I somehow missed seeing this at the time but was delighted to read that Bartolo Longo was canonised on October 19th 2025. His Feast Day is on October 5th. St. Bartolo Longo, pray for us.
The prayer of Saint Bartolo: "O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain that unites us to God, bond of love that unites us to the angels, tower of salvation against the assaults of Hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we will never abandon you. You will be our comfort in the hour of death: yours our final kiss as life ebbs away. And the last word from our lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompei, O dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted. May you be everywhere blessed, today and always, on earth and in heaven.”
One thing I would expect from a converted Satanist/witch is reparation. God's Justice coming to pass in the form of some affliction. Maybe a physical affliction. Satanism is really, really bad news and invites God's anger. But with Bartolo there never seems to have been any sign of this. His conversion must have been really, really radical. Also of course he was very, very close to Our Lady, that must have helped.
I was reading an article earlier and it seems that even after his radical conversion he experienced dark thoughts and doubts that he was forgiven for his previous Satanic activities. I think it was when he committed himself to making the Rosary widely known that he recovered. Part of the article below: "Each day for two years, as a voluntarily-imposed penance, Bartolo worked in the Neapolitan Hospital for Incurables. He prayed. He became a third-order Dominican. He made a promise of celibacy to serve God with an undivided heart. He sought to do reparation for his scandal by returning to his Satanist hangouts, holding up the Rosary and publicly renouncing his former ways. But he still despaired. He couldn’t forgive himself or see how God could ever forgive him. One day, while fulfilling some legal business in Pompeii for his client Countess Mariana di Fusco, and seeing how great was the people’s poverty, ignorance, moral corruption and dependence on witchcraft, God helped him to see both how he could be saved and how he could spend his life saving others. “One day in the fields around Pompeii,” he wrote, “I recalled my former condition as a priest of Satan… I thought that perhaps as the priesthood of Christ is for eternity, so also the priesthood of Satan is for eternity. So, despite my repentance, I thought: I am still consecrated to Satan, and I am still his slave and property as he awaits me in Hell. As I pondered over my condition, I experienced a deep sense of despair and almost committed suicide. Then I heard an echo in my ear of the voice of Friar Alberto repeating the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary: ‘One who propagates my Rosary shall be saved.’ Falling to my knees, I exclaimed: ‘If your words are true that he who propagates your Rosary will be saved, I shall reach salvation because I shall not leave this earth without propogating your Rosary."
A somewhat curious thing happened earlier today. I was having a look on Kindle to see if there was a biography of Saint Bartolo, to learn a bit more about his astonishing life story and reversion to the Catholic faith. There were a few but I was drawn to one called 'From Darkness to Deliverance', by Jonathan Vexler. I had a closer look at the description, etc. and noticed that it was just published yesterday, which is also when I found out that Bartolo Longo had been canonised. A good feature of Kindle is that you can download a free sample and see what the book is like. I did that and find it very good, so far. This is from the Introduction: "Many who read his story will recognize parts of themselves in his journey. Not everyone enters the same shadows he did, but everyone knows what it feels like to seek meaning in the wrong places, to chase approval, to become entangled in ideas or habits that promise fulfillment but leave the soul barren. Everyone knows what it feels like to wonder whether God has stepped aside, whether mercy has limits, whether grace has stopped knocking. But if Bartolo’s life reveals anything, it is that no one is ever beyond reach. God pursues not with force but with patience. He waits through detours and failures, through rebellion and confusion, through every fragile step the soul takes away from truth. And when the heart finally whispers its first prayer in years, even a prayer too quiet to hear, Heaven responds with a mercy that floods through every crack of the wounded soul. Bartolo did not understand the depth of this mercy when it first found him. He did not know that the God he had abandoned had been walking with him through every shadow, waiting not for perfection but for surrender. He did not know that his past would become the soil from which a mission of staggering beauty would grow, nor that the valley of Pompeii, desolate and forgotten, would become the canvas of his redemption. He did not know that one day he would hold the Rosary not as a relic of childhood but as the lifeline that would draw him from the abyss. His story is a warning to those who believe they can flirt with darkness without consequence. It is a consolation for those who fear that their mistakes have severed them from grace. And it is a promise for every seeker, every wounded soul, every weary pilgrim who doubts that God still pursues them. Bartolo’s life stands as a gentle testimony that the Lord does not abandon His own, even when they abandon Him. He waits, He watches, and He moves with perfect timing. The introduction to his life is not the account of a saint rising effortlessly toward virtue. It is the story of a man who wandered far into the shadows, unaware that mercy was following closely behind, ready to claim him the moment he allowed even a sliver of light to enter. It is the story of a heart shaped in childhood, fractured in youth, nearly destroyed in early manhood, and restored by a grace that never stopped reaching for him."
Oh thank you I will read this after I have read my present book. I find it hard to find a good saints books to read these days. As far as I recall Bartolo had a huge role in reviving devotion to St Philomena , I must check and see. Their Connection Inspiration: Bartolo Longo found profound inspiration in St. Philomena's unwavering faith and purity, which contrasted sharply with his own dark past as a Satanic priest. Literary Work: In 1896, he wrote Life of St. Philomena Virgin and Martyr, based on mystical revelations, further popularizing her devotion. Miracles & Veneration: Longo's efforts helped spread devotion to St. Philomena, with miracles and healings associated with her relics in Mugnano, Italy, gaining widespread attention. "Father of the Rosary": He became known as the "Father of the Rosary of Pompeii" for his dedication to promoting the Rosary, seeing it as a path to salvation, a mission intertwined with his devotion to St. Philomena.
Thanks Padraig, you're very welcome. It's a fascinating story. I finished the excerpt and look forward to reading the rest of the book. Our adult son has additional needs and attends a day centre in another part of Dublin. Their building is behind a local Church, called Saint Philomena's.
Saint Caterina Volpicelli (1839 - 1894) was one of the people instrumental in helping Bartolo Longo to come back to the Catholic faith. Foundress of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart, she also introduced Bartolo to the Contessa Fusco who would play an important role in his future mission in Pompeii and later become his wife. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in April 2001 and canonised by Pope Benedict XVI in April 2009. Saint Caterina Volpicelli, pray for us.
Prayers to Our Lady for your son today. I read the most wonderful booklet one time many years ago which I am sure is long out of print,. It was called ten saints of Dublin and focused on ten men and women of the city who lived in Dublin around the 1920's or so. I am sure there are at least 20 saints there today.
Thanks Padraig, he's doing well, thank God. It's a bit strange to hear Saints being spoken about in relation to Dublin, as it often feels far removed from from sanctity these days. However, I think you're probably right. There are many hidden saints all over the country. Those who care for vulnerable family members come to mind. My wife is Stephen's main carer and gave up her teaching career to look after him when we realised he needed a lot of extra help. She also has me to put up with, I reckon she is a Saint!
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/...hose-with-mental-health-struggles-priest-says Saint Bartolo Longo is an example for those with mental health struggles, priest says. Link to article above.
A friend of mind who is a prayer partner has a middle aged brother who is mentally challenged in some way. I believe he has the mental age of a 12 year old. He is in a wonderful home where he is looked after very well. My friend visits him every week. It is not on the East side of Ireland but you can pm me if you need any further info.
Thanks InVeritatem, I'm very glad to hear he is being well looked after. It's heartening. I think that's the biggest concern for parents or siblings, that the person will be well cared for if they're no longer here or able to.
https://www.simplycatholic.com/blessed-bartolo-longo-a-saint-for-the-depressed-and-anxious/ Bartolo Longo, a saint for the depressed and anxious. Link to article above.
I think the reason why we do not recognise the saints amongst us is the pagan culture. We are spiritually blind collectively. We cannot as a people recognise either good or evil even if it jumps up and bit us in the ass. Fulton Sheen told a nice story one time when he was visiting Dublin. A lady had been crossing the street in the city and got run over by runaway horse and cart. Her body was left the most horrific wreck , they could do nothing for her and they could do nothing for her but to take her to a nearby hospital to die the most dreadful death. However this is where it gets interesting. The nursing nuns began to notice how holy this random woman was. She accepted her agony and death with perfect peace and acceptance. Other visitors such as priests began to notice too. So they began to recognise they were dealing with a saint. But the thing is if this happened today who would notice? No one.
I was looking around to see if there were any accounts of Fulton Sheen's visits to Dublin, as sadly I have to admit that I don't know a lot about him. I saw that he spoke several times in Whitefriar Street church, which is very close to where my Mother grew up. I remember we had some of his books at home when I was young. This photo also came up, which I had never seen. Two giants of Faith greeting each other. Fulton Sheen and Frank Duff, founder of the Legion of Mary, meeting in Dublin in 1969.
