Dominic Barberi, known in religious life by the title "of the Mother of God," was born of devout farming people in 1792 at Viterbo, Italy. At twenty- two years of age, he experienced the call of God to the apostolate. Leaving his farm work, he entered the Congregation of the Passion where he manifested extraordinary gifts of mind and heart. After he was ordained to the priesthood in 1818, he spent himself diligently in teaching, in the ministry of the word, in the direction of souls and in writing many philosophical, theological and homiletic works.

Filled with the spirit of Saint Paul of the Cross, he left Italy and went first to Belgium. There he established the Congregation of the Passion in 1840,  and went on to England in 1842. He was now responding to a Divine call that had always been with him - to work for unity among God's people in England.

In the space of eight years he had founded four Passionist houses and exercised an extensive apostolate by preaching missions and retreats throughout the country. His writings and personal zeal brought many to the faith; most prominent among those he received into the Church was John Henry Newman.

Broken finally by his labours, he died at Reading on 17^th August 1849, at the age of 57. He was enrolled among the Blessed by Pope Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council, on 23^rd October 1963.