--- title: "João Luiz Pozzobon: Apostle of the Holy Rosary (Apóstolo do Santo Terço)" description: Flávia Ghelardi describes the journey of faith of a deacon whose devotion to the Rosary led to Rosary Crusades in Brazil. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20241022%20FGhelardi%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/jo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # João Luiz Pozzobon: Apostle of the Holy Rosary (Apóstolo do Santo Terço) Oct 22, 2024 7:00:00 AM  |  by [Flávia Ghelardi](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/flávia-ghelardi) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20241022%20FGhelardi%201.png) *Flávia Ghelardi describes the journey of faith of a deacon whose devotion to the Rosary led to Rosary Crusades in Brazil.* --- **Flávia Ghelardi writes from Brazil in English and Portuguese. [Vá para a versão em português.](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/jo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o#Portuguese)**   João Luiz Pozzobon, husband and father of seven, could be the first Brazilian layperson (who is not a priest or nun) to be canonized by the Vatican. His cause for beatification is already well advanced in Rome and there is even a possible miracle under investigation. The hope is that in 2025, the year in which the Pilgrim Mother Campaign he started in 1950 turns 75, he will be declared Blessed!    ## Husband and father  João Pozzobon was born in 1904 into a very Catholic family of Italian origin. In 1928, he married Teresa Turcato and had two children. He was widowed and in 1933 married Vitoria Filipetto, with whom he had five other children. He was a merchant and was highly respected in the town, especially for his honesty. He educated his children in the faith and in love for Our Lady.    ## Meeting Schoenstatt  But it was at the age of 43 that he began to see the meaning of his life more clearly. He got to know the Schoenstatt Movement and began his spiritual formation. A few years later, in 1947, he attended the blessing of the foundation stone of the Schoenstatt Shrine in the city of Santa Maria/RS, where he met Father Joseph Kentenich, the founder of the Movement. This encounter had a great impact on Mr. João. He said: > I felt like a little pupil of Father Kentenich. From the time I was twelve, I felt an emptiness, a lack of something I didn't understand. But from that moment on, I discovered that it was the lack of God and His Mother. (Father Esteban J. Uriburu, *Hero Today, Not Tomorrow*)    ## The Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother campaign  On September 10, 1950, Mr. João took on a mission that would impact the whole world. That year, Pope Pius XII had called for a holy year for the Church, inviting everyone to start a prayer crusade to ask the Father for help against the evils of the world (Encyclical Letter [*Anni Sacri,*](https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_12031950_anni-sacri.html) n. 12).  He had participated in a series of spiritual exercises preached by Father Celestino, with the presence of Sister Teresinha Gobbo, where they discussed the importance of praying the Holy Rosary and how to encourage a prayer crusade in families. On that day, he received an image of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt from Sister Teresinha to take to family homes and pray the Holy Rosary.   > At that moment, I understood that the goodness and mercy of God and the Blessed Mother had given me a great evangelizing mission: the Holy Rosary Campaign. I said to the Blessed Mother: “I have seven children and a wife, and I am responsible to God for my children and my wife, but if it is God's will and yours, one man can move mountains." And everything went well. (Father Esteban J. Uriburu, *A* *Hero Today, Not Tomorrow*)    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241022%20FGhelardi%202.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20241022%20FGhelardi%202.png)   ## Apostle of the Holy Rosary  From that day on, he dedicated his life to taking the Blessed Mother everywhere to pray the Holy Rosary, without neglecting to take care of his own family and the education of his children. As well as family homes, he took her to schools, hospitals and even prisons. Over time, there were so many requests for the Blessed Mother to visit these places that other missionaries had to be called in to help with the campaign. Replicas of the image also began to be made, but in a reduced size, which were given to these missionaries to take to the various places. There are currently thousands of pilgrim images in more than 119 countries.   Mr. João prayed 15 Rosaries every day, in honor of the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. > “At first I prayed one rosary,” he tells us. “Later, I went to three rosaries, then to seven — in memory of the Seven Joys of Our Lady. From seven I went to eleven, because the Blessing of the Shrine (of Santa Maria) was on the eleventh (11/4/1948). After a while — I've never gone back once I've taken a step forward — I said to the Blessed Mother: “Mother, please, will I be able to pray fifteen rosaries in honor of the fifteen mysteries?”. I thought to myself: How am I going to do that? There isn't enough time for fifteen rosaries ... Nevertheless, I decided to start” (Father Esteban J. Uriburu, *A Hero Today, Not Tomorrow*).    Mr. João started early in the morning. In the Shrine, he prayed the first Rosaries. At the back of the house, when he was working in the vegetable garden, he had the idea of marking five teeth on the handle of his hoe. As he weeded, he would run his index finger through these grooves and so, while he worked, he could pray.  When the Campaign turned 35, Mr. João had already traveled more than 140,000km (87,000 miles) with the Pilgrim Mother, praying the holy Rosary. The original image weighed a total of 17kg (37 pounds) and he always carried it on his shoulders, being a real “little donkey of Mary.”   As his children grew older, he was able to devote more and more time to this apostolate and after he was widowed again, he was ordained a permanent deacon.     ## Return to his eternal home  On June 27th, 1985, when he was on his way to the Shrine of Santa Maria for Mass, he was hit by a truck, which couldn't see him because of the heavy fog. He died with a reputation for holiness. His beatification process was opened on December 12, 1994 and they are now investigating a possible miracle performed through his intercession, making it likely that he will be beatified in 2025.  [Learn more about the Pilgrim Image Campaign](https://schoenstatt-pilgrimmother.us/).     ## **João Luiz Pozzobon: Apóstolo do Santo Terço ** João Luiz Pozzobon, esposo e pai de 7 filhos, pode ser o primeiro brasileiro leigo (que não é padre nem freira) a ser declarado santo pelo Vaticano. A causa de beatificação já está bem avançada em Roma e inclusive há um possível milagre em investigação. A expectativa é que em 2025, o ano em que a Campanha da Mãe Peregrina iniciada por ele em 1950 completa 75 anos, ele seja declarado beato!    ## Esposo e pai  João Pozzobon nasceu em 1904, numa família muito católica de origem italiana. Em 1928, casou-se com Teresa Turcato e teve dois filhos. Ficou viúvo e em 1933 casou-se com Vitoria Filipetto, com quem teve outros cinco filhos. Ele era comerciante e era muito respeitado na cidade, especialmente por sua honestidade. Educava seus filhos na fé e no amor a Nossa Senhora.    ## Encontro com Schoenstatt  Mas foi com a idade de 43 anos que começa a vislumbrar mais claramente o sentido da sua vida. Ele conheceu o Movimento Apostólico de Schoenstatt e começou a ter uma formação espiritual. Alguns anos depois, em 1947, esteve presente na bênção da pedra fundamental do Santuário de Schoenstatt da cidade de Santa Maria/RS onde conheceu o Pe. José Kentenich, fundador do Movimento. Esse encontro impactou muito o Sr. João. Ele disse: > “Eu me sentia como um aluninho do Padre Kentenich. Desde quando eu tinha doze anos eu sentia um vazio, uma falta de algo que eu não entendia. Mas a partir desse momento, eu descobri que era a falta de Deus e de Sua Mãe."  (Herói Hoje, não amanhã – Pe. Esteban J. Uriburu)      ## A campanha da Mãe Peregrina  Foi em 10 de setembro de 1950 que o Sr. João assumiu uma missão que iria impactar o mundo todo. Neste ano, o Papa Pio XII havia convocado um ano santo para a Igreja dizendo, convidando a todos a iniciar uma cruzada de orações para pedir ao Pai um auxílio contra os males do mundo. (Carta Encíclica ANNI SACRI, n. 12)  Ele havia participado de uma série de exercícios espirituais pregados pelo Pe. Celestino, com a presença da Ir. Teresinha Gobbo, onde discutiram a importância de rezar o Santo Terço e como estimular uma cruzada de oração nas famílias. Nesse dia, ele recebe da Ir. Teresinha uma imagem da Mãe, Rainha e Vencedora Três Vezes Admirável de Schoenstatt, para levar nas casas das famílias e rezar o santo terço.   > "Naquele momento, entendi que a bondade e a misericórdia de Deus e da Mãe e Rainha tinham me dado uma grande missão evangelizadora: a Campanha do Santo Rosário". Eu disse à Mãezinha: "Tenho sete filhos e uma esposa, e eu sou responsável perante Deus por meus filhos e minha esposa, mas se é da vontade de Deus e Sua, um homem pode mover montanhas." E tudo correu bem. (Herói Hoje, não amanhã – Pe. Esteban J. Uriburu )    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241022%20FGhelardi%202.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20241022%20FGhelardi%202.png)   ## Apóstolo do Santo Terço  A partir desse dia, ele dedica sua vida a levar a Mãe de Deus em todos os lugares para rezar o santo terço, sem descuidar do cuidado com a própria família e a educação dos filhos. Além das casas das famílias, levava em escola, hospitais e até presídios. Com o tempo, eram tantos pedidos para que a Mãe e Rainha fosse visitar os lugares, que foi necessário convocar outros missionários para ajudar na Campanha. Também começaram a ser feitas réplicas da imagem, mas em tamanho reduzido, que foram entregues a esses missionários para levarem nos diversos locais. Atualmente existem milhares de imagens peregrinas em mais de 119 países.   O Sr. João rezava 15 terços diariamente, em honra aos 15 mistérios do rosário. > “No princípio rezava um terço – diz-nos. Mais tarde, passei a três terços, depois a sete – em memória das Sete Alegrias de Nossa Senhora. De sete passei a onze, porque a Bênção do Santuário (de Santa Maria) foi num dia onze (11/4/1948). Após certo tempo – nunca voltei atrás depois de ter dado um passo adiante – disse à Mãe e Rainha: “Mãe, por favor, poderei chegar a rezar quinze terços, em honra dos quinze mistérios”?”. Refleti comigo mesmo: Como vou fazer isso? Não há tempo que chegue para quinze terços… Apesar disso, propus-me começar” (Herói Hoje, Não Amanhã, Pe. Esteban J. Uriburu).    João iniciava de manhã cedo. No Santuário, rezava os primeiros terços. Nos fundos de casa, quando trabalhava na horta de verduras, teve a ideia de marcar cinco dentes no cabo da enxada. Enquanto capinava, ia passando o dedo indicador por essas ranhuras e assim, enquanto trabalhava, podia rezar.  Quando a Campanha completou 35 anos, Sr. João já havia percorrido mais de 140.000km (87.000 milhas) com a Mãe Peregrina, rezando o santo terço. A imagem original pesava no total 17kg (37 libras) e ele a carregava sempre aos ombros, sendo um verdadeiro “burrinho de Maria”.   Conforme os filhos foram ficando adultos, pode dedicar cada vez mais tempo a este apostolado e depois que ficou novamente viúvo, foi ordenado diácono permanente.     ## Volta ao lar eterno  No dia 27 de junho de 1985, quando estava a caminho do Santuário de Santa Maria para a santa missa, foi atropelado por um caminhão, que não o enxergou por causa da grande neblina. Morreu com fama de santidade. Seu processo de beatificação foi aberto em 12 de dezembro de 1994 e agora já estão investigando um possível milagre realizado por sua intercessão, sendo provável sua beatificação em 2025.  [Saiba mais sobre a Campanha da Mãe Peregrina](https://www.maeperegrina.org.br/).    Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles. --- Copyright 2024 Flávia Ghelardi Images (from top): [Mouvement de Schoenstatt](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pozzobon_Roma_3.jpg), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fjo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fjo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fjo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Jo%C3%A3o%20Luiz%20Pozzobon%3A%20Apostle%20of%20the%20Holy%20Rosary%20%28Ap%C3%B3stolo%20do%20Santo%20Ter%C3%A7o%29) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fjo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fjo%C3%A3o-luiz-pozzobon-apostle-of-the-holy-rosary-ap%C3%B3stolo-do-santo-ter%C3%A7o%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Flávia Ghelardi](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/FLA%CC%81VIA%20GHELARDI.jpeg) ### [Flávia Ghelardi](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/flávia-ghelardi) Flávia Ghelardi is the mom of four, a former lawyer already "promoted" to full time mom. Flávia published her first book FORTALECENDO SUA FAMÍLIA and is a member of Schoenstatt´s Apostolic Movement. Flávia loves to speak about motherhood and the important role of women, as desired by God, for our society. She blogs at [www.fortalecendosuafamilia.blogspot.com](http://www.fortalecendosuafamilia.blogspot.com). ## Related Blog Articles [ Rosary Reflections for Pregnant Mothers: First Joyful Mystery Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/rosary-reflections-for-pregnant-mothers-first-joyful-mystery) [ The Complaint that Works and the Apology that Is Useful (A Reclamação Que Funciona E A Desculpa Que É Útil) Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/the-complaint-that-works-and-the-apology-that-is-useful-a-reclamação-que-funciona-e-a-desculpa-que-é-útil) [ Tornar-se Uma Só Carne (To Become One Flesh) Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/01/28/tornar-se-uma-carne-become-one-flesh) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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