Joseph Marello was born in Turin on December 26, 1844. He spent his childhood in S. Martino Alfieri near Asti. His special devotion to the Virgin Mary determined his choice of vocation and his fidelity to it. He entered the seminary of Asti, where he inspired his companions with his goodness and holiness. Ordained a priest on September 19,1868, Joseph Marello lived his priestly life intensely: he served the diocese of Asti first as secretary to the Bishop and then as Chancellor, directing the Curia's activities; he devoted himself to the ministry of confession, spiritual direction and catechesis; he took seriously the moral and religious education of youth and helped in the pastoral ministry; he showed himself sensible to the elderly, taking over a home for the aged which did not have the means to help those living in it; he engaged the laity through the Catholic initiatives being set up to support the Pope's person and actions at a difficult time for the Church. At the same time he was contemplating the idea of dedicating himself totally to Lord in a Carthusian monastery. But His Bishop, Monsignor Savio, dissuaded him saying that the Lord was asking something different from him. He wanted to channel Marello's aspiration of total dedication to the Lord by starting a new Religious Family, which would revive in Asti the presence of Men religious, a presence which had been suffocated by the revolutionary laws of the time.
Marello founded the Congregation of the Oblates of St. Joseph on the 14th of March 1878, for which he proposed St. Joseph as the exemplar of intimate relationship with the Divine Word and of "looking after Jesus". Above all, he entrusted to the Fathers and Brothers of the Oblates of St. Joseph the task of spreading devotion to St. Joseph, training the young and assisting in the ministry of the local churches.
During the 1st Vatican Council, His Eminence Gioacchino Cardinal Pecci, later Pope Leo XIII, had occasion to appreciate the virtues and talents of the young priest Joseph Marello, who accompanied his Bishop as secretary. Pope Leo XIII nominated Joseph Marello as Bishop of Acqui and he was consecrated on February 17, 1889. As a bishop, Joseph Marello approached everyone and strived to create unity between the clergy and the faithful. In his pastoral work he promoted the study of the catechism, the Christian education of youth, the parish missions and Christian living.
Joseph Marello died on May 30, 1895 in Savona, where he had gone, despite poor health, to take part in the celebrations for the third centennial of St. Philip Neri. The cause for his canonization began on May 28, 1948. On June 12, 1978 the Degree of heroic virtue was read in the presence of Pope Paul VI. The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, beatified Joseph Marello on the 26th of September 1993 in Asti, and pointed him out as an example of charity, of untiring and silent work for youth and the abandoned, and as a model for all Pastors of the People of God and for all those who throughout the world carry on the work of the apostles. Then by a solemn decree on December 18, 2000, the Holy Father declared thatAthe miracle worked by God through the intercession of Blessed Joseph Marello, Bishop of Acqui, Founder of the Congregation of the Oblates of St. Joseph, has been verified: namely the sudden, complete and enduring recovery of the children Alfredo and Isilia Chávez León, who were both restored to health at the same time frombroncho-pulmonitis,a sickness accompanied by high fever, dyspnoea and cyanosis in patients, and usually caused by chronic malnutrition'. After the recognition of this miracle, Pope John Paul II on the 13th of March 2001, during a public ordinary consistory for the canonization of the Blessed, solemnly pronounced: "By the authority of Almighty God, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of Our own, We declare that: ...the Blessed Joseph Marello... be inscribed in the Album of Saints on 25th November 2001".
Beloved, take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the holy Spirit that dwells within us. So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well. Bear your share of hardship along with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Writings
(Year C). Unfortunately, there is an increase of those Christians who, without renouncing the faith, lead a life in conflict with its teachings and its laws; believers in their hearts and unbelievers in their works: Christians who, if religion is held in honor and those who profess it are honored, they make it their glory and boast of practicing it; but as soon as it no longer has the homage and protection of the great and powerful of this age, and is no longer useful for their temporal interests, they immediately turn their backs on it and are ashamed for having once been its faithful followers. Have these Christians changed with the changing times their intimate conviction and ceased to believe the truth of the faith? Generally not. In their heart they think and feel the same about their obligation of conscience, but since they would need a little courage to show themselves openly as Christians, and practicing Christians, they find it more convenient to lie, even to themselves, and to show themselves to be worse than they are.
Now we ask those unhappy slaves of human respect: how come the world has such power over you? How can it lead you to the point that, in order not to lose its favor, you sacrifice you faith? Is it its strength that leads you to this, or your weakness? Are you thinking of what your are doing? Therefore, are the vain censures, the mockery and scorn of an evil world to be feared more than the laws and punishments of Almighty God? Therefore, the slaves of human respect want to remain friends with the world, in every case and at all costs. However, what does the world have to offer them in exchange for blindobedience to its wicked dictates? Comforts, honors, pleasures?
Yet man is a pilgrim here-below and a guest for a few years in the house he dwells in. He is often disappointed in his most beautiful plans, in his most pleasant dreams of happiness. The example of all times shows that the world has never been able to render happy any of its followers. Besides, which of the worldly today, if they were questioned, could answer that they are fully satisfied with their fate an truly happy? Pleasures are not always accompanied by health of body, and never, if they are illicit, by peace of heart; riches are not accumulated norconserved without much care and worry, and they are not those who are their slaves without much bitterness. For one desire that is fulfilled, there are a thousand others that escape, and even if they could all be granted, not even then would we be happy. Solomon himself teaches us this fact. He, the wisest and most powerful and fortunate of all monarchs, confesses that after havin tasted everything that the heart of man can taste here-below, he wa forced to exclaim: Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity and affliction of spirit (Eccl 1.2.). Indeed, how can we enjoy with a tranquil soul all the riches, pleasures and honors of life when we think that each one of us will be deprived and stripped of these earthly things by death?
Dearly beloved, let us therefore raise our eyes on high and let us aspire to the goods that God has prepared for those who serve and love Him. Let us turn our desires to those heavenly treasures that do not perish, to that glory that no one can take away, to that happiness that will last for eternity. May the fear of the world and the false hopes that it engenders not turn us away from the observance of that law solely according to which we will be judged with an irrevocable sentence. Let us fear God alone and put our glory in him alone and we will enjoy, even here on earth, that peace that the world cannot give. Let us put far from us the shameful yoke of human respect which makes slaves of the devil out of those who are called to the liberty of the children of God. If obedience to the Gospel should become a burden, let us look around us to see all the faithful Christians who render testimony to the words of Jesus Christ who tells us that His burden is light and His yoke gentle (Matt. XI. 30.); and let us be comforted in the thought that divine grace comes to lighten and to sweeten any sacrifice that we might meet on the way that leads to heaven.
Venerable Brothers and dearly beloved children, let us revive our faith and render it fruitful with good works. Let us make it the only and fixed rule of our conduct, even before men, so that one day it may not be a condemnation for us before the Divine Judge, but rather a glorious right to eternal salvation.Since divine grace is indispensable to remaining in our gooddispositions, let us implore it with the humble, confident and persevering prayer that obtains everything from heaven, according to what Our Lord Jesus Christ said: ask and you shallreceive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you (Matt. VII. 7). (Pastoral Letter 1893
Musical Selection
Te Joseph celebrent agmina caelitum: Te cuncti resonent christianum chori: Qui clarus meritis, junctus es inclytae, Casto foedere, Virgini.
Let the choirs of angels sing your praises, O Joseph, and all the choirs of the Christian world make your name resound, to honor you for your unique merits and for your union in chaste wedlock with the glorious Virgin.
When you were astonished at your wife being pregnant with her loving Child, and doubt and anxiety filled your soul, an angel told you that the Child was conceived by the breath of the heavenly Spirit.
Tu natum Dominum stringis; ad exteras Aegypti profugum tu sequeris plagas; Amissum Solymis quaeris, et invenis, Miscens gaudia fletibus.
You took your Lord in your arms at His birth and waited on His direction on the journey into exile in far-off Egypt. You searched Jerusalem for Him, when He was missing, and on finding Him your tears of sorrow became tears of joy.
Post mortem reliquos mors pia consecrat, Palmamque emeritos gloria suscipit: Tu vivens, superis par, frueris Deo, Mira sorte beatior.
A loving providence puts other men in God’s presence when they are dead—and glory is the welcome for those who win the palm of victory. But through a wonderful act of providence you were more fortunate, for in your life here below you enjoyed God’s presence, the equal of those in heaven.
Nobis, summa Trias, parce precantibus, Da Joseph meritis, sidera scandere; Ut tandem liceat nos tibi perpetim Gratum promere canticum.
Mighty God, three in one, spare us, Your suppliants. Grant through Joseph’s merits that we enter heaven where we may then unceasingly sing in Your honor our hymns of joy and gratitude.
Collect
O God, you inspired in Saint Bishop Joseph Marello the ardent desire to express by his interior life and in his apostolate the Christian mystery as lived by Saint Joseph, guardian of the Redeemer, by his intercession grant that we may imitate him in his intimate union with you and in his zeal for the service of the Church. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
