The Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC) is an international community of priests and brothers, founded by St. Vincent Pallotti (1795 – 1850) from whose name comes the popular name “Pallottines”. The official, Latin name for the Society is Societas Apostolatus Catholici, hence the abbreviation SAC.

Members of the SAC are found in more than 48 countries worldwide and in more than 300 local communities. We use seven 'official' languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.

In the Australian Region, Pallottine communities can be found in Western Australia and Victoria.

The members, priests and brothers, bind themselves to the Society by the promises of chastity, poverty, obedience, perseverance, the sharing of resources and the spirit of service.

The basic motto of the Society is the words of St. Paul:

“The love of Christ urges us” (2 Cor 5,14).

Mary, Queen of Apostles, is the Patroness of the Society.

The Society is part of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate (UAC), founded in 1835.

The mission of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC) is in line with the mission of Jesus Christ and of the Church - “to revive faith and re-enkindle charity of the entire People of God and to spread the faith and charity in the world, so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd” (John 10,16).

In general, the mission of the SAC is to increase the collaboration among the members of the Church, that is, among the diocesan priests, the male and female religious, and the laity, to fully and efficiently fulfil the apostolic tasks.

The Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC) is a core community of the Union of Catholic Apostolate (UAC). As such it shares responsibility with others for the spirituality and the apostolic effectiveness of the whole Union. In many ways, the mission of the SAC is realised in concrete ways through the UAC.

Belonging to the Pallottine Family - Belonging to the UAC

"The Union of Catholic Apostolate, a gift of the Holy Spirit, is a communion of the faithful who, united with God and with one another in accordance with the charism of St Vincent Pallotti, promote the co-responsibility of all the baptized to revive faith and rekindle charity in the Church and in the world, and bring all to unity in Christ." (Gen. St. UAC 1)

We look to St Vincent Pallotti, our Founder who sought to bring about the revival of the Church in his time (1795-1350). He called upon all Christians to unite in an active response to Gods call.

"Whether young or old, healthy or sick, alone or in community, in any position of life given to them by God, all can participate fully in the apostolic mission of Jesus Christ by any means whatever."

In 1835, in response to this vision, he founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate (UAC), encouraging all to live with integrity according to their faith and tradition. The UAC is a communion of persons and communities which, according to the charism of St. Vincent Pallotti, promotes: the co-responsibility of all the baptised for the revival of faith; the re-enkindling of love in the Church and in the world; and the unity of all people in Christ.

In Australia, the many people who have heard about and been inspired by this vision of St Vincent Pallotti are known as the Pallottine Family. We are united across many different ways of life and over large distances by a strong spirit bond which helps to empower us in the daily challenge to respond to our call to be Christian people.

In recent years, the Union of Catholic Apostolate has grown to new life and has spread to many parts of the world. An International Secretariat has been set up in Rome to help facilitate this development. National Co-ordinating groups (made up of representatives of various expressions of Pallotti’s vision) have also been established.

Our Local Committee invites you to consider an opportunity to affirm your commitment to live out Pallotti’s vision in our daily call to love.

UAC members:

• commit themselves to their apostolic calling
• are affirmed at a national and international level

The General Administration is elected every six years by the General Assembly in which the confreres who represent the various Pallottine communities around the world participate.

The General Administration is elected every six years by the General Assembly in which the confreres who represent the various Pallottine communities around the world participate.

The present General Administration was elected in October 2022. The main part of the General Administration is made of the General Council, consisting of the Rector General and four consultors. Each of the five members of the General Council represents one of the principle languages or the geographical regions and cultures of the Society. To the present General Council belongs representatives of the German, Polish, French-Italian, English and Portuguese-Spanish languages. Besides the General Council, the following are part of the General Administration: Procurator General, Secretary General and the Bursar General. Procurator General is responsible for the contacts between the Society and the Holy See, the General Secretary is responsible for the ordinary functioning of the Administration and the General Bursar is responsible for the administration of the goods and finances of the Society.

Rector General

Fr. Zenon Hanas

General Consultors
Fr. Murphy Jeremiah
Fr. Nkodo Joseph Jules
Fr. Rocchetti Daniel
Fr. Rahul Philips

Procurator General
Fr. Adam Golec

General Bursar
Fr. Vanderlei Luiz Cargnin

General Secretary
Fr. Yetukuri Showri Raju

Members of the Regional Council are elected by the finally professed members of the SAC for a term of three years by means of a secret ballot.

The Secretary and Bursar are appointed by the council.

At present the positions for the Australian Regional Council are held by:

"The Love of Christ impels us on" - 2 Cor 5:14

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St. Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850) recognizing the problems and potentials of the Church of his time (1835), called for a renewal of faith and re-enkindling of love and hope of the faithful for a new apostolate of all the baptized in the Union of Catholic Apostolate (UAC).

The priests and brothers of this Union he called together in a community (1846) now known as "Society of the Catholic Apostolate" (SAC), with more than 2000 members all over the world.

St. Vincent Pallotti was born in Rome, 21st April 1795. Ordained priest on the 16th of May, 1818.

On the 4th of April 1835 he founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate, bringing together priests, men and women religious, and lay people; united as a faith community for the common purpose of living and spreading the Good News.

In 1846 he formed a community of priests and brothers now known as the Society of the Catholic Apostolate.

He died on the 22nd of January 1850 at the centre of his new community, the church of San Salvatore in Onda, Rome.

He was beatified by Pius XlI on the 22nd of January 1950, and proclaimed a Saint by John XXIII, 20th January 1963.

St. Vincent Pallotti gave special emphasis to the fact that every Christian has from Jesus a mission for the Church and for the world. He was aware that the bishops, priests, and religious alone cannot carry total responsibility for evangelization. Lay people, too, have the obligation and the right to actively participate in the mission of the Church.

This concept was new at the time of Vincent Pallotti, and to implement it he founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate.

He meant this Union to be an association of priests, religious, and lay people who together would strive to awaken in all a consciousness of their call to the apostate of Jesus Christ. Moreover, they are called to bring this consciousness to all parts of the world.

Pope Paul VI said that Pallotti teaches us "to respect the vocation of lay Christians by providing adequate opportunity for its mature development".

Pope John Paul II, speaking to the Pallottine Family in 1986, called on all members to "continue to multiply your commitment so that what Vincent Pallotti prophetically announced, and the Second Vatican Council authoritatively confirmed, might become a happy reality, and that all Christians might become authentic apostles of Christ in the Church and the world!"

Pallottine Priests and Brothers came to Australia from the German Province in 1901 to pastor to the Aboriginal people of Beagle Bay Mission in the Kimberley.
From there they spread to other missions and parishes in Western Australia and eventually to the Eastern States of Australia.

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