O my God and my all!
Grant that I may dedicate my life to knowing, loving, and serving Your Divine Persons in every creature, and Your Will in every event which takes place independently from my will.
Grant that I may be an act of love, a gift of love, a service of love,
a conversation of love, a communion of love,
O my God and my all!
HISTORY
Fr. Justin Maria Russolillo, the Founder of the Society of Divine Vocations, was born in Pianura (Naples, Italy) on January 18th, 1891. He was ordained a priest on September 20th, 1913. No sooner he became the pastor of Pianura on September 20, 1920, than he began working for the realization of his dream. That same year, the first community of the Society of Divine Vocations, which became known as the “VOCATIONIST FATHERS” came into being. The Society of Divine Vocations received its first Diocesan approval on May 26, 1927. It became a Congregation of Pontifical on May 24th, 1947.
Fr. Justin established the Vocationist Fathers and their special charism to foster and promote vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and holiness among all God’s people. To carry on this vocational work Fr. Justin established the Vocationary, a special house of formation that would supply vocations to both religious order and diocesan seminaries.
For those who are undecided whether they want to be a Vocationist, a Diocesan priest, or a member of another religious community, the Vocationist Fathers offer the Vocationary, a place of vocational discernment. The Vocationary was established specially to attend to the needs of those financially unable to attend the seminary and those who are still searching and discerning their vocation. By establishing the Vocationary, Fr. Justin focused his attention not only on candidates seeking a religious or priestly vocation but also on those who had left the priesthood or who were in danger of doing so. Thus, the Vocationary has often given life to those who had abandoned the active ministry.
Fr. Justin died on August 2nd, 1955, at the Vocationist Fathers’ Motherhouse in Pianura.
On December 18th, 1997, Pope John Paul II recognized Fr. Justin’s heroic virtues and proclaimed him Venerable. On July 1st, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree of validity of the miracle by Fr. Justin’s intercession to Ida Meloro of East Hanover, New Jersey (USA). The beatification ceremony was on May 7th, 2011, in Pianura (Naples, Italy), the birthplace of Fr. Justin.
The Vocationists’ spirituality stems from Fr. Justin’s conviction that everyone is called to holiness. Their “first duty” is to be with God. Their ultimate goal is to achieve the Divine Union. They are called to establish and live the relationship of “child, parent, and spouse” of God on the pattern of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Catholic Church, the Holy Family, and the Blessed Trinity are the heart and center of their spirituality, which may be summarized thus: “Ascension to the Trinity with the Holy Family in the Church.”
Read the complete biography of Saint Justin of the Trinity
Learn more about Saint Justin
watching a movie about his life.
“Don Giustino, Una Vita Per Le Vocazioni”
(in Italian)