Suppl. al n° 3 de «Il Messaggio della Santa Casa - Loreto ... · 23 In remembrance of Cardinal Martini, who came on pilgrimage to Loreto many times 24 Loreto Mission in togo 26

Suppl. al n° 3 de «Il Messaggio della Santa Casa - Loreto», vol. 47 n° 1, (Jan./Apr. 2013)(Sped. in abb. art. 2 comma 20/c. Legge 662/96 - Filiale di Ancona)

Vol. 47 n° 1 (Jan./Apr. 2013)Suppl. to n° 3

Published three times yearly

ContentS3 Which is the lineageof Mary?-by Fr. Giuseppe santarelli - Director

4 esther, the beautiful Queen-by MsGr. Giovanni tonucci

5 Letters to “the Shrine of the Holy House”6 the relevance of faith for a “truly” ethical social-political engagement... and it will be a new world-by Brother steFano vita

8 truth will save mankind-by Deacon Samuele Casali, OFM Cap.9 From suffering to hope-by Msgr. Decio Cipolloni11 Blessed Gabriel Maria Allegra-by Fr. Marcello Montanari

13 Interview: Prof. Fiorenzo Mignini-by vito punzi

15 the return to Loreto of Pope Benedict- by The Communityof the John Paul II Center17 « the moment at the Montorso Center is a clear sign of closeness to the youth »-by Matteo Liut17 the road of the Council-by Ivascu LaviniaYoung Orthodox from Romania

19 eugène Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy-by Fr. Giuseppe santarelli

20 theological symposium about John XXIII23 In remembrance of Cardinal Martini, who came on pilgrimage to Loreto many times24 Loreto Mission in togo26 A statue of our Lady of Loreto in Camaçari (Brazil)28 the “Presentation” of Lorenzo Lotto in a display in Moscow29 Pilgrimage to Sotto il Monte John XXIII

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Diret tore ResponsabileFr Giu seppe San ta relli

Text TranslatorSuor Mary Loegering, SFm

Imprimi potest+ mons. Giovanni Tonucci,

Pontifical Delegate,Loreto, April 5, 2013

The imprimatur implies nothing morethan that the material contained

in this magazine has been examinatedby diocesan censors and that

nothing contrary to faith or moralshas been found therein.

THESHRINEOFTHEHOLYHOUSE•Jan./Apr.2013

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3

EdITORIAL

WhichisthelineageofMary?

L. Seitz, The Immaculate, stained glass

window of the German Chapel

(1903). The Immaculate is

positioned at the summit of the

tree of Jesse, the father of David.

The second anti-phon of Vespers

for the feast of Mary’s nativity

is: « From the trunk of Jesse

has blossomed the Virgin ».


Some of our readers have asked us to clarify the ancestry of Our Lady, a problem which is not easy to solve. Here we can indicate two important hypothesis in this regard. The genealogy

of Matthew (1: 1-18) does not mention Mary and the gospels do not worry about clarifying as to whether she is a descendant of David or of the priestly lineage.

Some renowned exegetes observe that, according to Luke (1: 26-27), Joseph undoubtedly belonged to the descendents of David and, even though he doesn’t mention the ancestry of Mary, it is possible that she too came from the same lineage, especially since, as it seems pos-sible, the genealogy of Christ that is found in Luke (3: 23-28) begins with his mother. A confir-mation of this hypothesis is found in the apocryphal Gospel of James of the II century, where Mary is said to be « of David’s tribe » (chap. 10-12) more than once. Here « tribe » must be understood as « lineage ». In the Liturgy of the Hours there are some antiphons where Mary is said to be of « the roots of Jesse» and of the « royal » ancestry of David.

The Davidic descent that Christ, on the legal level, obtained from his putative father Joseph and – in this interpretation – on the natural level, from his mother Mary, has great importance, because

the Messiah, according to the prophecies, would come from the descen-dents of David. One can read, for example, in John’s Gospel (7:42): « Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family? ».

There is also another proposition in this regard that would like to see Mary belonging to the lineage of Aaron – from which the Hebrew priestly class came, from the tribe of Levi – due to the fact that Mary was related to Elizabeth, who, as Luke writes (1:5), was « a descendent of Aaron». This hypothesis was studied, with some new findings, by Maria Luisa Rigato in the magazine Theotokos (1980, n. 1, pp. 275-303). The researcher keeps in mind also the per-son of James, « the brother of Jesus » – that is, a relative of his and of Mary – who, according to a description of Egisippo (II century), was a Levite priest, and, through other philological and archeological acquisitions, she comes to the conclusion that Mary belonged to the 18th priestly class of Happizzez with their residence in Nazareth, and therefore with its privileges.

Rigato observes: « That would explain, among other things, the level of biblical culture that Luke presents Mary with, both in the Annunciation and also in placing in her mouth the Magnificat» (p. 301).

Both interpretations, in any case, place the residence of Mary in Nazareth, in the house where she was conceived, was born and received the angelic announcement, and where she returned, after visiting her relative Elizabeth of Levitic lineage, as the evangelist Luke notes: «Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home » (Lk 1: 56). The home, according to tradition, transported and venerated in Loreto.

By Fr. Giuseppe santarelli - Director

Her real name was Hadassah, which in Hebrew means “myrtle”, but, during the exile in the

Persian kingdom, she had been called Esther. Orphan of father and mother, she had been raised by her uncle, Mordecai, a faithful son of Israel, who tried to live in fidelity to God’s law, even during that difficult time far from the Temple of Jerusalem and in the discomfort of living with different people, who followed a pagan reli-gion, very distant from their own.

The environment of the story is that, almost like a fable, of an oriental court, with the king, absolute sovereign, who, without limits from anyone, makes decisions about the life and death of his subjects; with a capricious queen who, having offended the king’s sensibilities, was stripped of her preroga-tives and substituted by another woman, this too a free choice of the king; with cunning and cynical ministers, whose only interest seems to be that of conquering the grace of the sovereign, to make money and career. A world, very far from ours, yet very close, to the point of seem-ing almost contemporary.

Esther’s fortune begins with the disgrace of Vashti, the queen that was repudi-ated by King Ahasuerus, who was offended by the refusal of his wife to pres-ent herself before his guests. In order to find a

new queen, who would be worthy of being at the side of the sovereign, many young girls were gathered from every corner of the empire. The responsibles of the royal palace take care of them for a long time, teaching the candidates how to behave in an adequate manner, when they were in the presence of the king and by enhancing their aspect, with creams, ointments and we do not know what other concoctions.

“Esther won the admiration of all who saw her”, and when, at the end of the twelve months of prepa-ration she was conducted to King Ahasuerus, he “loved Esther more than all other women, and of all the virgins she won his favor and benevolence”. The young Jewish woman received from the King the royal crown and was proclaimed queen. Proud of his choice, Ahasuerus prepared for a great cele-bration, inviting all of the princes and ministers, to exhibit his new compan-ion. No one though, knew of her Jewish origins, because Mordecai had told her to keep it a secret.

Now Esther had reached the maximum of human success. Yet exact-ly in that moment, the King’s first minister, Haman, was plotting against the Jews. His antipathy was provoked by Mordecai’s comport-


4

WORdSOFTHEARCHBISHOP

+ MsGr. Giovanni tonucci - Archbishop of Loreto

esther,thebeautifulQueen

Ludovico Seitz, Esther before King Ahasuerus, Loreto, German Chapel (1892-1902).

ment, who, respecting his faith in God and his human dignity, refused to accomplish in the sight of Haman these gestures of veneration and adulation that he desired be attributed to him. Haman’s resentment quickly becomes a blunt grudge, the grudge then became hatred and, coming to find out that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman’s hatred spread out to the whole of Israel. With some well-studied calumnies, and taking advantage of the King’s indif-ference, the cynical minister set up every-thing in order to carry out, on one specific day, the extermination of the Jews present in the Persian kingdom.

Inside the palace, Esther did not know anything about all of this. Having been informed by Mordecai, through his ser-vants, at the beginning she thought that she could do nothing: if the King did not call her, she could not permit herself to go before him of her own initiative. A similar action would have brought upon her a condemnation to death. Mordecai though insisted: if our people will be exterminat-ed, you will not be able to save yourself alone. And he questions her: “Who knows but that it was for a time like this that you obtained the royal dignity?”

Now Esther was convinced: she orders Mordecai to ask all of their compatriots three days of prayer and fasting. She will do the same with her maidservants. Then she will go to face the king’s anger and, if it will be necessary, she will die.

Esther’s prayer is intense and heartfelt. Having finished the three days of prepa-ration, she puts on her most elegant clothes. We see her in her royal beauty, go through the halls of the palace accompa-nied by two maidservants, in order to reach the place where the king is seated on his throne, in the splendor of rich ornaments. Before his gaze full of anger for the unexpected intrusion, Esther, already weak from fasting, feels her strength leave her. “But God changed the king’s anger to gentleness”: his love for Esther is still strong and Ahasuerus is ready to do anything to please her. The most difficult step is accomplished. But the situation is not yet concluded.


5

An existence full of suffering upheld by faith

A « little crumb », that is one of those pious people who participated at the prayer meeting and reflection that Carla Zichetti organizes every year, in July, in the Shrine of Loreto, who sent us this letter, in which she remembers her difficult existence, yet full of faith.

«I don’t ask anything else from Mary, our Mother, except that she may leave me this interior serenity. Yet I have not had an easy life, with a childhood full of well-being, where instead all was lacking! Yes, they said my grandparents were very well-off, but for me, this remained just a legend. My father, already a student, knew nothing else than to hold a pen in his hands, and so little by little being well-off disappeared. Then his illness marked my life. To see him suffer from bladder cancer was an atrocious suffering for the whole family. My mother who adored him and my four brothers and myself, took the bread from our mouths in order to buy morphine for him, to lessen and to give a break to his extreme pain. It was useless, our dear father left us when he was only 45 years old.

Then I met my husband, first man, first kiss, my all for these past forty years. Just four years after our marriage my mother-in-law died, leaving behind her husband and a fifty-two year old daughter who suffered from infantilism and schizophrenia, while my father-in-law was eighty-four...

This important part of my life has taken a strip of my “soul” to heal the wounds. Thirty-one years later, as a Shroud, I see the resemblance of Christ in the faces of those who suffer ».

J. Caterina

LETTERSTO“THESHRINEOFTHEHOLYHOUSE”

the need to recover the sense of ethics

The social-political engagement can be an efficacious contribution in forming a new world and new man-

kind, only if we recover the ethical sense in our thinking and in our actions. An ethical sense that has been strong-ly endangered on one hand by an irrational laicism that confounds ethics with religion and on the other hand by the so-called dictatorship of ethical relativism that denies the capacity of man to know the truth, that does not rec-ognize anything as being definitive and therefore the last criterion of judgment remains only that of our own self and our desires. This culture leads to the theorization and defense of ethical pluralism which in its turn sanc-tions the decadence and disintegration of reason and the principles of natural moral law.

the virtue of faith is moral strength

Starting from these cultural presuppositions has spread the separation between ethics and politics, the distinction and separation between private ethics and public ethics, almost as if this is not inevitably and inexorably the public reflection of the first, and there-fore we have fallen into the illusion of the so-called miracle of the institutions. It is an illusion because there are no juridical norms, nor structures that exist, and neither particularly refined and rigorous codes of con-duct that can save politics, if they are not based on a very deep rooted and high sense of ethics. The person-alist thinker Edouard Mounier, already in 1935, had written: “After having awaited the miracles of the new man from an instinctive and anarchical liberty, now we expect it from a political-social mechanism considered almost as an

immense automatic distributor of justice and order. Yet we are always waiting. I do not believe in the miracle of the insti-tutions and therefore in the idea that the institutions will bring about the new mankind. [...] We will not tire of saying, to avoid the backflow of illusion, that we do not believe, on our part, in the miracle of institutions. [...] Institutions will not create the new mankind, rather it will be through a per-sonal and irreplaceable work of man on oneself. Institutions can assist him in this accomplishment, but they can not sub-stitute his efforts”. How these statements are actual today. Nowadays there are the continuous comments of party reforms, of the reform of electoral law, of consti-tutional reform, yet, let us ask ourselves, do we speak also with just as much insistence about the personal


6

MARIANCATECHESIS By Brother steFano vita

frAnciscAn frAternity of bethAniA (ffb)

ReflectionsontheYearofFaith

Therelevanceoffaithfora“truly”ethicalsocial-politicalengagement...anditwillbeanewworld

Saint Thomas Moore

work that the person engaged in politics and socially must accomplish within him or herself in order to ethi-cally live their thoughts and actions? In this regards and making reference to Catholics engaged in the social-political realm, Benedict XVI affirmed: “The engagement of Catholics in politics is good, but the fundamental premise must be the solidity of their faith. Efforts have sometimes been made to make the presence of Christians in social assistance, in politics or in the economy more incisive, and the soundness of their faith may not have been sufficiently taken into account, almost as if it were a given acquired once and for all.” To avoid therefore the degenerations that we have experienced and that unfortunately are still continuing, not only in the political body but also in other areas of power and of the ruling class, it is necessary and urgent to have a strong personal engagement of the politicians to mature an ever greater ethical conscience, illumined and forged by faith, that becomes moral strength in thinking and acting.

the witness of faith: light

and a “special” school for true ethics

Illuminating in this regards is the faith witness of St. Thomas Moore, proclaimed Patron of Leaders and Politicians, who witnessed up to martyrdom the

“inalienable dignity of conscience”. Even though he underwent various forms of psychological pressure, he refused every compromise, and never abandoned “the constant fidelity to authority and to the legitimate institutions” that distinguished him. He affirmed with his life and death that “man can not be separated from God, nor politics from morals”. This faith, which is the door towards truth, Jesus Christ, builds up the new mankind and therefore a new world, because, as the evangelist John states in his first letter, “the victory that conquers the world is our faith” (1 Jn 5:4). Sincere faith renders us docile instruments in the hands of God, who even through us accomplishes His design, which is “he makes all things new”.

Conclusion

It is true, history unfolds as a mixture of contradic-tions and as a scandalous game between power centers where it seems that good always looses. Yet history is secretly animated by a mysterious logic, the logic of the Kingdom of God. Jesus, the Lord of history, patiently, but inexorably acts, works and the believer is invited to take His side in order to live out justice, with the knowl-edge that “where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more” (Rom 5:20).

7

FromOctober27-28,2012 inLoreto, in theTreasuryHallorPomarancioHall,asplendidstatueofOurLadyofLoretowasonexhibition.Itisabouttwometerstall,carvedbyLuigi

Santifeller,SonofOrtisei(BZ),asonecanreadonthesignatureinthelowerrightcorner.Theimagehasaverybeautifuldalmaticwithnuancedanddelicatecolors.ThefacesoftheVirginandChildarenicelytannedandtheyarenotblack,astheyareusuallyseeninotherstatuesofthiskind.

The statue was brought to Loreto by a group of pilgrims from Oliveto Citra(Salerno)whovenerateitintheirChurch.(PhotoMontesi).


A splendid statue of our Lady of Loreto venerated in oliveto Citra (Italy)

Two or three years ago, a famous Italian oncologist and politician, at

the end of an interview on television, said this lapidary slogan: « Science will save mankind! ». I shivered hearing these words, and immediately I remem-bered other words of a just as famous doctor and teacher, who lived at the end of the 1800’s and the beginning of the 1900’s, who wrote: « Love truth; be yourself; and without feigning and without fear and without concerns. And if for the truth you should need to sacrifice yourself and your life, be strong in the sacrifice ». And in teaching his students: « Persevere in loving truth and God who is truth itself, and all vir-tues so that you may carry out your profession, as a mission ».

The name of this doctor and teacher is Giuseppe Moscati who, since 25 October 1987, has entered into the family of Saints canonized by John Paul II. The Pope, in the relationship between science and faith, began the Encyclical Fides et Ratio in this manner: « Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself – so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves ».

Today science allows us to overcome many barriers that up to a few years ago were insuperable, and the Church praises the precious work of scientists who place the person at the center of their research, for the good of mankind and his promotion, but it can not remain silent before the blunders of those who place science as the absolute value, sacrificing the person. Science, as a gift from God, is at the service of mankind, and can not “navigate” without a Goal: it would lead

mankind adrift!Next to many successes of science, especially in the

medical field, it is important today more than ever to be aware of the danger of the eugenics drift, where man-kind places himself as the absolute foundation of his own existence, not recognizing his own limits and, therefore, much less those of the weakest and most frag-ile. Punctually, Pope Benedict XVI, in his Encyclical Caritas in veritate, spoke of the present day economical crisis linked to the social question, which today has « a radically anthropological question, in the sense that it concerns not just how life is conceived but also how it is manipulated, as bio-technology places it increasingly under man’s control » (n. 75).

Manipulations are occurring evermore from the moment of conception of the person, until the end of the earthly life. Babies who are wanted and “produced” at any cost using techniques of artificial fecundation that foresees the selection and killing of other babies (at the


8

SPIRITUALITY By Deacon Samuele Casali, oFM Cap.

Family,life,bioethics

truthwillsavemankind

A child is a gift from God to be loved, especially if they are sick and in need of care.

embryonic stage), and the freezing of others to assure a child in the future, while the child is already a per-son placed in a freezer at minus 200 degrees! Children who are not wanted are stripped from the maternal womb with medicines that are made to seem like contraceptives, when in reality they are interceptive means (they intercept the embryo before it is able to implant itself in the uterus) and are contragestatives, (they provoke the elimination of the embryo already implanted) with the unique scope of aborting (cfr. Instruction Dignitas Personae, 2008, nn. 11-23).

Every child conceived is a gift of God to be loved; and every child conceived and not allowed to be born, we will be asked to respond for them at God’s judgment. Also the gift of the family based on mar-riage between man and woman, constitutes one of those “values that are nonnegotiable”, image and symbol of the Covenant that unites God and his people, and calling man into existence for love, He calls him at the same time to love (cfr. Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, 1981, n. 11).

Every human existence is worthy to be lived, also, and especially, that marked by suffering, Gift and Mystery, that Jesus Christ Our Lord has taken upon Himself, accepting to accomplish the Will of the Father, as and act of total donation of His life, teach-ing us that “the only profit is to give oneself” (cfr. Angelo Comastri, Donarsi è l’unico guadagno, ed. San Paolo 2008). Also at the end of life, there are some who retain that certain existences are not worthy to be lived, and therefore one can do with one’s own life as they wish even taking one’s own life or suppress-ing that of others.

Hence today, it is necessary to awaken our moral conscience to support life, freeing it from contradic-tions that can stem from our emotions or from sec-ondary interests: « our conscience is the voice of our heart, but of a heart enlightened by the light of truth » (expression of Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, “pioneer” of Christian bioethics).

Christians have the responsibility of being close to those who are sick, to accompany them towards their encounter with the Lord, using the scientific means to alleviate suffering, in that irreplaceable binomial between science and faith: « reason and faith can come to each other’s assistance. Only together will they save man. Entranced by an exclusive reliance on technology, reason without faith is doomed to floun-der in an illusion of its own omnipotence. Faith with-out reason risks being cut off from everyday life » (Encyclical Caritas in veritate, n. 74). Behold the two wings to contemplate Truth: faith and reason.

«In the context of such a limitless world as human suffering, – says John Paul II in the

Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici – we now turn our attention to all those struck down by sickness in its various forms: sickness is indeed the most frequent and common expression of human suffering » (n. 53).

I can not but consider it a grace to have met them, the sick, to have shared their human rich-ness that will never be able to be suffocated by the same overpowering of their illness.

In all whom I’ve met, the Lord has always manifested to me his power making them become a source of spirituality.

I could not have better understood the Theologia Crucis, studied in the books, than by meditating on it during the extraordinary experience of grace lived ever since the beginning of my priesthood. Having lived with my predecessor and elderly parish priest, sharing with him the humiliation of a “tumor” that required a very complex aid, so much that you can measure to the last drop how fragile your humanity is or of your cowardliness and the grace of his holiness, who had completely entrusted himself to the mystery of suffering offered with love for his people. This personal reference is only to give a witness, that goes beyond absolutely all prerogatives of merit (it was part of my duties as a man and a priest), it remains as a gift of grace, with the knowledge that to those who have received more, more will be requested and with the joy of he who knows that we must do all in the optic of that who “When you have


9

By Msgr. Decio Cipolloni

Fromsufferingtohope

Thefacesofsuffering

»

done all you have been commanded, say: ‘We are unprofitable servants.’ ” (Lk 17:10).

It is true that one thing is suffering and it is another to speak about suffering, but I allow myself to speak with you who are reading, what a great soul, what human sensibility and what courage are hidden, within the sick.

For this reason I was able to entitle a book that gath-ered numerous human pathologies as: “Behind the screen of the Handicap: a humanity that marks us”.

If I had not welcomed in my parish house during the ‘70’s in Serra San Quirico, the friends of the Institute of Porto Potenza Picena during their summer vacation, I would not have been able to be familiar and gather without complexes, their vivacious youthfulness, nor be able to help them to discover and recognize hidden

capacities, gifts of intelligence, affinity, sensibility and undoubtedly a great need of affection.

To the young people at that time, completely helpless in front of their peers with disabilities, whom they had never encountered during their carefree and vibrant adolescence, exalting efficiency and aesthetics, they gladly renounced going to the beech of our Adriatic Sea to share a very special summer vacation amidst the hills of the valley of Esino. The presence of these friends amidst the walls of a historical center like Serra San Quirico, not only opened the doors of the homes, but especially the hearts of the people in an overflowing of humanity, of familiarity and of friendship.

It was and it is being with them “without stepping aside” that we teach each other the good life of the Gospel, solidarity and charity.


Stuck on the stretchers10

Franciscan Missionary in China

Fr. John Maria Allegra was one of the most illustrious missionaries of the 1900’s and

he is one of the greatest Catholic “sinolo-gists”; for his Biblical knowledge and for hav-ing translated the Bible into Chinese he has been called the “St. Jerome of China”.

John Allegra was born on December 26, 1907 in S. Giovanni La Punta (Catania – Italy). When he was eleven he entered the boarding house of the Friars Minor of Acireale and when he was sixteen he entered the novitiate in Bronte, choosing the name of Gabriel Maria. During the novitiate he deep-ened his piety, the devotion to Our Lady and his love for St. Francis of Assisi.

In 1926 he was sent to the ‘Antonianum’ Institute in Rome to study theology. It was during these years that his vocation to be a missionary in China blossomed. He was ordained a priest in 1930 and the follow-ing year he left as a missionary for China with the firm proposal to translate the Bible into Chinese, as he had promised himself: “I will translate the Word of God into Chinese”.

Arriving in Heng Yang he worked tire-lessly, even during the night hours. During the seven years that he was the director in the local seminary, he dedicated five hours a day to studying “sinology” and three hours to Scripture (Greek, Hebrew, exege-sis). After just four months he already exercised his ministry in the midst of peo-ple, even being able to preach in the diffi-cult Chinese language.


By Fr. Marcello Montanari

BlessedGabrielMariaAllegra

EVERYSAINTCOMESTOLORETO

»

the “St. Jerome of China”In 1935 he began the translation of the Bible into

Chinese. It was a long task, with various improvements, with the assistance of some collaborators. The job was completed on August 2, 1961 and in 1968 a popular edi-tion in one volume was published.

In the meanwhile in 1945 he had begun the Institute of Biblical Studies in Hong Kong and then in Beijing; in 1963 he began in Singapore a Sociological Studium; in 1975 he published the ‘Biblical Dictionary’ in Chinese. Yet he was not only a great scholar of the Word of God: he was a saint that faithfully lived it every day, a saint with a granite faith, “solid, massive, ardent and enthusiastic”.

His sanctity overflowed from his desire to love without limits, with all his mind, with all his heart, with all his strength Our Lord Jesus Christ and, in him, his neighbors. For him, holiness did not consist in not having defects or in overcoming temptations, rather in loving Jesus with an authentic and complete love. His holiness was not striking rather, it was extraordinary in the ordinary. Father Allegra lived a spiritual childhood, loving his own littleness, and he was like a precious diamond hidden in the merciful heart of Jesus.

In him also shined forth the virtues of humility and modesty. He was humble in his comportment, in his words and especially in his heart. Besides his mother language, he currently spoke Chinese, English, French, Spanish and German, but he never boasted about this.

He left behind an example to follow: to love the Word, to make the Word our daily nourishment, to return to the Gospel so that our life may shine with an ever new light. Very beautiful is one of his prayers: “Give me, I implore you, oh Father, the intelligence of the Sacred Scripture. Help me to comprehend through it the divine pedagogy... May I be capable of changing study into continuous prayer, and that I study only to become a disciple of Wisdom, that is, to know you bet-ter and to love you evermore!”.

The untiring Sicilian Franciscan, whose intellectual production was equal only to his charitable and apos-tolic engagement, weakened by fatigue, died holily on January 26, 1976 in Coloane (Macau), where he had gone to celebrate his last Christmas together with the local community of lepers. He rendered his soul to God while he was commenting Psalm 54. He had written: “The most envious fate for a Franciscan, who does not obtain the grace of martyrdom, is that of dying while working”.

On January 14, 1984 the cause for his beatification was begun in Hong Kong. He was solemnly proclaimed Blessed in Acireale on September 29, 2012.

Humble and untiring apostle The heart of this great Sicilian Franciscan burned

with love for the Gospel and for the salvation of souls. Great was his love for China, which he saw as the land of hope and he felt as if it were his second homeland. He also loved the Chinese very much, whom he consid-ered as his true brothers and sisters.

The work of Father Gabriel Allegra was prodigious: he worked with great fruits both in the cultural realm and in pastoral care. He did many other translations in Chinese; he also translated into Italian the most important and the most difficult Chinese elegiac poem by Chü Jüan: “Li Sao” (Encounter with pain). He also wrote various pamphlets, but his work was not only that of a learned and scholarly man: it was especially that of a saint and a great Franciscan missionary; he lived a fruitful apostolate, preaching, con-fessing, helping the sick and needy of all kinds, including lepers, with whom he spent his vacations.

His greatest work, even though the most silent and hidden, was that of his ecumenical contacts with the other Christian religions present on the Chinese terri-tory. Highly esteemed, he maintained fraternal relation-ships with the Anglican Bishop of Hong Kong and with the members of the Protestant Church. His friendliness, delicacy, together with the fascination for his great yet ever humble Biblical knowledge, made him a sure refer-ence point for all Christians in China, who search for the truth.

He visited the Holy House of LoretoThe new Blessed loved Our Lady intensely. It was the

Virgin of Nazareth who led him in his work, which he had entrusted to her maternal protection. The love for the Immaculate Virgin is present on every page of his writings: « It seems to me that I have found in the Immaculate Heart of Mary all the greatness, perfections, mission, mystery, even more, all the Marian mysteries. I would not be a Franciscan, if I didn’t see at the center of all the Marian mysteries the Immaculate. Even today I feel, sometimes, fascinated by our Heavenly Mother, by her Motherly, Virgin, Queenly Heart: basically it is her Immaculate Heart, that of the Immaculate ».

Blessed Gabriel desired to love Christ with the Heart of the Immaculate and the Immaculate Mother with the Heart of Christ! Writing to his mother (May 5, 1951) he confided: “For me spiritual life is the most simple thing in the world: it consists only in living with Our Lady, as Jesus Love”.

During one of his travels to Italy, while waiting to be conferred with the honorary doctorate in Sacred Theology, which took place on November 18, 1955 in Rome, on October 26th he visited the Shrine of Loreto.


12

On Saturday, 24 November 2012 in the Paul VI Hall in Loreto, the presentation of the Medical Observatory

“Ottaviano Paleani” and of the Medical Commission was held, which are two realities that the Pontifical Delegation has desired and has aggregated to the Loreto Study Center that have just been erected at the Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto with the aim of taking note and objectively gathering the facts of miraculous heal-ings that take place through the intercession of the Virgin of Loreto. Among the speakers that took part was Prof. Fiorenzo Mignini, medicine teacher at the University of Camerino and Director of the Medical Observatory just erected in Loreto.

Prof. Mignini what is the reason behind the erec-tion of the Medical Observatory called “Ottaviano Paleani” in Loreto and what are the work criterion that have been chosen to be followed?Ever since, through the initiatives of UNITALSI, those

who were sick were begun to be brought to Loreto, some unexplainable healings, like in Lourdes, were observed and referred. Some of these prodigious facts were gath-ered and published in 1942 in a little booklet entitled “Le Guarigioni di Loreto nella loro documentazione medico-scien-tifica” (= The healings of Loreto in their medical-scientific documentation). The author was Doctor Ottaviano Paleani, third order Franciscan oblate. Through the ini-tiative of Archbishop Giovanni Tonucci, we therefore thought that it would be good to continue this service, both by creating a true and specific archive beginning with the already rich historical documentation that exists in the offices of the Congregation of the Holy House, and by beginning to examine the cases of healing that have been made known during these more recent years which have not yet passed through scientific examination.

The criteria chosen by the Medical Observatory in order to define the necessary conditions to be able to declare a healing as unexplainable from the natural point of view are the seven established by Cardinal Prospero Lambertini, future Benedict XIV. These criteria were developed in order to guarantee the supernatural origin of the miracles that are necessary during the process of beatification and canonization. Obviously here we are not instituting a legal procedure at the end of which we determine the holiness of the Virgin, rather what has been proposed to us, in analogy to what has already been

offered for many years by the “Bureau des Constatations Médicales” in Lourdes, is an instrument of discernment of facts that allows us to verify case by case if effectively one can speak of a supernatural intervention or not. It is above all a service to the Church as the community of believers attentive to the demonstrations of the Father’s mercy, yet also desirous to defend the integrity of faith. To know that miracles exist is a great consolation, and it is exactly with this desire that we want to know if they are truly such, and a preliminary step towards that goal is specifically the medical-scientific verification. Basically the underlying principles of the “screening” set in place by Lambertini are three: 1) In order to be able to speak of


13

By vito punzi

press office, shrine of Loreto

“THESHRINEOFTHEHOLYHOUSE”INTERVIEWS…

Interview:Prof.Fiorenzo Mignini

»

healing, there has to have been a disease before; 2) The healing must be long lasting and without relapses; 3) In order to declare the healing as unexplainable, all other explanations that can be given due to natural internal causes (such as a spontaneous remission) or external causes (such as a therapy treatment) must be excluded.

How is the scientific evaluation procedure structured?The procedure has two levels of evaluation effectuated

by the Medical Observatory and by the Medical Commission respectively. The declaration of an unexplainable healing will take place through a threefold assessment: 1) Ascertain the original disease by studying the clinical records and the instruments available to us and through testimonies of the doctors and other people; 2) Ascertain the continuity and the quality of the healing after some time has elapsed; 3) To examine the case under all aspects in order to exclude with certainty all natural explanations.

While the first and second points are just an observa-tion and certification of the facts, the third point, requires all of our scientific and methodological knowledge in order to establish a diagnosis of the phenomenon. That scientific and methodological knowledge has enormous-ly augmented during the last decades, so much so as to question the capacity of the criterion of Cardinal Lambertini to unequivocally identify the causes of a healing and therefore, in the case of an inexplicable heal-ing, to be able to be sure that there are no natural expla-nations that one is not aware of. The six doctors who are part of the Observatory have the duty of methodologi-cally studying the cases presented by a whosoever medi-cal colleague. In order to define the healing as unexplain-able, we will need to begin from the concept itself of explanation keeping in mind the various types of scien-tific “explanation” and the peculiar characteristics of the medical explanation. Hence the need for a specialist coordination, which is furnished by the Observatory, which also has the duty of writing up the final report. This in line with what has been prescribed by the Decree of the Pontifical Delegate, H.E. Msgr. Giovanni Tonucci, that specifically states (our translation): “The aim of the Medical Observatory is that of taking note, of gathering the facts and of effectuating the first level evaluation of each potential case of apparently unexplainable healing, and to keep under observation for at least a year the evo-lution through a qualified professional activity”. In order to establish that a healing is truly unexplainable, we will have to prove that it is not possible to find a hypothesis that is able to explain it which is compatible with the known physical laws and the physiological facts ascer-tained. For this reason it is desirable that the underlying

medical team pertaining to the Observatory may be very widespread, even internationally. In this direction, UNITALSI has already offered its own collaboration and personally I am already in contact with various doctors of UNITALSI throughout all of Italy.

The second level evaluation by the Medical Commission makes reference to the dossier prepared by the Observatory. That evaluation leads to a conclusive judgment of the case. The Decree establishes for the Commission these required professional areas: three clinicians (who work in hospitals), one legal doctor, one clinical pharmacologist and one clinical academic with at least two who openly declare to be non-Catholics.

What does it mean to you, Prof. Mignini, to be the Responsible of the Medical Observatory of the Holy House?The Holy House, the place where God became flesh, in

which the Word was conceived in the womb of Mary Most Holy, reminds me that I am called above all, as a doctor and as a human being, to always be at the service of life: promot-ing it and defending it from conception until natural death and to reflect on mankind’s nature itself, on the dignity of the human being created by God in His image and likeness. This inviolable dignity places man at the center and at the vertex of all that exists on earth; not even suffering, or being unconscious, or the imminence of death diminish the intrin-sic dignity of the person. In my opinion, the true measure of humanity is essentially determined by the relationship to suffering and with those who suffer. This is valid for each individual and for society as a whole. The Holy Father writes in the Spe salvi (Benedict XVI, 38): “A society unable to accept its suffering members and incapable of helping to share their suffering and to bear it inwardly through “com-passion” is a cruel and inhuman society.”

A second reflection derives from the fact that we find ourselves in the presence of a house. Every person is linked to a “house” where he is born, he works, rests, encounters others; the history of every person is marked in a special way by his childhood home, that of his first steps. In the house of Nazareth, cared for within the Shrine of Loreto, is inscribed the mystery of the experience of sharing that Jesus had with Mary and Joseph. Even more, every essence of worldly things has a specific place to which they tend as to their specific peace; that natural place for man is the house that makes him the owner of things and of his own self. This explains the holiness of the house, its inviolability, and the deep bond that man has for it. Therefore, the true “house” to which man moves towards is God, of whom, the houses in which we live are somewhat a sign and the Holy House in a very special way recalls this as it is the house of God, of God-with-us.


14

October 4, 2012The return to Loreto

« A very beautiful house,congratulations! »

«Faith makes us live and dwell, but it also makes us walk the way of life ». These words pro-

nounced by Benedict XVI in Loreto, Italy’s Nazareth, house of the Incarnation, 50 years after the Second Vatican Council, show a precise itinerary for our local Churches: especially for the rela-tionship, during this Year of Faith that we must create with the young generations if we desire that it doesn’t become just a time of celebrations, made up only of great events and gatherings.

Faith makes us live and go aheadToday’s youth are without a residence. Where is their house? Who shows them the you of an authentic relationship that overcomes every exterior and for-mal aspect to reach the other there where they are? In what house do we listen to the challenges and the shouts of the youth? In what house is the faith shared, narrated and not just a « you must do this » or « this is a sin » or the usual « we have to go to mass »! The house as the place in which the you of God finds me in my situation, in that which I am and in what I do without having to wear something in a special way in order to be recognized. The house is the place of a name and of a voice that calls it out and that will always be recognized, even when life separates us and the signs of the times do not allow us to recognize us. In our houses-Church-es today, that which takes place is a bit like they call us with a « hey » or by whistling. The Year of Faith must help us to re-listen to and to dialogue with a personal God, a God who looks at us in the eyes and doesn’t make us lower our gaze. In order to live this we must give back the true sense of the word “house”, to the “house-Church” made up of hos-pitality, welcoming, listening, dialogue. A Year of Faith in which we can ask our-

selves without rhetoric: where can a young per-son today find a house?

Faith is also a journeyBaptism opens us to « become what you are ». My thoughts go back to the title that Pope Benedict XVI desired to give to the splendid meeting in Assisi one year ago: « Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace ». Faith as a journey. Faith linked to a road. Faith linked to life. Faith is not an insurance against that which is unforeseen, against injus-tice, against innocent suffering... Faith is a companion along the road. The trouble is that many times along this journey the person of Jesus is substi-tuted with rules and laws. While Jesus in the Gospels walks alongside those journeying, he listens, he is indignant, he asks questions, shares, the rule is there, ready to divide the world in good and evil, in Christians and non, in devils and angels! When a young per-son does not find work, when a young person collides with illegality, when a young person is used, when friends betray you, when dependence ruins your life, when boredom hits you... Jesus, the yes of the Father to mankind, walks at your side. The Year of Faith should help us to place our securities into discussion, to give more space to the questions and the surprises that life imposes on us, and to not always plan everything because the will of God may be elsewhere and may aston-ish you. In order to live this we must give the true sense back to the word “road”, a pilgrim Church, a Church capable of sharing, a Church that knows how to wait for the right time of each person. Gradually, as God does who waits for each of us at the sides of our roads.

EditorialFr. FrancEsco PiErPaoli Director of the JPII Center

The day at the John Paul II Cente

of Pope Benedictfrom the John Paul ll

Cent

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inse

rtion-youth

fromtheJohnPaulIIYouthCentre•Jan./Apr.2013

These are the words that Benedict XVI said to Father Francesco just before he

got into the helicopter that, at 16:30 last October 4th, would bring him back to Rome, flying over Assisi. Words that are not only a recognition to the splendid place in which for more than 12 years the Center is collocated; hearing them in Loreto, Shrine of the Holy House, they lead us to those who live in the house: the youth with their youthfulness, with their questions, with their « yes » that make this house every day, in the daily routine, beautiful. Valid for the John Paul II Center that which is valid for the Holy House whose poor stones were made beautiful by the « yes » of young Mary. It is a good life that makes a house beautiful! >>

They were very intense days, filled with work and prayer, for a visit desired and made pos-sible only by Providence! A gift that was unex-pected and super abundant, extraordinary and simple, as are the gifts of God. We tried to make the house as welcoming as possible, as we do in our families when an important guest arrives, taking care of the minimal details: from the pictures to the chairs, from the dining room to the bedrooms, from outdoors to inside, from the menu to the flowers, trying not to overlook anything, without distorting the Center’s iden-tity, keeping as a reference point the authentic-ity that the youth always require from us!A little work area where all gave their contribu-tion with joy and simplicity: the youth of the Cenacle Community helped us to prepare the

dining room and the bedrooms (taking out a few of the extra bunk beds); volunteers helped us to render the outdoor surroundings beautiful; the Carmelite nuns prepared the flowers for the din-ing room and for the room of the Pope (the one where also John Paul II had rested), the sheets and the towels hand embroidered with simplicity and beauty, the tablecloths; from the house of the Bishop of Loreto arrived the plates used by John XXIII during his visit to Loreto in 1962; the youth and the wonderful cooks Roberto and Barbara of the “Artis Cibaria”, helped by the experts Maurizia and Carmela (the cooks of the Pontifical Delegation), took care of the menu to the last details; the Pastry shop “Picchio” offered the sweets and the cake; the Mercedes company of Stoccarda brought to the square of the Center, the car in which Pope John XXIII road in from the Loreto train station to the Basilica of the Holy House. All of this accompanied and supported by the affection and the supervision of our Bishop Msgr. Giovanni Tonucci.The fatigue of the preparations was accompanied

by prayer, especially the Eucharistic Celebration in which we prayed with the texts linked to the Church remembering the reason of Benedict XVI’s visit for the 50 years from the beginning of the Council that has made the Church of Christ more beautiful.

At the first rays of the sunrise on October 4th we find our-selves in the chapel to entrust the day to God before each of us go to our specific duties: the volunteers to the gates, others to the vans, others to welcome the Cardinals and Bishops, still others to welcome the author-ities: all with the certainty that nothing was more important than the little service that was requested from them!The Pope arrived in the helicop-ter at the Center at 10 a.m. and immediately the first gift: “Welcome to the house of the youth” says Fr. Francesco lined up with the authorities in front

of the helicopter and the Holy Father answers immediately: “I already came here five years ago!”We were in front of the hill of Montorso, the hill of the Youth “Agorà”, womb of the Italian Church. How can we forget that extraordinary event that allowed about 500,000 youth to encounter the Pope and to receive from him the mandate: “From the House to the square to announce in a credible manner the Love of Christ”.After the very brief greetings, the “Pope mobile”, that had arrived the day before and had been kept with care in the garage of the Center, brought the Pope to the Square of the Basilica where the Holy Father presided the Eucharistic Celebration.Then back to the John Paul II Center to eat lunch and to rest before returning to Rome.And here another gift: accompanied by the Bishop and by Father Francesco, the Pope went over to the memorial that at the Center will remind us of his visit: “On the road of the Council. From the House to the square” is the title. It was prepared for the occasion, he looked


Our photograph-ic camera main-tained respectful-ly its distance...

... but we were ever close with our heart... and with the zoom!

How we prepared for the event

The long awaited day has arrived!

at it with great attention and listened to the explanation: the youth and the five Popes of the Vatican Council II are walking together along the road. It will be the picture on the front page of the “Osservatore Romano” the following day when it printed the news of the visit to Loreto.Then the Pope greeted one by one with affec-tion the Oblate Sisters of the Virgin Mary of Fatima, demonstrating his recognition for the service they render to the benefit of the younger generations.Then the simple lunch, linked to our traditions: the appetizer was “ciauscolo” and local foods, “passatelli” soup, grilled meat with potatoes and green beans, the cake. All watered by the wine of the Pontifical Delegation. After lunch there was the photo souvenir with the volunteers and those who offered their

service with great pleasure and then a walk around the square: “four steps throughout the Center” as many times we do too when we talk with the youth and we listen to their ques-tions, their joys, their discoveries! The Pope walks with us! Then some time for rest. It was nice to see all the gendarmes inviting Bishops and other authorities to be quiet because the Pope was resting! We could use their recom-mendations, when we too, certainly with other outcomes, say the same thing to the young and visiting groups in the Center!At 4 p.m. he greets the family members of the Bishop, an exchange of gifts with the president of the Marche Region and the greetings to all who on various levels helped with the organiza-tion of this day. It is our duty to remember the Civil Protection of the Marche who have their

“second house” here with us: in every situation they are an example of attention and delicacy!But now it is time to leave. The Pope is accom-panied to the helicopter, he says good-bye to all and warmly thanks everyone and blesses us amidst songs and the greetings of the people gathered beyond the gates!And here comes the phrase that we shared at the beginning: “it is a beautiful house: congratulations!”Thank you Holy Father, because you called this place a “house” and by your providential presence you encouraged us to continue in a way that it may be evermore a “welcoming house” for all the youth who visiting Loreto are responsibly called, following the example of Mary, to say their “yes” to God for the good of all!

The Communityof the John Paul II Center

A «completely gratuitous gift»: repeats many times, very moved, Father Francesco Pierpaoli, director of the John Paul II Center

in Montorso, where yesterday Benedict XVI made a long visit after his visit in the Shrine of Loreto. During the past days many volun-teers pitched in to make it a truly warm welcoming, preparing carefully the various areas for the Pope, especially the room that Wojtyla had already used. « Ratzinger came back here after five years – says the priest remembering the “Agorà” of the Italian youth in 2007 – and his presence was a gratuitous sign. In Loreto, the Pope has a Pontifical suite yet he chose to come to Montorso for lunch and for the afternoon. It is true that we are at home in the Pontifical Delegation of Loreto, but we must read this choice of Benedict XVI, as an evidence of his closeness to the youth».

The Montorso Center, indeed, is truly a « pulsing heart » of the youth pastoral care in Italy: «It is not a hotel – says Pierpaoli – rather it is a place where we welcome the younger generations. Here, 17 thousand youth a year come to live strong experiences of spiritual and human growth: a fact that, in the European eyes and throughout the

Mediterranean Countries, makes the Center truly a “house of the youth”». Montorso, also, has always been a privileged place of encoun-ter between the Popes and the youth: «Here John Paul II and Benedict XVI have demonstrated their attention to youth. An attention that is shown through the most simple choices, like that of coming even for just a couple hours to the Center». Not only: the presence of the Successor of Peter in the «youthful heart» of the Italian Church is a clear invitation to live the mandate, which was formulated in 2007 and which has become the « motto» of the Montorso Center: «To go out from the House to the square». «A mandate that has as a background Vatican II, with its message to youth – explains Pierpaoli – , and with an entrustment of a specific responsibility to the youth in the Church».

To remember this «long wave» from yesterday’s Council to Montorso was a long sign: «Long live the Popes of the Council». It is a declaration of our intentions, explains the director: «During the year of Faith this Center desires to be at the service of the new evangelization, not as an alternative to the daily routine but as a strong moment that the youth live in order to return more courageously to daily life». A jour-ney shown also in the little «memorial» prepared for the occasion of the Pope’s visit yesterday: a reproduction of the three walls of the Holy House from which a road begins: «it is the road of the Council – says Pierpaoli – , taken by the youth and by the Popes».

« The moment at the Montorso Center is a clear sign of closeness to the youth »

By Matteo Liut (Published in Italian in the “Avvenire” of 5/10/’12)

The road of the Council Assisi 27 September – Loreto 4 October 2012

About thirty youth participated in this initiative offered by the Youth Pilgrimage of the Umbria and Marche regions; in particular some youth desired to be present for this occasion who had

participated in the Ecumenical Camp that is held every summer at the John Paul II Center, coming from the Orthodox tradition, from Romania of the diocese of

A Youth Pilgrimage along the “Loreto” Road for the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Pope John XXIII’s visit to Loreto and Assisi on October 4, 1962 to entrust to Mary and to Francis the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council and for the occasion of Benedict XVI’s visit to Loreto on October 4, 2012 to entrust to Mary the Year of Faith and the Synod for the New Evangelization.

>>

Caranseves and from Sweden, Lutherans from the diocese of Linkoping.A journey of 150 kilometers along paths, asphalt, next to lakes and over mountains offered the youth the concrete possibility of sharing and common prayer together and in reciprocal knowledge among the partici-pants; plus this pilgrimage allowed the youth each day to deepen the spirit and the contents of the Council through the remem-brance of those who lived it and the witness of those who incarnate it today. The most frequent comments during the first days were “Why hasn’t anyone spoken to us about the Council until now? It is very beau-tiful, it answers many of our questions and our expectations”.The pilgrimage ended on October

4th with the Holy

Mass presided by Pope Benedict XVI.

With the arrival of the Holy Father in the square tears of commotion were not hidden in the eyes of the young Lutherans and Orthodox. Yet another proof that the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council blos-soms today in the youth thirsting for truth and beauty, without fear of hard work or tak-ing the narrow paths that lead to salvation.

Some witnesses of the youth

Commotion, skepticism, wonder, gratifi-cation... and still more effort, engagement, availability, comprehension, sharing! This and still much more the experience of the

Loreto journey gave me. My travel began with many questions and with some doubts, that quickly vanished. I saw on the faces next to me the joy, the light and splendor in their eyes, that only those who really believe in something can have. How can one forget the looks of people who saw us passing by and who seemed to entrust to us their prayers, their own desires, their own diffi-culties? I cried seeing the images of Pope John XXIII, I had goose bumps entering into the Square of Loreto and I just barely kept from crying. My heart filled with joy, an

i m m e n s e joy! I under-

stood the signifi-cance of hope, that

which the Good Pope fifty years ago had known

how to give to the whole world during his trip to Loreto and during that

unforgettable speech of the moon. That hope which one day, I too hope to be capable of transmitting to my neighbors!! A heartfelt thank you to all!

Alessandro Bertasa

First, I should say that this pilgrimage meant a lot of things for me. It was the per-fect opportunity to reflect about ourselves. During the journey we had plenty of time to think about our spiritual life and about all the things that we did or about the things that we want to do in the future.Secondly, we managed to establish a differ-ent connection with the others. More pro-found. Maybe because of the long walking, or the pain that everybody felt, or the pres-ence of the Holy Spirit among us. The important thing is that now we all gained a great friendship. We shared with each other our experiences, our beliefs, and in the end I arrived at the conclusion that we discov-

ered love in its perfect form. All the efforts that we made were not in vain because in the moment we arrived in Loreto and we could see the Holy House, the place that means so much for us, we forgot about any pain or fatigue and only joy and happiness were in our soul.The presence of Pope Benedict the XVI and the fact that we had the opportunity to take part at the liturgy that was celebrated by the Pope, together with all our brothers and sisters made me feel much closer to them. Because I had never participated at such an important ceremony: it made me feel part of something great. It was also very interesting because I never had heard a liturgy celebrated in Latin.I should conclude with the fact that every pain suffered and all the fatigue was worth it, because the satisfaction, happiness and fulfillment that I felt afterwards could not be compared with any other feeling that I would have felt by doing anything else. It was unique and I would do it again only to have again those feelings.

Ivascu LaviniaYoung Orthodox from Romania

To know more, visit the websitewww.giovaniloreto.it

Do you want to write to us? Do you want to communicate with your peers through this

magazine? If yes, write to us at:

Our Community: Fr. Francesco Pierpaoli

[email protected]

Fr. Gianpaolo [email protected]

Oblates Sisters of the Virgin Mary of Fa tima: Sr. Michela, Sr. Alfonsina, Sr. Cecilia, Sr. [email protected]

JOHN PAUL II CENTERVia Montorso n. 3 - 60025 Loreto (AN)

tel. +39 [email protected]

INFOPOINT


Eugène Beauharnais was born in 1781 from Alexandre and Joséphine Techer de la Pagerie, who, upon the

death of her husband, married Napoleon. Therefore, Eugène became his stepson. He followed Bonaparte on his campaign in Egypt and fought valorously in the battle of Marengo. When Napoleon assumed the title of king of Italy, Eugène was named viceroy in 1805.In 1806 he married Augusta Amalia, daughter of the king of Bavaria Maximilian, and established his court in Milan, surrounded by renowned scientists, artists and dignitaries. He restored the city’s prestige, which had been impoverished, which then became the capital of the Italian Kingdom. In 1809, during the war of France against Austria, Eugène, as commander of the French-Italian troops, after having been defeated on the Livenza, then had important victories in Piave and Raab.During the Russian campaign he made many efforts to save the remainders of the Great Army. In 1813, during a new battle between Napoleon and Austria, Eugène Beauharnais was attacked by Joachim Murat and was made to retreat. He always remained faithful to the emperor, even when his fame began to decline, refusing the counsel of his father-in-law Maximilian to separate himself from him. After the fall of Napoleon, he entrust-ed the reign to a temporary government and he retired to Munich in Bavaria, where he died in 1824.

* * *In a handwritten copy, entitled Cenni cronologici sopra i fatti più notevole avvenuti nella Cappella Lauretana (= Chronological synthesis of the most noteworthy facts which have taken place in the Loreto Chapel), offers some interesting details of the visit of Eugène Beauharnais to Loreto, registered on 18 July 1808. The viceroy arrived

at 16:30 in the Square of the Madonna, dressed for the special occasion. To receive him were the bishop in “mozzetta”, the chapter of the canons in their capes, all the local authorities and an overflowing crowd. He was welcomed with great jubilee amidst clapping. One must keep in mind that the Marche were part of the then Italian Kingdom and therefore his arriving in Loreto was that of a sovereign who had power over the city.The viceroy, having greeted the bishop, answered smiling to the enthusiasm of the numerous crowd and then, under a canopy, he entered into the Basilica. He kissed with devotion and kneeling down the Crucifix that was presented to him by the archdeacon of the Shrine, and then he went to the altar of the Annunciation, while music was sung, accompanied by instruments, an antiphon that was worthy of the guest. He then desired to partake in the Eucharistic Benediction, given with the monstrance donated by the queen of Naples, wife of Joachim Murat, who had visited Loreto on March 28, 1808. Then he went into the Holy House, where he paused for a long while.At lunch, the viceroy wanted to offer the bishop a ring with a precious sapphire sur-rounded by diamonds. The bish-op scoffed amiably, and therefore Eugène took his hand and placed it personally on his finger.The city responded to the kind-ness of the viceroy with festive lights.Eugène, a year later, on April 16, 1809, sent as a gift to the Shrine a silver embossed chalice, with a circular base and curved mani-ple, variously and finely ornate. An ulterior example of his atten-tion towards the Holy House.


By Fr. Giuseppe Santarelli

eugène Beauharnais,ViceroyofItalyAndrea Appiani (1754-1817), Portrait of Eugène Beauharnais, Venice, Correr Museum

ILLUSTRIOUSPERSONAGESINLORETO

Silver chalice with precious stones, donated to the Shrine of Loreto on 16 April 1809 by Eugène Beauharnais.

19

Fifty years after the historical visit of John XXIII to Lo-reto on 4 October 1962, the Pontifical Delegation of the

Holy House, through the Loreto Study Center, and the patronage of the Marche Theological Institute, promoted a theological symposium, held in the Treasury Hall on 26 October 2012. Among the participants were the seminari-ans and the other students of the Marche Theological In-stitute of Ancona and also the section of Fermo, plus the seminarians of the «Redemptoris Mater» Seminary in Macerata. The Moderator of the encounter was Father Mario Florio, president of the Marche Theologi-cal Institute. The day was opened by Arch-bishop Giovanni Tonuc-ci, recalling the idea of the initiative, linked with the display about John XXIII’s visit and with the recent visit of Benedict XVI on 4 October.

Prof. Father Enrico Brancozzi, teacher in the Theological Institute section in Fermo, illus-trated the theme about John XXIII and his inspiration to convene the Council, specifying that it was not a fulguration, rather it was a well thought out project that he had shared with Cardi-nal Tardini, former Secretary of State, and with Msgr. Capovilla, who was at the time the private secretary of the Pope. It was a project that took up again an idea that was already in the thoughts of Pius XI and Pius XII.

Prof. Fr. Matteo Roggio, teacher in the Theological Fac-ulty Marianum, shared with the listeners the theme of the Marian Gestures of John XXIII in his human and priestly formation and during his pontificate. He underlined the corporal aspects of the « physical » Marian gestures of the Pope, already during his childhood and then in his Marian and priestly formation and during his pontificate. The speaker mentioned, in this optic, the episode of little An-gelo Roncalli, carried by his mother to a little Marian

Shrine in Bergamo, leading to then the Second Vatican Council, made up of Bishops, of « physical bodies ». A new interpretation, with a special hermeneutic aspect.

The second part of the day was begun by Prof. Giancarlo Galeazzi, director of the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences in Ancona, who briefly commented the significance of John XXIII’s visit to Loreto as a fact, event and metaphor.

Fr. Salvatore Perrella, president of the Theological Faculty Marianum, had as his theme: From the pilgrim-

age of John XXIII in Lo-reto to the proclamation of Mary «Mother of the Church» by Paul VI, placing special empha-sis on the transition from the Marian vision and devotion of the Pre-Council to that of the Post-Council, where he highlighted some par-ticular aspects. He ex-plained magnificently the Marian cornerstones of «Lumen gentium»’s Chap. VIII.

The symposium was concluded with the speech of Fr. Giuseppe Santarelli, director of the Universal Congre-gation, whose theme was: The Shrine of Loreto and the Loreto question from John XXIII to Benedict XVI. He mentioned that the researcher U. Chevalier, who denied the historical authenticity of the Holy House (1906), had influenced the Catholic historiography and therefore also the approach of the Popes in this field, up to the moment when, with the archeological findings under the Holy House (1962-65) and the new interpretive orientations about the translation, John Paul II and Benedict XVI have resumed to speak of the Holy House as a historical «relic», that also becomes an «icon», without mentioning anymore the angelic transportation.

The Loreto Study Center hopes to print the Acts of the Symposium. (Photo Montesi)


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theological symposium about John XXIII

LIFEATTHESHRINE

On October 24, in Paul VI Hall, the official presenta-tion took place of the Medical Observatory

«Ottaviano Paleani» and of the Medical Commission of the second level, instituted by Archbishop Giovanni Tonucci, Pontifical Delegate for the Shrine of Loreto, with the decree of February 9, 2012. The aim of the Medical Observatory is that of taking note, to gather the facts and to actuate a first level evaluation of each potential case of apparently unexplainable healing, while the aim of the Medical Commission is that of

effectuating the second level evaluation on the basis of the dossier furnished by the Observatory, in order to formulate a definitive judgment of the case. The two bodies met together as a whole more than once in order to define the modalities of their work.

The official presentation was opened by Archbishop Tonucci with a brief address. Then the speeches of Dr. Alessandro De Franciscis, director of the “Bureau Médical” of Lourdes, about «The origin and the func-tioning of the Bureau des Constatations Médicales in Lourdes», of Prof. Fiorenzo Mignini, teacher at the University of Camerino and president of the medical Observatory, about «The scientifically unexplainable healing: foundations and method», of Fr. Andrea

Andreozzi, teacher at the Theological Institute of Fermo, about « Miracles in the gospels and throughout the history of the Church », of Doctor Oliviero Gorrieri, president of the Medical Commission and president of the Catholic doctors of Loreto, about «The Institutive decree of the Observatory and of the Commission», and of Barbara Osimani, university researcher, entrust-ed with the reorganization of the Archives of the heal-ings in Loreto, conserved in the Universal Congregation, about « Ottaviano Paleani: The healings of Loreto in

their medical-scientific documenta-tion », a volume reprinted by the Observatory and the Commission is a photostatic copy. Msgr. Cleto Bellucci, Archbishop Emeritus of Fermo, briefly illustrated the figure of Doctor Paleani, whom he had known very well.

At the end of the encounter, the names of the members of the two bodies were made known. The Observatory is presided over by Prof. Fiorenzo Mignini. Its members are Carlo Cavallotti from the “Sapienza” in Rome, Giovanni Milioti from the Salesi Pediatric Hospital in Geneva, Ferdinando De Benedetti from the University of Chieti, Raffaelangelo

Astorri and Giordano Torresi, both from the Order of the Knights of Malta, and Luigi Acciarrini from the AMCI in Fermo. The Commission is presided over by Oliviero Gorrieri. Its members are Paolo Arullani, president of the biomedical Campus in Rome, Fabrizia Lattanzio, director of “Inrca” in Lucca, Antonio Benedetti, president of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in Ancona, Sergio Fattori, regional president of Catholic medical doctors, and Nadia Storti, medical director of the associated Hospital Companies of Ancona. The Archbishop, Pontifical delegate is a mem-ber by ecclesial law. (In the picture, from left to right: Dr. De Franciscis, Msgr. Bellucci, Msgr. Tonucci, Dr. Gorrieri, Prof. Mignini. (Photo Montesi)


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LIFEATTHESHRINE

Presentation of the medical observatory and commission

On November 24, 2012 the Agreement protocol was signed between the Pontifical Delegation for the

Shrine of the Holy House in Loreto and the Ecclesial Association “I Laboratoranti nel sì”, recognized as such by the Archbishop of Vercelli Enrico Masseroni on June 27, 2012, with legal status, and main house in the care of the replica of the Holy House in St. Christopher in Vercelli.

Signers of the protocol were Archbishop Giovanni Tonucci, Pontifical Delegate, and Dr. Paolo Giovanni Monformoso, president-Moderator of the Association, aggregated since September 2, 2010 with the Universal Congregation of the Holy House, since for the actuation of their charism they are inspired by the spirituality of the Holy House.

The primary goal of the association, prevalently made up of members who are health care and social workers and volunteers who assist those who are suffering, is that of beginning and forming missionaries in one’s own work environment and especially in health care, assis-tance and, more generally, socially for those who suffer.

By the Agreement protocol, the Association “I Laboratoranti nel sì”, respecting the Statutes and Regulations of the Pontifical Delegation, can begin meeting centers and encounters for physical, psycho-logical and relational therapy, support and prayer; schools or classes of formation concerning healthcare, intended as an indirect form of evangelization, also within the « new evangelization »; teams for therapy, support and prayer groups that can go out wherever requested or where it is necessary, besides having other


22

In the representation, to the right, the logo of the Association “I labora-toranti nel sì”. The Holy House is divided in two sections: to the right is the symbol of ardent prayer to God and to the Virgin, to whom all the associates must turn; to the left is represented the service towards all who are suf-fering. On the bottom tri-umphantly is found the Virgin of Loreto, to whose protection the association has entrusted itself.

AgreementprotocolbetweenthePontificaldelegationofLoretoandtheAssociation"I Laboratoranti nel sì"

Acoupleofmonthsago,thepossibilityofsendingdonationsbyCreditCarddirectlythroughourinternetweb-sitewww.santuarioloreto.itandoursecureserverhasbeenmadepossible.ThedonationsfortheMembership

feeoftheShrineoftheHolyHouseandtheEnrollmentinthePerpetualMassescannowbedoneonline.Thosewhodesiretousethesemeansmustconnecttotheinitialpageofoursite,selecttheicon“donations-

offeringsonline”toopenthepagewherethepersonaldata,theamount,theintentionoftheofferingandthepersonalCreditCardnumbermustbeinserted.

Sending donations through credit cards

offices throughout the nation and in mission territories.

The signers of the Protocol Agreement have engaged themselves in pursuing these goals by the suitable means, including the rooms placed at the disposal of the association’s activities by the Pontifical Delegation.

The locality of the Association in Loreto, conceded through the Delegation, is found within the House « Padre Pierluigi Fiorini », on the road Via Sisto V, just some meters from the Shrine.

LIFEATTHESHRINE


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August 25th, in Cincinnati (USA), passed away, at the age of 82 years, the famous astronaut Neil Armstrong who was the first, on 20 July 1969,

descending from Apollo 11, to walk on the moon. We remember him because his image has been painted by Beppe Steffanina in the Chapel of the Assumption (or American Chapel). He is seen with Yuri Gagarin, first man in outer space, and James A. McDevit, who had brought the image of Our Lady of Loreto around the moon on Apollo 9. Armstrong, as are the other two, is dressed as an astronaut and has on his chest a lengthy document that makes reference to one of his reflections-prayers. His left hand is on a little ladder, by which he descended from the spaceship onto the moon.

Beppe Steffanina, Neil Armstrong, with the document on his chest and his hand on the ladder. To his left Yuri Gagarin and to his right James A. McDevit, Loreto, Assumption or American Chapel (1953-1970).

Armstrong has passed away

LIFEATTHESHRINE

On August 31st, Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Archbishop emeritus of

Milan and renowned Biblical scholar, passed away to the Lord. The cardinal vis-ited the Shrine of the Holy House many times. In April 1985 he participated at the ecclesial Convention of the Church in Italy and, on the 12th, he celebrated devoutly in the Holy House. He returned to Loreto on December 10, 1994, together with the bish-ops and cardinals of Italy, for the occasion of John Paul II’s visit in conclusion of the Great Prayer for Italy and the inauguration of the VII Centenary of Loreto. During that Jubilee of the Holy House, he accompanied to Loreto on February 26th a pilgrimage from the diocese of Milan and he remained in Loreto for a week to preach the spiritual exercises to the clergy. On one of those days he inaugurated the new organ in the Basilica, made by the Mascioni company, which had just been collocated in its place. On that occasion he defined the Shrine of Loreto as: « extraordinarily beautiful ». He was present again in Loreto from March 27-30, 1995 as a participant in the permanent Council of the CEI (Italian Catholic Bishops Conference).

In remembrance of Cardinal Martini, who came on pilgrimage to Loreto many times

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, 12 April 1985, celebrates Mass in the Holy House. (Photographic Archive of the Universal Congregation of the Holy House)


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the

From November 27th to December 4, 2012, a delega-tion led by Msgr. Giovanni Tonucci, Archbishop

Pontifical Delegate of Loreto, visited Togo (West Africa) with the goal of promoting the Marian devotion to Our Lady of Loreto in that land. In the Pontifical Delegation was also Paolo Giovanni Monformoso, Zealous of the Holy House, who since 2011 (Cfr. Il Messaggio, n. 1/2012, p. 37) was the promoter of this event.

The expectation of the population and of the Church in Togo were significantly tangible from the beginning of our arrival: Msgr. Benoit Alowonou, Bishop of Kpalime and President of the Episcopal Conference in Togo, had announced to many people a long time ago about this visit. Upon their arrival and during the whole visit there were many meetings with Seminarians, with many Congrega-tions, interviews at the national and local headquarters of Radio Maria, visits to the sick and encounters with the Bishops of the Conference and with the Clergy, which allowed Archbishop Tonucci and Monformoso to promote, explain and make the people fall in love with the theological and human significance of the Walls of the House of the Yes in Nazareth, which God has pre-served for us His people up to now, which are venerated and conserved in Loreto.

It was truly marvelous to see on the face of those we encountered the active strength of the witness and the encouragement coming from Loreto, and the two culminat-ing moments of the visit

showed us the great expectation and joy of the people.Tens of thousands of faithful, besides many religious and

priests even from Burkina Faso, gathered first in Kpalime, where on Saturday, December 1st, was held the Yearly Mar-ian Pilgrimage which, for the first time, was placed under the protection of Our Lady of Loreto. At the end of it was placed the first stone of the first replica of the Holy House in Togo; Monday, December 3rd, instead, the greatly awaited day and celebrated (with an unimaginable crowd that sang and danced hymns and prayers) in Goubi, where the First Parish Church dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto will be erected.

Msgr. Tonucci was able to “physically touch”, he himself a witness of what it means to touch the walls of the House, the strong Marian spirituality of the African country, and with the hope, already manifested, of returning soon to

those same places to bless the finished projects. He also left the Healthcare workers and volunteers, initiated there by Monformoso, the certainty that the Mother of Trust and of the Yes will always be with them.

An important coincidence had it that at the celebrations mentioned above was present also the Apostolic Nuncio, Msgr. Michael August Blume, and a delegation of the Com-mittee for the Charitable Works in the Third World of the Italian Episcopal Confer-ence (P.G. Monformoso).

CornerstoneplacedforareplicaoftheHolyHouseandforaparishChurchdedicatedtoOurLadyofLoreto

Popular celebration in Goubi, where a Parish Church dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto will be built. It will be the first in Togo.

Placing of the first stone of the replica of the Holy House, in the presence of Archbishop Tonucci, of the Bishop Alowonou and of Dr. Monformoso.

Loreto Mission in togo

LORETOINTHEWORLd


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We publish a testimony-shared by Carmela Piazza from Lugano, who, as a sign of gratitude to Our Lady of Loreto for a special grace received through her interces-sion, together with her husband Dante set about for the reconstruction of a Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto found in Chiavano of Cascia (Perugia – Italy). On 14 October 2012, Father Stefano Stangoni from the diocese of Lugano blessed the renovated chapel, in which was inserted a fragment of a brick from the « Recanati wall » which was a protection around the Holy House of Loreto during the XIV-XVI centuries. The fragment was consigned to Mrs. Carmela by the director of the Universal Congregation.

«Thanks to the generosity of the D’Ottavio family from Chiavano of Cascia (Perugia – Italy) and

the Tortaglione family from Cancello Arnone (Caserta – Italy), a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto was rebuilt. It was completely rebuilt , because in 1962 it was almost completely destroyed to make way for a road that would lead to the old town of Chiavano, which in 1979 was destroyed by a terrible earthquake.

After the earthquake the road was no longer used

AChapeldedicatedtoOurLadyofLoretocompletelyrebuiltinChiavano(Italy),intheareaoftheValnerina

because, unfortunately, the town no longer existed and, besides, due to the dangerous possibility of landslides and falling debris, it was closed to the passage of peo-ple. The town of Chiavano was then rebuilt, close by to the original site, yet a little lower down. Of the old cha-pel, only the foundation of the three walls remained standing, yet they were covered with sand and rocks.

Since I received the grace from Our Lady of Loreto, I have always had the desire to build a chapel all for her. My husband and I brought to some of our friends throughout Italy the statue of Our Lady of Loreto, hop-ing that someone would take to heart our desire. Obviously the right moment had not yet arrived, because everything was not to be the work of us, but of God.

God, from the very beginning already knew what was best and therefore He waited for the right moment to actualize His plan through the people that He had already chosen from who knows how long ago. One day, visiting Chiavano, I saw the remains of the Chapel and I was very struck by the three walls that had remained, which, even though they were in a deplor-able state, they made me think of the walls of the Holy House of Our Lady of Loreto. Taking note of this, I thought about renovating it and therefore I spoke with the D’Ottavio family who immediately said yes to me, and they involved also the Tortaglione family.

For me, this little House dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto has been very significant because, besides actu-alizing my dream, it was also an occasion of sharing between all. Indeed, everyone gave and did what they could do.

On the inauguration day it was very touching to see many people from various regions in Italy who came specifically to participate in this event. We hope that Our Lady will help us and guide us on our journey of faith».

Father Giacomo Stangoni, October 14, 2012, blesses the renovated Chapel of Loreto.

Carmela Piazza with her husband Dante who is carry-ing a copy of the votive lamp of the Holy House, next to him a friend carries the statue of Our Lady of Loreto which will be placed in the Chapel.

LORETOINTHEWORLd


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The Archbishop of Loreto Giovanni Tonucci, last July and August, went to Camaçari, in the State of Bahia (Brazil), bringing with him a beautiful statue of Our Lady of

Loreto, for a Church dedicated to Her.The Church was built during the ‘40’s of the XX century by Italian immigrants, who

had placed a modest painting representing the Traslation of the Holy House in it. The Italian community donated the Church and the ample territory around it to the local Bishop who will use it as a formation center.

Now the statue donated by Archbishop Tonucci is admired in the church and is seen as a special sign of protection of the Virgin towards the local population. (Photo Montesi)

AstatueofOurLadyofLoretoinCamaçari(Brazil)

The Order of the Capuchin Friars has been entrusted by Pius XI, in 1934, with the pastoral and promotional care of the Shrine of the Holy House. During the

General Chapter, held in Rome from August 20 – September 22, 2012, the religious Friars of the fraternity of Loreto, through Father Sergio Andriotto and Father Ferdinando Montesi, sent to the Chapter two statues of Our Lady of Loreto: one, larger – destined to go to the Marian Missions of Loreto – was exposed in the Church where the Chapter Fathers prayed; and a smaller one was given to the re-elected Minister General Father Mauro Jöhri and to his Council or definitory, which will be placed in the room where they meet, as a sign of protection.

The Statue of the Virgin of Loreto was welcomed by the chapter Fathers with exultance and devotion. The minister general, on September 21, sent to the rector and the friars of the Shrine of Loreto the following letter:

«Thank you for the gift of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which I received with great joy, but I thank you especially for this brief yet intense moment that the chapter fathers lived together with great attention and profound devotion.

I also want to thank you for your dedication in pastorally animating the place where all took place. The «yes» of Mary offered the Father the possibility of recon-structing the human Family around Christ.

May “the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, from whom the Word of God received the flesh of our fragile humanity” (St. Francis, Letter to all faithful, 1) guide you to be her humble ser-vants, offering to all pilgrims who reach Loreto not only a word of hope, but also the con-crete reality of a place where all may feel welcome and loved, experiencing to be a son or daughter in the Holy House.

I ask you all to continue to pray for me and for my being the Minister of all the friars. While awaiting to see you this coming October 4th for the visit of the Holy Father, I bless you all ».

The Father General, indeed, came to Loreto on October 4th to greet, on behalf of all the Capuchin Friars who serve the Shrine, Benedict XVI, as was mentioned in the Italian issue of this magazine (Il Messaggio, November 2012, p. 329).

The newly re-elected Minister General of the Capuchin Fathers Father Mauro Jöhri shows the statue of the Virgin of Loreto to the members of the Chapter. To his side Father Giulio Criminesi, minister provincial of the Capuchins in the Marche region.

In the picture: the Bishop of Camaçari next to the new statue

LORETOINTHEWORLd

AstatueofOurLadyofLoretoattheGeneral ChapteroftheCapuchinFriars


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LORETOINTHEWORLd

AstatueofOurLadyofLoretoinCamaçari(Brazil)

On September 5, 2012 was inaugurated the new chapel of the airport in Warsaw, which was recently renovated. At

the entrance, next to a pillar, before the door, was collocated a statue of Our Lady of Loreto, donated through the mediation of Fr. Dino Cecconi. The inauguration ceremony of the new chapel was presided over by the Archbishop of Warsaw Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz.

OurLadyofLoretointheairportofWarsaw

Benedict XVI on October 7, 2012, proclaimed Saint

Hildegard a Doctor of the Church and then on the 21st he canonized Kateri Tekakwitha, called «the Indian of God». Both are portrayed in the Basilica of Loreto.

The image of Saint Hildegard (1099-1178) was depicted in one of the splays of the big window in the German Chapel

by Ludovico Seitz, who wrote at her feet the conclusion date of the whole cycle of frescos: 3 December 1902. Hence she is the last personage depicted by the great painter. The Saint, portrayed full-length, is recognizable also from a Latin inscription which is an invocation: Sancta Ildegarda, ora pro nobis.

Saint Hildegard began the monastery of Saint Rupert, in Bingen, where she lived and died. She wrote many mystical, moral and theological treatises. Above her head Seitz depicted two rainbows that appeared in heaven when the Saint entered the monastery. Hildegard has in her right hand a quill pen, symbol of her activity as a writer that merited for her the proclamation as doc-

tor of the Church, and in her left a text in German, that translated in English reads: « And in this manner on the day of Universal Judgment God will make all things new, but that which He will want to do after that Universal Judgment of His power and of His possibilities is known only to Him ».

The image of Saint Kateri (1655-1680), virgin, is found in the stainglass window in the American Chapel, alongside other saints who were born on the American continent or who worked there.

She is recognizable by the inscription at the bottom with her name and the hairstyle, two long braids of hair, as a young Indian woman. She is the first Indian saint, born from an Iroquois father and a devout Christian Algonquin mother, she died when she was only 25, after having defended her faith, despite the tribes hostility.

The design of her image is by Beppe Staffanina, artist of the paintings in the Chapel (1953-1970), and the execu-tion in stainglass is by the Giuliani company in Rome.

two Saints portrayed in the Shrine of Loreto


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On October 26, 2012, in the Town Hall of

Loreto, a ceremony was held for the twinning of the cities of Istra (Russia) and Loreto, in the presence of represen-tatives from the two cities. The twinning was favored by the ever increasing num-ber of Russian pilgrims to the Shrine of the Holy House and by the analogy between the two twinned towns. In fact, Loreto was defined as the « new Nazareth » because it has in its care the Nazareth House of Mary; Istra has in its care the monastery of the « New Jerusalem » with a repro-duction of the Holy Sepulcher: two places, therefore, tightly linked to the Holy Land. Also on a cultural level the two

centers offer significant sim-ilarities, especially that regarding the rich artistic and archivist patrimony.

The twinning is aimed at increasing tourism in the two twinned towns. Natela Scenghelija, president of the commerce representatives of the Russian Federation in Italy, present at the twin-ning, expressed the hope that reaching an agreement

between the Marian municipalities and the operator tours will lead to a reciprocal promotion in the tourism sector. The Mayor of Loreto Paolo Niccoletti underlined the fact that the twinning opens a new era that will allow them to define common objectives. (Photo Montesi)

twinning between the cities of Istra and Loreto

In the middle of December 2012, at the State Museum of Fine Arts A. S. Puškin in Moscow, a display was opened about « Lorenzo

Lotto. The Renaissance in the Marche », promoted by the respective Superintendence for the historical, artistic and ethno-anthropological Goods, cared for by Gabriele Barucca, with the aid of the Region, of the Italian Embassy in Moscow and of the Puškin Museum itself. The Display closed on February 10, 2013.

Among the nine canvases displayed was also the « Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple », last of his autographic artwork, con-sidered as an authentic masterpiece, almost as if it were a last testa-ment of a painter who in his days was emarginated and misunder-stood and then, during the XX century, he was re-evaluated and col-located at the vertex of the artists of Italian Renaissance. Lotto painted the « Presentation » in Loreto, where he lived his last years as an oblate of the Holy House and where he died in 1556.

The“Presentation”ofLorenzo LottoinadisplayinMoscow

LIFEATTHESHRINE


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On November 9, 2012 the National Pilgrimage from Croatia to the Holy House took place.

According to tradition the Holy House was for three years in Tersatto (River – Rijeka).

The participants were 1300 pilgrims, accompa-nied by three Bishops and about thirty priests. In the afternoon, in the Basilica, they participated at a solemn concelebration of the Holy Mass presid-ed over by one of the three Bishops. (Photo Montesi)

national pilgrimage from Croatia

LIFEATTHESHRINE

For the 50th anniversary of John XXIII’s visit to Loreto on 4 October 1962, the Association

«Friends of Msgr. Capovilla» organized a pilgrim-age to Sotto il Monte, led by Archbishop Tonucci, on 10 November 2012. After the visit to Camaitino of the Multimedia Welcoming Center and the house where John XXIII was born, they had a visit in the afternoon with Msgr. Loris F. Capovilla, former pri-vate secretary of the Pope and Archbishop emeritus of Loreto, who held a very interesting encounter with the group from Loreto, recalling the person and the pilgrimage of Pope John to Loreto. The prelate then consigned a prayer composed by him for the occasion to all who were present.

Pilgrimage to Sotto il Monte John XXIII

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PLEASE NOTE: There are other religious articles besides those listed above, car plaques and key chains of Our Lady of Loreto, etc. All prices are subject to change with increase of cost for articles. Please include the mailing cost for requested articles. All items are usually sent by ship, unless requested otherwise, because Air mail postage is very expensive and almost double the price of articles. Orders sent by regular mail are received within 2-3 months from date of shipment. Payment both for articles and mailing cost should be made by either Travellers check or International Money Order. Do NOT send by Postal Money Order… NOT negotiable in Italy.

on tHe MAILInG LISt1 - For usual subscribersIf you intend to continue to receive the Loreto Magazine, renew your subscription without delay. Subscribers who have not renewed theirs for some time now are asked to do so to remain on our mailing list, otherwise it will not be pos-sible to send the Publication because of a con-tinual rise in mailing cost.2 - Change of address, correction of same, or to be taken off mailing listPlease notify this Universal Congrega tion of the Holy House for any change or correction of address, etc. and include the old address with the new one.3 - to avoid unnecessary errorsKindly print CLEARLY the name(s) and address(es) of those to be subscribed.4 - three times yearly“The Shrine of the Holy House” (English ed.) is sent by regular mail unless requested otherwise.N.B. Do not send by Postal Money Order… Not negotiable in Italy: by Traveller Personal check or International Money Order only. All checks are made payable to the Universal Congregation of the Holy House.

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ConSeCRAte YoURSeLF to oUR LADY• Remember Our Lady’s requests at Fatima: Prayer, Penance, the Rosary, Consecration to her Immaculate Heart. Therefore, consecrate yourself, your family to Her and renew your act of consecra-tion often.• Ask for your parchment of Consecration from Our Lady’s home through the Univer sal Congregation of the Holy House - 60025 LORETO (AN), Italy.• Blessed in the Holy House before being sent, it is a personal document of Consecra tion to Our Lady from Her home.• The said Consecration or/and request for Perpetual enrollment are two separate re quests and the offering for Consecration is equivalent to that of Perpetual enrollment.

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Those who desire to collaborate more towards the Aims of the Universal Congre gation of the Holy House and the Marian Apostolate of Loreto can ask to become mem bers of the “Friends of the Holy Family” - Promoters of the Holy House.

tHe “FRIenDS oF tHe HoLY FAMILY”• Those who spread devotion everywhere to Our Lady of Loreto and the Holy Family, as also to the place where they dwelt… the Holy House of Nazareth at Loreto.• Active members, who love the Holy Fami ly, Our Lady, and spread that love by their zealous efforts, by their Marian voice and prayer life.• If you feel called to give witness to your love in action, to get more involved as a true Christian, then ask for your Promoter membership card, which will be sent to you accordingly through the Universal Congre gation.

SUBSCRIPTIONTOTHELORETOMAGAZINE

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The CONSECRATION and PERPETUAL ENROLLMENT are two separate requests and can be done only upon receipt of offering, so as to avoid confusion and to assure its validity. Individual: US $ 10,00 - £ 9,00 - 10,00; Family: US $ 16,00 - £ 14,00 - 16,00. For Perpetual En rollment, both the Living and the Deceased may be enrolled.


ConSeCRAtIon AnD/oR PeRPetUAL enRoLLMent

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oRIGIn.TheUniversalCongregationoftheHolyHousewasofficiallyestablishedin1883byMonsignorThomasGallucciofLoreto,incollaborationwithFr.PietrodaMalaga,o.f.m.,Cap.,blessedandenrichedwithindulgencesbytheSovereignPontiffsLeoXIIIandPiusX.

AIMS.1)TospreaddevotiontothemysteryoftheIncarnation,toOurLadyandtotheHolyFamily.AndvenerationfortheHolyHouse,wherethegreateventsoftheAnnunciationandoftheIncarnationtookplace.2)TocontributeandtodecoratebywillsandofferingstowardstheShrineanditsworks.3)To celebrate solemny the Marian feasts, in particular:The Immaculate Conception, the memory of theTranslation(december10th,feastofOurLadyofLoreto),andthemonthofMay.4)TorecalltothefaithfulthesolemnityoftheAnnunciationofOurLord(March25th).

enRoLLMent.ItisextendedtoallthedevoteesofOurLadyofLoreto,whowishtospreadtheveneratedtitleandtocooperateinthecarryingoutoftheInstitutionalaimsoftheSanctuaryandtoshareinthespiritualbenefitsgrantedtothoseenrolled.EnrollmentisparticularyrecommendedtothemembersofthegreatfamilyofAviationsinceOurLadyofLoretoisitsPatroness(ApostolicletterofBenedictV,24thMarch1920);andtothosewhowanttoconsecratetheirfami-liestotheHolyFamily.

SPIRItUAL FAVoURS.1)Aplenary indulgenceonthedayofenrollmentandondecember10th,undertheusualcon-ditionsofreceivingworthilytheholysacramentsofPenanceandHolyCommunionandtoprayfortheintentionsoftheHolyFatherandoftheUniversalChurch.2)ParticipationinthemeritsoftheMasswhichiscelebrateddailyintheHolyHouseforthememberslivinganddecease.3)ParticipationintheprayerssaidintheHolyHouseandintheOrderoftheFriarsMinorCapuchin.

to enRoLL - Individual membership:offeringofUS$15,00-£9,00-10,00.Family membership:offeringofUS$25,00-£14,00-16,00

Tobecomepartofthespiritualfamilyitissufficienttosendthename(individualorfamilyname).TheLivingandthedeceasedmaybeenrolled.ItisheartilyrecommendedtorecitetheAngelusthreetimesdailyandtohonourOurLadybythefrequentrecitationoftheRosaryandtheLitanyofOurLady.

LoReto: Useful Information• LoReto:127metresabovesealevel;about18milessouthofANCONA;twomilesfromtheseaofPORTORECANATI;acityofabout10,600inhabitants;ProvinceofANCONAintheMarchesregion-CentreofItaly.

• tRAVeLLeRS BY CAR: Take the Adriatic Highway orBologna Canosa «autostrada», toll road 14; coming fromRome,viaAncona,itisabouta5hours’ride.

• tRAVeLLeRS BY tRAIn oR BUS:Around-tripfromROME-LORETO-ROME(viaAnconabytrain),comestoabout$35.00(abouta4hours’ride);fromANCONA-AIRPORTthereisabusto ANCONA-Railway station available; then, from ANCONA,thebustoLORETOusuallymakesastopfirstatCASTELFIdARdOandarrivesdirectlyatLORETO’sCity(a50minutes’ride),pro-ceeding onwards to RECANATI (comes to about $ 4.00). Ifinstead a train is taken (a 20 minutes’ ride), you arrive atLORETO’sRailwaystation(aboutonemilefromLORETO’sCity)wherethereisabusavailableotherwisebytaxi.

• CItY oF FAItH AnD ARt -What to see:The highlight ofLORETOisthehomeoftheHolyFamily-TheHolyHouseor«SANTACASA», situated inside theShrine’sBasilica (centre)andinLoretosince1294.Itissurroundedbyamarblecasingand is a design by Bramante; also: the treasury orPo marancioHall;theApostolic Palace(PalazzoApostolico),whichhasacollectionofceramicsandfamouspaintingsand

istheformerpapalapartment(Loretoisundertheadminis-tration of the Holy See); the Polish cemetery around thecornertotheShrine(the«ScalaSanta»);SIdETRIPStonearbycities:OSIMO-ShrineofStJosephofCupertino;TOLENTINO-ShrineofStNicholasofTolentino;RECANATI-Homeofthefamous poet, Leopardi; the REPUBLIC OFSANMARINO; theGrottosofFRASASSI,etc.

• WHILe In LoReto:TheBasilicaoftheShrineopensdailyat 6.00 a.m. and closes at 7.00 p.m. (8.00 p.m. during thesummer).TheHolyHouseclosesat12.30p.m.andre-opensat2.30p.m.(itremainsopenduringthepilgrimagesofthesick-fromMaytoOctober);ScheduledMassesarecelebrat-ed daily from 6.00 a.m. - 11.00 a.m. (every hour and everyhalfhourduringthesummermonths).

• FoR GRoUP/InDIVIDUAL PILGRIMAGeS to LoReto: itis advisable to stay at least one night, at one of the manyreligious pensions or hotels of the City and reservationsshouldbemadeinadvancesoastobeassuredofaplace,soas to enjoy a more fruitful and pleasant stay and for theutmost assistance possible. Guides for the Shrine are alsoavailableinthevariouslanguagesuponrequest.

• PLAn AHeAD WRIte to: Universal Congrega tion of the Holy House - 60025 LoReto (Ancona, ItALY) - tel. 071.970104, Fax 071.9747176.

Universal Congregation of the Holy House of Loreto

Universal Congregation of the Holy House - 60025 LoReto (Ancona, ItALY)Web site: www.santuarioloreto.it e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

Documents

Suppl. al n° 3 de «Il Messaggio della Santa Casa - Loreto ... · 23 In remembrance of Cardinal Martini, who came on pilgrimage to Loreto many times 24 Loreto Mission in togo 26