Ex-satanist on the path to Sainthood – “If you seek salvation, promulgate the rosary. This is Mary’s own promise”

Born in 1841 and raised in a devout Catholic Family in the small town of Latiano, Italy, Bartolo Longo prayed the Rosary every night with his family. His faith began to decline after the death of his mother when he was 10. Like many young Catholics today, he strayed from his faith during his college years. He became interested in a new age pagan group, going so far as to become a satanic priest. Unsatisfied with merely practicing his new pagan religion, he felt it important to publicly ridicule Christianity and did everything he could to subvert Catholic influence. He even convinced many other Catholics to leave the Church and participate in occult rites.

None of these activities brought him Joy. In fact, his life was marked by extreme depression, paranoia, confusion, anxiety and nervousness. He began to show signs of demonic obsession which included being inflicted by diabolical visions and continually declining poor health and he ultimately experienced a mental breakdown. He began to have thoughts of suicide.

In his despair, he heard the voice of his deceased father urging him to “Return to God! Return to God!”. Bartolo’s family and friends continued to pray for him. He turned to a Professor friend who convinced him to abandon satan and introduced him to a Dominican priest. In 1871, to make amends for his sinful lifestyle, he became a Dominican tertiary, joined a charitable group and worked alongside a widow whom he married a year later. He helped college students learn about the evils of the occult and how to avoid it.

He built orphanages, schools and other charitable institutions. He was also commissioned to build the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii which still stands. Pope John Paul II called him the “Apostle of the Rosary” and more than 30,000 people attended his beatification ceremony.

Benedict XVI, “Wherever God comes in this desert, flowers bloom. Even Blessed Bartolo Longo, with his personal conversion, bears witness to this spiritual power than transforms man from within and makes him capable of doing great things according to God’s Designs.”

For God’s Glory.