Page 201 - Reflections on St. Joseph

continued working for good, alongside the Congregation of the Oblates of St. Joseph. These are
the first examples of Oblate lay collaborators even though not yet officially organized as such,
as will happen after.

6. Bishop Marello formator of the Catholic laity.

When Bishop Marello had to leave Asti and move to Acqui, it all started over again for him. If at
Asti had had not been able to organize a true association of Catholic Action, as he had thought
of doing in 1872, he was, however, able to mould so many souls of good Chrisitan laymen and
women. In Acqui, on the other hand, everything had become more difficult for him for two
types of obstacles that he found there upon his arrival as bishop.

The first obstacle which he found was in his Vicar General, Mons. Giuseppe Pagella, who was
against the Work of the Congresses (or Catholic Action), to the point of having forbidden the
existing associations in the diocese from participating with their banners in the entrance of the
new Bishop into the diocese.

We have two letters from Pagella, the first one written to the Regional President of Piedmont,
Count Cesare Balbo, the second to the President of Liguria, Comm. Dufour, in which he forbid
them from presenting themselves at the ceremonies as Catholic organizations, suggesting
ironically that they could do it later in private after the Bishop had been installed in his see.

This was a consequence of the division among the conciliarist Catholics and the intransigent
Catholics, which had the Church hierarchy in Piedmont divided as well, the work of the
Congresses being of an intransigent position, which was not pleasing to Cardinal Alimonda in
Turin and, so, neither to Canon G. Pagella in Acqui.

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Reflections on st. joseph