Saint Giuseppe Cottolengo
The Piedmontese priest who founded Turin's Little House of Divine Providence
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Priest, Founder
- Life
- 1786 – 1842
- Era
- 19th century
- Feast
- 30 April
- Countries
- Italy
Life story
Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo was born on 3 May 1786 in Bra, in Piedmont, northern Italy, into a family of cloth-workers. He studied theology in Turin, was ordained a priest in 1811 and earned a doctorate. He then did parish work in his home region before being appointed a canon at the church of Corpus Domini in Turin.
An event in 1827 changed his direction: a woman who was pregnant and had a high fever went looking for medical care, was turned away by hospitals and died in Turin, and he was called to give her the last rites. After this he rented a small room to take in the sick who had been refused elsewhere, and he named the place the Little House of Divine Providence.
From about 1832 the work moved to the Valdocco district of Turin and grew gradually into a complex of many houses for the sick, orphans, deaf and mute people, people with epilepsy and the elderly. Cottolengo kept no fixed income and relied on donations and the help of ordinary people. He also set up communities of sisters, brothers and priests to serve in the houses.
He died on 30 April 1842 in Chieri of typhoid fever, aged fifty-five. He was beatified in 1917 and canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1934. His work continues in Turin today. The institution still bears his name as the Piccola Casa and continues to look after many residents.
Works and witness
- Ordained in 1811 and earned a doctorate in theology in Turin
- In 1827 opened a place for the sick turned away by other institutions
- Moved the work to Valdocco around 1832 and expanded it into many houses
- Relied on donations and founded religious communities to serve the sick
- Died in Chieri of typhoid in 1842
Saints from the same country
References
- Martyrologium Romanum
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, entry Saint Giuseppe Cottolengo
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.