Founder
Fr. Luis Butera Vullo: Founder of the Institutes of the MSP and HMSP. Born in Marianopoli, Italy, May 22, 1932.
The young devotee entered the seminary of Caltanissetta late in 1945. During the years of his priestly formation he had a fervent call to missionary life. The African continent aroused in him a vivid attraction, and so in 1956, he decided to enter the Institute of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Comboni).
He was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Milan on April 2, 1960.
Fr. Luis arrived in Mexico on November 1, 1963 and stayed two years in Sahuayo, Mich., as vice-rector of the missionary seminary. He was then appointed director of the magazine Aguiluchos and editor of Esquila Misional. Two years later, in December 1967, he was sent to the missions of Baja California and served for more than three years as Vicar of the Cathedral of La Paz, Dean of the Sacred Heart Church, the Diocesan Director ofCursillos de Cristiandad, Director of the office of catechesis and Secretary of the council of priests.
After seven years of being on Mexican land, he went on vacation to Italy and there took a course on the Second Vatican Council for three months, in the International Center “Mondo Migliore.” After completing this course, his Comboni Superiors sent him to visit the missions in Africa for 45 days.
Back in Mexico he was appointed Provincial Secretary of Missionary Motivation and Chief Editor of the magazine Esquila Misional. In 1975 he was elected as the province’s representative during the General Chapter for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was held in Rome, Italy.
Institutes are born
In 1978, Fr. Luis Butera Vullo, our founder gave life to the Comboni Center for Evangelization, which began producing audio cassettes, books and pamphlets for evangelization. The Center awakened a strong desire for evangelization within many youth and adults. It was then that Fr. Luis saw the need to organize a movement for the laity.
At the end of 1981 the Comboni superior advised Fr. Luis to carry out this ministry with young people under the responsibility of a bishop. He did as told, and the lay movement he initiated took uniformity in the Diocese of Cuautitlán. During this time Fr. Luis also served as pastor in the town of San José el Vidrio. Both places were located in the State of Mexico.
When it came time to naming the lay movement, our founder focused his attention on the biblical text: Luke 1, 2: “… just as it was handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and Servants of the Word …”
The lay missionaries made a public promise to evangelize on a full-time term for one year. Said promise manifested the intention to accompany preaching with the testimony of a life inspired by the evangelical counsels.