The short film, recalls a note from the day of ordination that Blessed Timothy wrote in his “Diary”. We have also prepared translations of the text in the following languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Polish. To use the subtitles you must select the language option in the settings in the YouTube video window.
«Blessed Timoteo Giaccardo. “Another Christ”» ( pdf ITA • pdf ESP • pdf ENG ) by Fr George Kalitholil is an article in memory of the person and work of the life of the First Pauline Priest.
The article "Giaccardo and Borello: A Unique Priesthood" ( pdf ITA • pdf ESP • pdf ENG • pdf POR )by Fr Gabriel Rendon characterizes the idea of the Pauline priesthood according to the thought of Blessed James Alberione. The author does so on the basis of examples of the life of Blessed Timothy, who represents the ministerial priesthood, and the Venerable Andrea Borello, a participant in the universal priesthood of the faithful.
Thanking God for the works he has done in the person of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo and through his apostolic commitment, we ask that “through his intercession, in the Church and in the world, the means of social communication be properly used to lead to good and contribute validly in every place to the spread of the Gospel message” (from the Collect).