Author Maria Palma Smith joins Deacon Mark Campbell and Alexia Baker to discuss her spiritual biography of Father Dolindo Rotolo, the Neapolitan mystic and priest who received the Surrender Novena directly from Jesus through a locution. The conversation unpacks Father Dolindo's extraordinary life of suffering, including nearly 20 years forbidden from celebrating Mass, and how his unwavering surrender to God made him a model of holiness beloved by Saint Padre Pio. The book, Jesus, I Surrender Myself to You, is available now through TAN Books and Amazon.
Maria Palma Smith joins The Catholic Morning Show to illuminate the life and legacy of Father Dolindo Rotolo, a Neapolitan priest born in Naples in 1882 and a figure of remarkable spiritual depth. Father Dolindo is perhaps best known as the man to whom Jesus gave the prayer that would become the beloved Surrender Novena — a text that originated as a letter to one of his spiritual daughters and spread across Italy, Poland, Spain, and the Spanish-speaking world.
Far from a life of ease, Father Dolindo endured decades of suffering, misunderstanding, and false accusation. Beginning shortly after his ordination, he was placed under a kind of spiritual microscope and ultimately forbidden from celebrating Mass for nearly 20 years — the longest continuous period being 16 years. During this time, he channeled his devotion into extraordinary writing: a personal autobiography and a monumental 33-volume commentary on Sacred Scripture written for the laity. He also composed original music.
Father Dolindo's spirituality was profoundly Eucharistic and Marian — he called Our Lady "Mama" and sought her intercession in even the smallest decisions. Saint Padre Pio held him in the highest regard, considering him a saint.
The biography Jesus, I Surrender Myself to You, co-authored with a devoted niece of Father Dolindo, is a rich resource for anyone seeking to deepen their own surrender to God.
🔗 Jesus, I Surrender Myself to You — TAN Books:
Also available on Amazon. Note: the Amazon listing may show temporarily out of stock — check back soon as inventory is being restocked.
Listen to The Catholic Morning Show weekdays at 7 AM Central on the Iowa Catholic Radio Network at: 🔗 https://www.IowaCatholicRadio.com/?utm_source=Iowa%20Catholic%20Radio&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=The%20Catholic%20Morning%20Show
#SurrenderNovena #FatherDolindoRotolo #JesusISurrenderMyself #MariaPalmaSmith #TANBooks #CatholicBiography #CatholicMystic #PadrePio #NapolesHoliness #CatholicSpirituality #EucharisticDevotion #MarianDevotion #SurrendertToGod #CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast