The current issue of NUNTIA of the Congregation of the Mission contains a very brief biography of Blessed Marc Antonio Durando Brief Biography. He was born in Mondovì (Cuneo, Italy) on 22 May 1801. He belonged to a family two of whose members had distinguished careers in the military and politics. He was admitted to the Internal Seminary of the CM on 18 November 1818. His plan was to go to the missions in China. He was ordained a priest in 1824.
For several years, his apostolate was the preaching of popular missions. In 1831, he was named superior of the house in Turin and, later, in 1837, at just 36 years of age, Visitor of Northern Italy, an office, which, together with that of Director of the Daughters of Charity, he exercised until his death. In governing, he knew how to combine strength and gentleness.
In 1833, he introduced the Daughters of Charity into Italy. Thanks to the growth in personnel that they had, he provided the city of Turin with a network of charity centers, called Misericordie, from which the Daughters of Charity with the Ladies of Charity went out to assist the poor. In 1855, upon the invitation of the government of Piedmont, he sent missionaries and nurses from the Daughters of Charity to Crimea in order to assist, both materially and spiritually, the injured and sick soldiers.
He supported and diffused the work of the Propagation of the Faith. In fact, in 1855, he began the Brignole-Sale school for the foreign missions with the object of forming priests for the missions ad gentes. He promoted the Association of Children of Mary Immaculate (today, Vincentian Marian Youth).
In 1865, he founded the Institute of Sisters of Jesus the Nazorean for the service of the sick in their homes and the education of children and abandoned youth. Marco Antonio Durando died in Turin on 10 December 1880. His mortal remains repose in the Church of the Visitation in Turin. On 20 October the Holy Father will beatify him along with five other Servants of God. His liturgical feast will be 10 December.
