06/20/2026
PRESS RELEASE – for immediate release, June 18 2026, from IRL Affiliates, the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate.
New York-born Foundress, Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon declared VENERABLE.
The Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has recognized the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon (Julia Teresa Tallon, 1867-1954), foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate.
In a meeting this morning, June 18th, with the Prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Pope Leo XIV approved the Decree of Heroic Virtue, declaring the New York-born foundress Venerable, advancing her cause for beatification and canonization. In response to this decision, Mother Maria Catherine Iannotti, General Superior of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate said, “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.” Mother Maria Catherine acknowledged the work of those serving Venerable Mother Tallon’s Cause: “Of course, this could never have taken place without the hard work of our postulator, Dr. Waldery Hilgeman, his associates Dr. Emanuele Spedicato, and Msgr. Brian Taylor of the Archdiocese of New York, who wrote Mother’s biography for the Positio.”
Born Julia Teresa Tallon in Hanover, NY on May 6, 1867, the new Venerable was the daughter of Irish immigrants, Peter Tallon and Bridget Duffy, who married in the U.S. and settled in Upstate New York to run a hops farm. The youngest of their eight children, Julia was baptized in St. Mary’s Church in Clinton, NY, and received her First Holy Communion and Confirmation in St. Bernard’s Church in Waterville, NY.
From her earliest years, Julia was known to manifest a thirst for God and proved to be a zealous catechist. Concerned for the religious training of the children of the migrant workers on her father’s farm, she would gather them in the fields while their parents were working, and teach them prayers, stories from Scripture, and the truths of the Faith. As a child, she was no stranger to hardships. She and her sister Jane were the only Catholics in their class at school and suffered at the hands of bullies who taunted them because of their faith. Julia taught her sister that it was more important to forgive than to hold grudges and fight back.
To continue reading the full press release, please visit: https://religiouslife.com/documents/resources/399-ven-mary-teresa-tallon-press-release-revised/file
"What more can I do for God?" - Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon
Venerable Mary Teresa Tallon, pray for us!
