…from your Pastor’s Desk
MISSION APPEAL
Hello friends,
Every year the Diocese seeks to assist various missionary groups. Each parish is then assigned a priest to speak at their weekend Masses about their ministries. This weekend we are happy to host Fr. Vito Di Marzio from the Congregation of the Rogationists. Their ministry is dear to our hearts here at Holy Spirit – namely – caring for children and youth, especially the poor and orphans in need. They also pray for and nurture vocations to the priesthood and religious life and to spread greater awareness for all vocations in the Church.
Please extend a warm and receptive welcome to Fr. Vito. I’ve asked him [read below] to send us a brief Bio of his life and ministry.
Father Ron
Fr. Vito Di Marzio rcj
My name is Fr. Vito. I was born in Italy on June 14, 1949, and I am part of the Congregation of the Rogationists Fathers founded in Italy by St. Hannibal Di Francia.
Our charism is the obedience to the command of Jesus: “Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send workers on His Harvest and the human promotion of the orphans and the poor.
I was ordained on June 29, 1975, in St. Peter square by St. Paul VI. In 1976 I left Italy for my first mission, the Philippines, where I stayed for 16 years. After my sabbatical year in Italy, I was transferred to Rwanda in Africa, where I stayed only 45 days because the civil war started and all foreigners were asked to leave the place. In 1994 my new assignment was California, where I am still now with a parenthesis of 3 years in Mexico.
In Los Angeles, Van Nuys, I was the Pastor of the parish of St. Elisabeth for 12 years and now I am in residence in the Parish of St. Anthony in Reedley Diocese of Fresno.