Father Probo Vaccarini

Fr Probo Vaccarini surrounded by his sons and family.

Father, priest, father of priests, centenarian, author, disciple of Padre Pio, Veteran of World War II … Perhaps we could think of Fr. Probo Vaccarini as a sort of spiritual Forrest Gump: someone who has received all 7 sacraments—some from his own children—and conferred most of them as well, and who has seen some of the most significant events and personalities of the 20th and 21st centuries first-hand.
He turned 100 years old on June 4, and he celebrated the occasion by concelebrating a Mass with his four sons who are also priests. Pope Francis sent a message of congratulations and a papal blessing, read aloud during the Eucharistic celebration.
Vaccarini was born in Italy in 1919. Like many young men of his generation, he was sent to fight in World War II, serving in a campaign in Russia; unlike many, he lived to return to his home and start a career. One day he went to meet Padre Pio himself, who became his confessor. During one of Vaccarini’s visits, Padre Pio told him to get married and have a “big and holy family.” Anna Maria Vannucci caught Vaccarini’s attention when he saw her regularly at Mass and around town. They married, and had 7 children—4 boys and 3 girls. Sadly, his wife died in 1970, after only 18 years of marriage.
All four of his sons entered the priesthood: the first was ordained in 1979, and the last and youngest more than 20 years later (after his father). One of his daughters also entered the lay consecrated life. In the meantime, Vaccarini himself became a permanent deacon. Assigned to a parish, he was happy to carry out his duties, but he would say “the problem was always finding some priest to come celebrate Mass.” It was then that that during a Mass at San Giovanni Rotondo he heard Padre Pio’s voice in his heart telling him, “You’ll become a priest.” Sure enough, in 1988, at the age of 69, he was ordained to the priesthood. He’s celebrated Mass every day since.
This has created a unique relationship between Fr. Vaccarini and his family. One of his sons explained how Fr. Vaccarini has been, in a way, his father, his son, and his brother: his biological father, by birth; his spiritual son, when (not yet a priest) he went to his own son for confession; and then his brother in the priesthood, when he was also ordained a priest. Despite his age and many accomplishments, he’s published more than 15 books, including an autobiography in Italian titled Husband, Widower, Priest—Fr. Vaccarini hasn’t retired. He’s the oldest active priest in the diocese, and possibly in all of Italy, but he says he still feels “like a newly ordained priest.”