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As a Priest of God and Servant of His People... Once his theological studies were completed he was ordained a priest on March 16, 1878. Few months before his ordination, when he was still Deacon, he met a poor blind beggar, Francesco Zancone, who "providentially" led him to discover a world unknown to him: "Le Case Avignone" (The Avignone squatters), in the outskirts of Messina. It was to be his new field of apostolate and the beginning of a long journey of love and sacrifices for the poor and the orphans. Together with the intuition of the "Rogate", this spirit of charity will be the characteristic of his life. Wanting to dedicate himself completely to the poorest of the city he sought and received the permission and the encouragement of his bishop, Mons. Joseph Guarino. He looked at them with the eyes of Jesus and saw them as "sheep without a shepherd". Great and many were the difficulties and obstacles he had to face in this work but his profound faith sustained him always. He considered his service to the poor and the outcasts as a service done to Jesus Himself. As he cared for the poor he was at the same time attentive to both taking care of their human and spiritual needs. In 1882 he opened a home for abandoned orphans and placed them under the patronage of St. Anthony of Padua. Later on all his charitable institutions for poor children will be called "Anthonian Orphanages". It was his main concern that in his institutions the children he provided not only with food and prepared for a job, but more importantly that they would receive a solid moral and religious education. He used to say: "We should love children with tender and fatherly love. This is the secret of secrets to gain them to God". He decided to begin a new publication and gave it the heading of "God and Neighbour" with the intention of involving all Christians in his charitable ideals. Soon he was publishing hundred of thousands of copies which he sent to benefactors around the world. It was his fervent desire to help all the orphans and the poor of the world. But how? He perceived that the "Rogate" was the answer to his query. "What are these few orphans we attend to, these few people we bring the good news to, compared to the millions who are lost and abandoned as sheep without a shepherd?...I looked for an answer and I found a complete one in the words of Jesus: "Beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather his harvest". I concluded then that I had found the secret key to all good works and to the salvation of countless souls" (Preziose Adesioni, 1903). more.....
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