Today, November 18, on the anniversary of the granting of solemn vows to the Pious Schools, we remember and celebrate “All the saints of the Order.” The request of the 48th General Chapter, approved and recognized by the Dicastery for Divine Cult and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. No. 68.24), grants, approves, and introduces this celebration into the Proper Calendar with the degree of obligatory memorial (Prot. S. 288.2024).
The saints of the Order: St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Pompilio María, and St. Faustino Míguez are joined by Blessed Pedro Casani, Dionisio Pamplona, and their fellow martyrs. In addition, we celebrate and remember in the same celebration the saints and blessed of the Calasanzian Family: Saint Paula Montal, and the blessed Antonio María Schwartz, Celestina Donati, María Baldillou and companions, Victoria Valverde, and Joan Roig.
With all of them, we also remember today the saints and blessed associated with the Order as former students, fruits of holiness from the Pious Schools: Saints Vincent Mary Strambi, John Nepomucene Neumann, and Anthony Maria Gianelli, bishops. Blessed Pius IX, pope; Blessed Szilárd Bogdanffy, bishop and martyr. Saints Vincent Pallotti, Leonardo Murialdo, Stanislaus Papczynski, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, Gaspar del Bufalo, José Manyanet, and Blessed Pere Tarrés, priests. Saint Carmelo Bolta, priest and martyr. Saint Bartholomew Longo, layman. Blessed Manuel Martín Sierra, priest and martyr; Blessed Luis Urbano Lanaspa, Joaquín Prats Valtueña and Vicente Vilar David, martyrs, and Blessed Manuel Lozano Garrido, layman.
Likewise, the celebration of this obligatory memorial wishes to remember many other “saints next door” (GE, 7) who have illuminated with their lives and witness the dedication to the task of education in Piety and Letters: Piarists who, with their dedication, have traveled a fruitful path of holiness in our Order, officially recognized, in the process of canonization, or in the hidden and silent way of their lives consecrated to the Lord through the Calasanzian charism.
Remembering all the saints of the Pious Schools stimulates the daily, quiet, and anonymous dedication of so many educators, religious, and lay people in the service of the promotion and formation of children and young people. Thus, every November 18, we celebrate the gift of holiness with which God has strengthened the fruitful Calasanzian tree, reminding us that “those who have taught many to do what is right will shine like stars for all eternity” (Dan 12:3).
