This year the annual feast of St. Vincent Pallotti at San Giorgio di Cascia, the native place of the Pallotti family, was celebrated on 9 May 2010. As usual, the day of the feast was preceded by a triduum guided by Sr. Edoarda, CSAC. The solemn Eucharistic Celebration was presided over by General Consultor and Rector of the Generalate House, Fr. Gilberto Orsolin. The Concelebrants included Fr. Derry Murphy, President of the General Coordination Council of the Union of Catholic Apostolate, who preached also the homily, and Rector General Fr. Friedrich Kretz, who led the procession. Besides, there were also many Pallottine sisters and confreres, local priests and faithful. The absence of the parish priest, Fr. Natale, who could not take part in the celebrations this year due to ill-health, was very much felt.
In his homily, Fr. Derry Murphy underlined, citing the theologian Karl Rahner, that the "veneration of the saints in the Church is necessary for its life and work. Otherwise there is the danger of sanctity remaining something abstract. The saints help us to see how the Gospel can be incarnated and lived in different ways and in different social and historical situations. The fundamental mystery of Christianity is not that God has created the world only to be served and glorified, but that it may be permeated by his grace and presence." According to the preacher, such thoughts of Rahner were realised by St. Vincent Pallotti in his life and person. He did it in Rome, in the nineteenth century, in very concrete and practical ways, to such an extent that he was known as the Saint of Rome and Father of the poor.
In the afternoon of the same day, the usual procession with the statute and relic of Pallotti was conducted on the streets of this village. The musical band of Cascia, directed by Master Montani, added colour to the procession. The Pallotti family took active part in the organisation of the liturgy and feast. Our sincere gratitude to everyone.