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August 21

Saint Pius X, Pope

Memorial

“For if true love alone has the power to unite the wills of men, it is of the first necessity that we should have one will with Mary to serve Jesus our Lord.” [1]

St. Pius X was born to a peasant family in 1835 in northern Italy. At 23, he was ordained and became a chaplain. Regular promotions followed: in 1875, he became episcopal chancellor of Treviso and spiritual director of the diocesan seminary; in 1884, Bishop of Mantua; and, in 1893, Patriarch of Venice. When he was elected pope in 1903, he adopted the motto, ‘Instaurare omnia in Christo’ or ‘To renew all things in Christ.’ His papacy achieved many things: a restructuring of the Roman Curia, revised guidelines for priestly formation, work toward a revision of the Code of Canon Law, a catechism, liturgical reforms, encouragement of frequent communion, and the establishment of Biblical Institute in Rome. St. Pius X was intransigent in shunning “modernist” theology and biblical scholarship, and resisted, not always with diplomatic finesse, efforts by nations to interfere in the life of the Church. He was canonized in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. [2]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] Pius X, Ad Diem Illum Laetissimum [On the Immaculate Conception], 1904.
[2] Benedict XVI, General Audience, August 18, 2010.