Leonardo Murialdo, CSI (26 October 1828 – 30 March 1900) was an Italian Catholic priest and the co-founder of the Congregation of Saint Joseph - also known as the Murialdines (which he founded alongside Eugenio Reffo).

[1][2] Murialdo's call to the priesthood did not manifest until late in his education in Savona; he pursued his ecclesial studies and was ordained as such in 1851 before dedicating himself to social work alongside the poor and with adolescent men.

On 3 November 1843, he returned to Savona to begin a philosophical course but also chose ancient historical sciences to avoid bad companions that had forced his earlier departure from the school.

[3] In spring 1844 he listened to the Capuchin friar Vincenzo Oliva give a Lenten sermon about Hell which had a profound impact on Murialdo to the point where he decided to consecrate himself to God.

[2][1] He decided he wanted to become a Capuchin in the spirit of detachment though the canon Lorenzo Renaldi - a close friend - dissuaded Murialdo and suggested he just become a diocesan priest instead.

He began a theological course in Turin from 1845 to 1850 as an external clerical student and his two tutors during this time were the theologians Augusto Berta and Pietro Baricco.

He celebrated his first Mass at San Dalmazzo church with abbot Maximo Pullini and canon Lorenzo Renaldi co-celebrating alongside him.

[3] Murialdo returned to Turin in October 1866 and was put in charge of the Artigianelli Boarding School where adolescent men were educated and taught a trade.

In 1878 he founded an agricultural centre in Rivoli and later in 1892 - in the spirit of Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum - wrote to the local council to denounce the exploitation of workers.

[1] His last surviving siblings Aurelia and Ernesto both died in 1890 causing Murialdo great grief since all his friends and relatives were deceased at this stage.

[6] The work culminated in the declaration of his life of heroic virtue on 26 April 1961 when Pope John XXIII proclaimed him to be Venerable.

On 28 April 2010 - during his General Audience - Pope Benedict XVI spoke about Murialdo on the occasion of the Year of Priests that the pontiff had convoked.

[4] Benedict XVI concluded that Murialdo "abandoned himself with trust to Providence" which motivated his life and had a profound influence on his social apostolate in Turin.