YOUNGSTOWN — The Diocese of Youngstown has announced the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has recognized the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon (1867-1954), foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate.

In June, Pope Leo XIV designated the New York-born Mother Tallon as “Venerable,” advancing her cause for beatification and canonization.

Sisters from the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate have been actively serving the faithful at St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Warren since October 2022. Therefore, this universal Church milestone has a deep local significance for the Diocese of Youngstown.

Mother Maria Catherine Iannotti, general superior of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, expressed the community’s profound gratitude.

“We are overjoyed that the Holy Father has recognized the heroic virtues of our Foundress. This is a wonderful day for us as her cause comes a step closer to beatification and canonization.”

Local Superior Sister Theresa Marie Moore said, “We are grateful that Mother Mary Teresa Tallon’s cause is moving forward. The Church has recognized her life of heroic virtue and now we invite the people of the Diocese of Youngstown to learn more about her life and follow her witness, desiring holiness and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with all those around us, especially the most rejected and neglected of God’s children. We also wish to draw others to ask for her intercession, for miracles large and small. We would be happy to share more about her life and witness in any way possible.”

Born Julia Teresa Tallon in Hanover, New York, on May 6, 1867, she was the youngest of eight children born to Irish immigrants Peter Tallon and Bridget Duffy. Growing up on her family’s farm, Julia demonstrated an early, passionate thirst for God and a zeal for teaching the faith. Notably, she would gather the children of migrant laborers in the fields while their parents worked to teach them prayers, Scripture stories and Catholic truths. She founded the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in 1920. Their mission is to imitate Christ as the Good Shepherd by contemplative prayer life, door-to-door missionary work and religious instruction.

The advancement of Mother Tallon’s cause to Venerable marks the final major step before beatification, which would declare her Blessed. The next stage requires the verification and approval of a medical or spiritual miracle attributed to her direct intercession by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.