June 17 – Memory of Blessed Paul Burali d’Arezzo, C.R.
“Oh God, who manifested in Blessed Paul Burali the many and wonderful paths of your call to Christian perfection, grant us the consolation of your heavenly protection to follow you with all our hearts. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Blessed Paul Burali d’Arezzo, was born in Itri in 1511. Graduated from the University of Bologna, he carried out forensic work in Naples with exemplary justice. The Viceroy appointed him Royal Councilor, but, called to greater perfection, he left everything and embraced religious life with the Theatines of Naples, solemnly professed in 1558. S. Pius V appointed him Bishop of Piacenza in 1568, then in 1570 he created Cardinal of the title of Santa Prudenziana. In Piacenza he worked to reform the diocese in accordance with the Council of Trent. Helped by S. Andrea Avellino, he founded the seminary and opened a house for his Theatines, they worked tirelessly together in the formation of the clergy, in the sanctification of the laity with catechesis, with the frequency of the sacraments, without neglecting to help the poor and lost or endangered women. Gregory XIII, transferred it in 1576 to the archbishopric of Naples. He died on June 17, 1578 and was buried in S. Pablo Mayor in Naples. S. Felipe Neri mourned his death as “a loss for the entire Christian world.” Clement XIV beatified him in 1772.
