Our Founder

James Alberione was born in San Lorenzo di Possano (Piedmont), Italy, on April 4, 1884, the fifth child of Michael Alberione and Teresa Allocco.

In October 1900, he entered the diocesan seminary of Alba and on June 29,1907 was ordained a priest.

On August 20, 1914, in Alba, he initiated the Society of St. Paul, followed by the other foundations that today constitute the Pauline Fam­ily: the Pious Society of the Daughters of St. Paul; the Pious Disciples of I the Divine Master; the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd; the "Regina Apostolorum" Institute for vocations (Apostoline Sisters); plus a number of aggregated institutes: St. Gabriel the Archangel, Our Lady of the Annunciation, Holy Family and Jesus the Priest.

Fr. Alberione travelled around the world several times visiting his sons and daughters scattered on all the continents.

The secret of his vast apostolic activity lies in his interior life, which was directed to realizing with always greater fullness the words of the Apostle Paul: "It is no longer I who live; it is Christ who lives in me."

On Nov. 26, 1971, at the age of 87, comforted by the visit and blessing of Pope Paul VI, Fr. Alberione left this earth to return to the house of the Father. 

He was beatified by then Pope John Paul II, in Rome, on the 27th of April 2003.

"Here he is: humble, silent, tireless, always vigilant, ever recollected in his thoughts that run from prayer to work, ever attentive to the ‘signs of the times,’ that is, the most ingenious forms of reaching souls. Our Father Alberione has given the Church new instruments to express herself, new means to add vigor and breadth to her apostolate, a new capability and new awareness of the validity and of the possibilities of her mission in the modern world and with modern means." - Pope Paul VI