Mgr. Lorenzo Maria Balconi

“A programme that is as vast as the world, as great as God”

Lorenzo Maria Balconi was born at Milan in 1878. He entered the institute of Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in 1898 and was ordained as priest on 22nd December 1890. In 1901, he left for the mission of Nanyang in Central Honan, China. In 1905, he was attacked at the residence of the mission by bandits. The serious injuries on his head and on his left shoulder caused the permanent paralysis on left side of the body. After some treatment in Italy, he returned to China in 1907 where he was appointed as the Rector of the seminary of Honan and in 1928 was nominated as an Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung.

“Lot of life, energy, strength at the disposition of the Church”

He was elected as the Superior General of PIME during the General Chapter held in Hong Kong in 1934, and, in this capacity, he was entrusted with the responsibility for the realization of the project for the foundation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate.

Mgr. Balconi supported with his paternal solicitude the two foundresses and the new vocations, supporting them in their various spiritual and material needs. Even after the end of his mandate, in 1947, he continued to accompany the Congregation with interest and affection and visited the missions of Brazil, India and Eastern Pakistan.

After taking part in the first two sessions of the Second Vatican Council, he died in Milan on 10th April 1969.

On 14/10/2006 during the IX General Chapter, he was proclaimed as the co-founder of our Congregation.

“You are missionaries and this word embraces your entire vocation and tells you what must be your life”.