Paolo Francesco Daneo, the son of a pious shop-owner, was born in Italy in 1694, and his early life was marked with uncertainty. His parents had 16 children, but 10 never survived infancy, and his father had to move the family and his business several times. He had an average childhood but didn’t have a true conversion of faith until he was 19. Paolo had a series of visions, and with his bishop’s support, he took a 40-day retreat, wrote a rule of order, and formed the Passionists. His brother joined him and the two moved to Rome where they opened a hospital, studied theology, and were ordained to the priesthood. His preaching moved the hardest of hearts, and by his death at age 81, there were 280 members of his order living in 12 monasteries.
CHALLENGE
St. Paul of the Cross found certainty in life in the love of God by meditating on the Passion of Christ. He said, “The world lives unmindful of the sufferings of Jesus which are the miracle of miracles of the love of God. We must arouse the world from its slumber.” How can you help arouse the world from its slumber? Today, spend at least 15 minutes meditating on a Crucifix and the word “love”.
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