At noon on Sunday, 28 September 2014, a street in St. Joseph Parish, Treviso, was officially renamed “Blessed James Alberione Street” in honor of the Founder of the Pauline Family. Fr. Matthew Gatto, the pastor of the parish, celebrated the blessing ceremony in the presence of Robert Grigoletto (the assistant mayor of the city), the Daughters of St. Paul, Fr. Steven Stimamiglio, ssp, the employees of our Treviso book center, families in the neighborhood and friends of the sisters.
The prayer of the blessing rite was very meaningful:
God, in your Son-made-man, you told us everything and gave us everything.
In your providential plan you need people to reveal you
since you remain mute without their voices.
You raised up in the Church the priest, Blessed James Alberione,
as a herald and witness to your saving Word.
We dedicate this street to his memory
and ask you to bless those who live on it and use it.
May this remembrance of your servant inflame others with love for the Gospel,
the desire to proclaim it to everyone, to believe in you
and convert their lives to you, who are Father and Lord,
together with the Son and the Holy Spirit.
All praise and glory to you forever and ever.
The families who live on the renamed street collaborated spontaneously and enthusiastically with the event by offering the participants a buffet lunch at the end of the ceremony. The Daughters of St. Paul have been in Treviso for 84 years and the present members of the community dedicated great time and effort to repeatedly petitioning the city council to take into consideration their request that one of the streets of the city be dedicated to the memory of Fr. Alberione. They are filled with joy and gratitude to the Lord for helping them realize this dream during the Centenary Year of the Pauline Family.
