The Lord has marked for us the path to holiness. The experience of so many brothers and sisters who have gone before becomes a reference point for today. It is good to look at their history and to find attitudes that can be imitated and lived. We look at several Dehonians and the process started by the Postulator General to recognize the signs of their journey towards perfection.
1. Blessed JUAN MARÍA DE LA CRUZ, priest and martyr, (1891-1936)
Proclaimed Blessed by Pope John Paul II, together with the Martyrs of Valencia, in 2001. This year we celebrated the 125th anniversary of his birth.
2. Venerable Servant of God LÉO JOHN DEHON, (1843-1925)
Founder of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.
3. Venerable Fr. VINCENZO GALLO, (1899-1934)
Named “the Apostle of Suffering”, “the Consecrated Victim to the Heart of Christ”, he died in sanctity on the evening of May 2, 1934. Proclaimed “Venerable” by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
4. Servant of God Fr. ANDREAS PRÉVOT, (1840-1913)
First novice master (for more than 21 years). Fr. Dehon called him “our saint” dehonian.
5. Servant of God Fr. MARTINO CAPELLI, (1912-1944)
Shot by the Nazis with the Salesian priest Don Elia Comini.
6. Servant of God Fr. BERNARDO LONGO, (1907-1964)
The Wamba Mission became his mission, his love, his martyrdom. A spear cracked his chest in the Simba rebellion.
7. Servant of God Msgr. JOSEPH WITTEBOLS, (1912-1964)
First bishop of Wamba (Congo), martyred and murdered by “Simbas,” along with another 27 Dehonians in 1964.
