Background
Guarino was born in 1827 to Michele Guarino and Angela Papia.
archbishop cardinal Catholic priest
Guarino was born in 1827 to Michele Guarino and Angela Papia.
His cause of canonization is already underway, and he has now been recognized as a Servant of God. He was the second of five children, including Paolino, Achille, Pietro and Vicenza. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1849 and received special dispensation from Pope Pius IX for not having yet reached the canonical age.
He was consecrated in 1872 when he was appointed by Pope Pius IX as the Archbishop of Siracua.
He held that position until he was transferred to the archdiocese of Messina where he remained until his death and he established the Apostles of the Holy Family on 29 June 1889. Pope Leo XIII created him a cardinal in 1893.
Guarino suffered a stroke on 1 February 1895 and this left him semi-paralyzed and completely unable to talk. He remained in his archdiocese but had aides to support him.
Due to complications from pneumonia, he died in 1897.
He was buried in Messina and in 1907, his body was found to be incorrupt upon his exhumation. His body was later translated to the cathedral of Messina where a monument was made, and his remains were once more translated in 1983 to the General House of the Apostles of the Holy Family. In the first official step towards sainthood, Pope John Paul II declared Guarino to be a Servant of God.
The next step in the process would be for Guarino to be declared Venerable.