During the age of Mary (1830-1954), Blessed James Alberione promoted devotion to Our Lady under the title "Queen of the Apostles."

Blessed Alberione was born in 1884 in northern Italy. He was a great pioneer in the field of Catholic media. Saint John Paul II referred to him as the first apostle of the New Evangelization.

On the night of Dec. 31, 1900, Blessed Alberione prayed for four hours before the Blessed Sacrament and contemplated the future in the light of God. A “particular light” seemed to come from the host and roused in him a sense of obligation “to do something for the Lord and for the people of the new century.”

Blessed Alberione founded the Pauline family, which consists of 10 religious institutes of priests, religious, and laity. The Society of St. Paul and the Daughters of St. Paul spread the Gospel through the most modern means of communications, press, cinema, television, radio, and other modern media. Blessed Alberione pointed out that "the first concern of the Pauline Family should be holiness of life; the second, holiness of doctrine."

Blessed Alberione had a strong devotion to Our Lady from an early age. Shortly after his birth, his mother consecrated him to Our Lady at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Flowers in northern Italy. During his youth, he frequently visited this shrine and spent many hours praying there.

Devotion to Our Lady led to apostolic zeal. Blessed Alberione emphasized Mary's apostolic work as Co-Redemptrix and teacher. He composed a chaplet to honour Mary, Queen of the Apostles.

Blessed Alberione saw to the construction of a new basilica in Rome in honour of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. The church was built from 1945 to 1954. Pope Blessed Paul VI established it as titular church for Cardinal Ermenegildo Florit on Feb. 25, 1965. On Feb. 18, 2012, the church was assigned to Cardinal John Tong Hon of Hong Kong.

Before giving a talk, Blessed Alberione would pray the rosary. When traveling by car, he would pray non-stop rosaries until he reached his destination. He said, "The rosary can be recited everywhere: on the street, in the train, in the bus, in church, in waiting rooms … all places can be considered suitable for reciting the rosary."

Blessed Alberione said, "What is the rosary? It is the object of our hope. Afflicted sons and daughters, as soon as they hold the rosary in their hands, feel a new hope arising again in them, a hope which is strong and serene. After the cross I do not know of anything which can give comfort to a soul more than the rosary. The Church recommends the rosary to everyone, and desires that religious have it always with them so that they may live under the continual protection of Mary."

Blessed Alberione was a man of prayer and action. He prayed up to seven hours a day and taught all his followers to make a daily Holy Hour. He was also a man of incessant activity – beginning regularly at 3:30 a.m. – and he turned his entire priestly life to the task of preaching the Word both in the traditional way and through the media.

In 1969, Pope Blessed Paul VI said, "There he is: humble, silent, tireless, always vigilant, recollected in his thoughts, which run from prayer to action; always intent on scrutinizing the ‘signs of the times,' that is, the most creative ways to reach souls."

Blessed Alberione died on Nov. 26, 1971. In his last hours, he was comforted by the visit and blessing of Pope Blessed Paul VI. Blessed Alberione was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II on April 27, 2003.


玫瑰經培育傳教熱火

聖母年代(1830-1954),真福雅各伯.阿布里安利推廣對「諸宗徒之后」敬禮。

真福雅各伯.阿布里安利於1884年出生在意大利北部,他是天主教傳播媒介的先驅。教宗聖若望保祿二世稱他為「首位新福傳的使徒」。

1900年12月31日,真福阿布里安利在聖體前祈禱及沉思了四個小時;有天主特別的光,由聖體照射到他身上,一陣強力使命感去為天主及在新世代的人做一些事情。

真福阿布里安利成立「保祿家庭」,包括著神父、修道者及平信徒等十個宗教組織,其中聖保祿會和聖保祿孝女會,以現代通訊設備,如刊物、電影、電視、電台各傳播媒介,宣揚福音。他指出,「聖保祿家庭」注重的是聖善的生活,和聖善的教理。

阿布里安利自幼就十分恭敬聖母。他出生不久,母親已經在意大利北部的百花聖母朝聖地,把他獻給聖母。年輕時,阿布里安利常到這朝聖地作多小時的祈禱。

敬愛聖母,使真福阿布里安利充滿傳教熱火;他強調瑪利亞的使徒工作,是作為共同救贖者及老師。他亦為諸宗徒之后編寫了串經。他在羅馬促成了「瑪利亞、諸宗徒之后聖殿」的落成。聖殿自1945年開始建造,至1954年完成。教宗真福保祿六世在1965年2月25日,定該聖殿為樞機主教的堂區;2012年2月18日,這聖殿給了香港的若望.湯漢樞機。

每次進行講座前,阿布里安利必先唸玫瑰經,駕駛汽車時亦不停地唸玫瑰經;他說:「玫瑰經可在任何地方誦唸:在街上、在火車、在巴士、在聖堂、在等候室-----所有地方都可視為適合於誦唸玫瑰經。」

「玫瑰經是什麼?玫瑰經是我們的希望。天主子女遇有困難時,玫瑰經在手,會給予他們新希望,這希望是強而又安詳。除了十字架外,我想不到有什麼能比玫瑰唸珠更能予人靈安慰。教會給每個人推薦玫瑰經,也期望修道人時常有玫瑰唸珠,好讓他們能活在聖母瑪利亞不斷的庇蔭下。」

真福阿布里安利是祈禱及行動的人;他每天祈禱達七小時,又勸勉其他人每日做聖時祈禱。他每天的活動自早上三時半開始,不停地渡他的司祭生活,除了用傳統的方式宣講聖言外,也用現代的傳播媒介。真福教宗保祿六世在1969年曾說過:「他謙遜、沉默、不怠情,常保持警覺,反覆思量;從祈禱申延至行動,經常審視『時世徵兆』── 最有創意的方法來接觸到人靈。」

雅各伯.阿布里安利終於1971年11月26日,離世前得到教宗真福保祿六世的探望。2003年4月27日,教宗聖若望保祿二世把他列為真福品。