Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Venerable Pio Bruno Lanteri was born in Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy, in 1759, the son of a well respected doctor. He lost his mother when still four years of age. At seventeen, he entered the Carthusian Order, but did not last long due to his poor health. He felt called to the diocesan priesthood, and thus entered the seminary.
It was at this time that he met Father Diessbach, a priest who became very influential to him. At the time the Jansenists were gaining a lot of strength, and Father Diessbach was a strong advocate against them. Father Diessbach taught the young Pio Lanteri about the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which had a profound effect on him. While still a seminarian, Lanteri went with Fr. Diessbach to Austria to prepare the city to a papal visit. The Emperor did not have a good relationship with the Pope, so Diessbach and Lanteri tried to teach the people of Vienna so that they would be more friendly and amiable to the Pope. They were successful, and so Vienna gave the Pope a joyful and warm welcome when he arrived.
Shortly aftwerwards, Lanteri was ordained a priest. Unfortunately due to his health he was not able to preach effectively. He thus devoted himself to providing the sacrament of confession and spiritual guidance to many.
Hard times hit the Church during Father Lanteri's ministry. Napoleon had imprisoned the Pope and tried to exert great influence over the Church. Along with many others Father Lanteri helped feed information to the Pope so that he could more effectively guide the Church. Father Lanteri also helped distribute literature to the people that rallied to support the Pope.
In 1814, several priests approached Father Lanteri, asking if he'd form a fraternity together with them dedicated to providing retreats and other forms of spiritual guidance to help heal and revive the faith of many that was effected by the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. Father Lanteri agreed, and so the Oblates got started. Eventually they sought papal approval and became a religious congregation under Pope Leo XII in 1826. He died four years later. As he lay on his deathbed, he told the brother caring for him that he saw a beautiful woman, and that she was handing him a child. The brother commented that it must be Mary that he was seeing. Just before dying he imparted these last words on the Oblates:
"Love one another, love one another intensely: be always united in heart at the cost of any sacrifice whatsoever."
It was at this time that he met Father Diessbach, a priest who became very influential to him. At the time the Jansenists were gaining a lot of strength, and Father Diessbach was a strong advocate against them. Father Diessbach taught the young Pio Lanteri about the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which had a profound effect on him. While still a seminarian, Lanteri went with Fr. Diessbach to Austria to prepare the city to a papal visit. The Emperor did not have a good relationship with the Pope, so Diessbach and Lanteri tried to teach the people of Vienna so that they would be more friendly and amiable to the Pope. They were successful, and so Vienna gave the Pope a joyful and warm welcome when he arrived.
Shortly aftwerwards, Lanteri was ordained a priest. Unfortunately due to his health he was not able to preach effectively. He thus devoted himself to providing the sacrament of confession and spiritual guidance to many.
Hard times hit the Church during Father Lanteri's ministry. Napoleon had imprisoned the Pope and tried to exert great influence over the Church. Along with many others Father Lanteri helped feed information to the Pope so that he could more effectively guide the Church. Father Lanteri also helped distribute literature to the people that rallied to support the Pope.
In 1814, several priests approached Father Lanteri, asking if he'd form a fraternity together with them dedicated to providing retreats and other forms of spiritual guidance to help heal and revive the faith of many that was effected by the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. Father Lanteri agreed, and so the Oblates got started. Eventually they sought papal approval and became a religious congregation under Pope Leo XII in 1826. He died four years later. As he lay on his deathbed, he told the brother caring for him that he saw a beautiful woman, and that she was handing him a child. The brother commented that it must be Mary that he was seeing. Just before dying he imparted these last words on the Oblates:
"Love one another, love one another intensely: be always united in heart at the cost of any sacrifice whatsoever."
Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Venerable Pio Bruno Lanteri was born in Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy, in 1759, the son of a well respected doctor. He lost his mother when still four years of age. At seventeen, he entered the Carthusian Order, but did not last long due to his poor health. He felt called to the diocesan priesthood, and thus entered the seminary.
It was at this time that he met Father Diessbach, a priest who became very influential to him. At the time the Jansenists were gaining a lot of strength, and Father Diessbach was a strong advocate against them. Father Diessbach taught the young Pio Lanteri about the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which had a profound effect on him. While still a seminarian, Lanteri went with Fr. Diessbach to Austria to prepare the city to a papal visit. The Emperor did not have a good relationship with the Pope, so Diessbach and Lanteri tried to teach the people of Vienna so that they would be more friendly and amiable to the Pope. They were successful, and so Vienna gave the Pope a joyful and warm welcome when he arrived.
Shortly aftwerwards, Lanteri was ordained a priest. Unfortunately due to his health he was not able to preach effectively. He thus devoted himself to providing the sacrament of confession and spiritual guidance to many.
Hard times hit the Church during Father Lanteri's ministry. Napoleon had imprisoned the Pope and tried to exert great influence over the Church. Along with many others Father Lanteri helped feed information to the Pope so that he could more effectively guide the Church. Father Lanteri also helped distribute literature to the people that rallied to support the Pope.
In 1814, several priests approached Father Lanteri, asking if he'd form a fraternity together with them dedicated to providing retreats and other forms of spiritual guidance to help heal and revive the faith of many that was effected by the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. Father Lanteri agreed, and so the Oblates got started. Eventually they sought papal approval and became a religious congregation under Pope Leo XII in 1826. He died four years later. As he lay on his deathbed, he told the brother caring for him that he saw a beautiful woman, and that she was handing him a child. The brother commented that it must be Mary that he was seeing. Just before dying he imparted these last words on the Oblates:
"Love one another, love one another intensely: be always united in heart at the cost of any sacrifice whatsoever."
It was at this time that he met Father Diessbach, a priest who became very influential to him. At the time the Jansenists were gaining a lot of strength, and Father Diessbach was a strong advocate against them. Father Diessbach taught the young Pio Lanteri about the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which had a profound effect on him. While still a seminarian, Lanteri went with Fr. Diessbach to Austria to prepare the city to a papal visit. The Emperor did not have a good relationship with the Pope, so Diessbach and Lanteri tried to teach the people of Vienna so that they would be more friendly and amiable to the Pope. They were successful, and so Vienna gave the Pope a joyful and warm welcome when he arrived.
Shortly aftwerwards, Lanteri was ordained a priest. Unfortunately due to his health he was not able to preach effectively. He thus devoted himself to providing the sacrament of confession and spiritual guidance to many.
Hard times hit the Church during Father Lanteri's ministry. Napoleon had imprisoned the Pope and tried to exert great influence over the Church. Along with many others Father Lanteri helped feed information to the Pope so that he could more effectively guide the Church. Father Lanteri also helped distribute literature to the people that rallied to support the Pope.
In 1814, several priests approached Father Lanteri, asking if he'd form a fraternity together with them dedicated to providing retreats and other forms of spiritual guidance to help heal and revive the faith of many that was effected by the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. Father Lanteri agreed, and so the Oblates got started. Eventually they sought papal approval and became a religious congregation under Pope Leo XII in 1826. He died four years later. As he lay on his deathbed, he told the brother caring for him that he saw a beautiful woman, and that she was handing him a child. The brother commented that it must be Mary that he was seeing. Just before dying he imparted these last words on the Oblates:
"Love one another, love one another intensely: be always united in heart at the cost of any sacrifice whatsoever."
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