Saint Vincent Pallotti is a household name in many Catholic families in Cameroon. His works will forever be remembered for having increased the faith of the Christians.

The life and works of Saint Vincent Pallotti are written in a book titled “Saint Vincent Palotti, Apostle of Rome, Pioneer of Catholic Action” written by P. John Hennessy. The book was recently translated into French from its original English version by Rev. Father Benoit Magloire Atemengue of the St. Vincent Pallotti Parish in Nkolngkak, Yaounde. The book launch took place during a conference on the life of St. Vincent Pallotti on Thursday March 12, 2015 in Yaounde. The conference was part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the return of the Pallottines in Cameroon.

Speaking at the launch, Rev. Father Benoit Atemengue said the book was translated because there is no good biography of Vincent Pallotti in French. He said he found that the biography of St. Vincent Pallotti is simple and talks much on the life of Vincent Pallotti. “Through the small booklet we find all traces of the life of Vincent Pallotti,” he said. Born on April 21st 1795 of Peter and Mary Pallotti, he died in 1850. St Vincent Pallotti was born in a Catholic home. He was generous and his parents had become used to the generous nature of their son but did not always approve of this indiscriminate charity. He was sometimes reproached by his father for his lack of prudence. Vincent would receive the reproach in silence or quietly say to his father that he thought the person to whom he gave the goods was in greater need. One such occasion was when he had actually given away his bed.

Another time he arrived at his aunt’s place in the country barefoot. He had given away his shoes on the way. For years Vincent found his school work just too tough. His mother however found a solution. She and the boy made a novena and sacrifice to the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Wisdom. The following months saw Vincent mount from the bottom strata of his class to the top. Vincent was ordained priest on 16, May, 1818, at the age of 23 in the Lateran Basilica. He was full of love for the poor and the needy. He fulfilled their lives spiritually. He operated miracles when was alive and even when he died there were still miracles.

As a young priest, he was the chaplain of many hospitals, prison and the army. He worked to help the poor and was a tutor in the university. He created the Union of Catholic Apostolate. The aim was to rekindle the faith of the Christians. His followers known as the Pallottines Missionaries evangelized Cameroon in 1890s as Pallottines. They left Cameroon after the defeat of Germany in the First World War. They returned 50 years ago and now serve in the Yaounde Archdiocese (Nlongkak, Mfoundassi, Mvolye and Elat Minkom), and the dioceses of Edea (Edea), Buea, (Limbe and Ikassa) Bafoussam (Dschang) and Doume-Abongmbang (Abongmbang).