(On The Occasion Of His 154th Priestly Anniversary)
Today the 26th of May we the Congregation of the Servants of Charity commemorate the 154th anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of St. Luigi Guanella (The Founder of the Servants of Charity). It is a glaring fact that many years have passed since that great event in the life of St. Luigi, but the traces and memories of his priestly ministry are analogous to the divine designs and message that stand out and have reached the whole world (cf. Ps. 19:4; Rm. 10:18). No doubt, his works in the priestly ministry still stand out today, spreading all over the world, because ‘his works are the work of God.’
Times Were Hard!
Let us make a historical voyage back to the memorable day of 26th May, 1866; a day the young Luigi saw what could be termed the beginning of the realization of his vocational dreams and calling as a Father-Founder and a Priest of and for the poor. However, times were hard because it was during the most critical years of the new Italian State: ranging from the difficult political, social and economic situations, the Roman question, the uprising caused by the Garibaldians, to the war against Austria. And Como was not immune to these tensions, for at that time, the Diocese of Como had no Bishop, because the Civil authorities prohibited the arrival of any new Bishop appointed by the Holy Father. The seminary in Como was seized by the Italian government, and as a matter fact, was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers. Owing to this precarious situation, seminarians were sent home, while the Deacons including Luigi were preparing imminently for their Priestly Ordiantion with a spiritual retreat at the Episcopal palace in Como. In that bid, one could say that it was a beautiful day but with mixed feelings for the Newly Ordained Priest (Don Luigi).
The Memorable Day, Between Dreams and Realities!
Under such political and social situations Luigi most have been worried and perturbed about who would have ordained him, since Como was without a Bishop at that time. And I may well-imagine that at that time the fears and worries of Rev. Luigi were warded off by his unwavering trust in the Divine Providence. God indeed provided! Behold, he was ordained at the age of 23 and 5 months by Bishop B. Frascolla. As Providence would have it, there was Bishop Bernardino Maria Frascolla, who was the Bishop of Foggia in the Sourthern part of Italy but was exiled or imprisoned in Como (at the seminary) by the political authorities It was indeed an act of Providence that Fr. Luigi was ordained by a Bishop he earlier described as a true confessor of the faith and who loved Fr. Luigi so much. In fact, in the words of Fr. Mazzucchi, Bishop Frascolla “would have asked to have him appointed as his secretary.” In my reflection this morning, I was imagining what could have been the sentiments of Luigi that very day, but however it is obvious that they must have been sentiments of gratitude to God, feelings of abandonment in the hands of Divine Providence and the desire to be everything to the poor. On the other hand, it is worthy to note that it must not have been a very beautiful and joy effulgent day as Luigi dreamt, as a result of the political, social and ecclesial tensions at that time. Who could immagine how he must have felt on that memorable day without the presence of his loved ones!
Be that as it may, it was in such a painful and despondent situation that Fr. Luigi (St. Luigi Guanella) was ordained a priest, but interestingly and simbolocally by a persecuted and exiled Bishop. In fact, permit me to say that the historical situation of Italy at that time (where the poor were marginalized to say the least), the providential presence of an exiled Bishop and the simplicity of the atmosphere (no Cathedral, no music, no family and friends, no fancy and adorned vestments) are pointers to the type of priest that Luigi would be, little wonder he made the poorest of the poor and the abandoned the priorities of his ministry. Once again, irrespective of these anomalies, it remained a memorable event in the life and mission of St. Luigi Guanella.
Notwithstanding this nostalgic situation, during the sacred rite of his ordination Luigi was filled with emotions and resolutions, as he listened passionately to the exhortations of the ordaining Bishop. And enlivened by the words of the Bishop and his existential experiences, Fr. Luigi made his priestly resolution before the altar of God, thus: “I want to be a sword of fire in the holy ministry.” Fr. Luigi invariably was laconic for words to thank the Lord for this great gift of the Priesthood, and the joy and gratitude of and for this gift made him to turn his thanks into a holy resolution. This was like his mission statement, as a Priest and as a Founder. He was indeed burning in charity towards God and for his brothers and sisters, especially the poorest of the poor, those rejected and dejected by the society. Simbolically, he was not like war sword, but he was like a sword in the hands of the Loving and Provident Father. As such, he was not a sword that inflicts wounds and kills, rather a sword that mends and heals the wounds of the poor and the wounded humanity. A sword of fire that stands for the right of the poor and the marginalized against all odds.
His Priestly Resolution And How It Shaped Him!
No doubt this holy resolution could be considered as one of the essential elements that tailored the personality, creative dexterity and the pastoral tenacity of Fr. Luigi Guanella in the priestly ministry and in the service of Charity. He had a special sensibility towards the poor and an eloquent capacity of empathy, flavored with his inventive readiness and spontaneity to help the needy. He was indeed a sword of God’s fire! Besides, a night before his ordination Don Trussoni reports that he wrote a letter to Don Adamini (the priest that preached in his first Mass) expressing his dreams: “I want to study, study, study.” Little wonder, he emerged as a priest that educates and a pastor that communicates the truth, and nothing but the truth to his shepherds; his wirting, Saggio di ammonimenti, speaks volume about these facts. Above all, to say it with Pope Francis, this consciousness of this holy resolution propelled him to be a true shepherd with the smell of his sheep.
Its Actuality For Us Today!
Indeed, this great day in the life of our beloved Founder, in which he made his passionate resolution that has stood the test of time, is not a day to be jettonsed under the cover of “past things”, instead we need to activate the intensity and density of those words today in our life and mission as continuators of this “great sword of fire ministry”. We need to rediscover and relive the intensity and the actuality of those words today, in the hic et nunc of our mission, because ours is a history to be continued! We too are therefore called and challenged to become swords of fire in the ministry and in the service of charity. To the elderly confreres this holy resolution ought to be for you a continuous spark that renews your commitment, thus, avoiding the temptation of conjugating the verb of your apostolic zeal in the past: “we have done it, i used to...” and for the younger confreres like us it serves as an invitation and a challenge for us to nurture and renew daily our apostolic zeal, sometimes ‘dreaming high’ in the mission, perché no? We may ask ourselves: what are those holy resolutions we made on the day of our vows or the day of ordination? Are they still leading, guiding and spuring us on? If the anwser is no, then we need to rediscover them today. Indeed, the historical upheavals in the time of St. Luigi Guanella may not be too different from the current situation in our world today, and it is my prayerful wish that as he was enabled by Divine Grace and Providence to answer God’s call amidst so many challenges, he may continue to intercede for us so that we too will be enabled to carry on this mission of Charity with apostolic zeal irrespective of the many existential challenges that stare us on the face. In all, the testimony of his ardent charity and burning pastoral zeal are not mere memories to be admired, but they have to metamorphose into apostolic zeal to the needs and signs of poverty in our world today. And to our brothers that will be doing their pepertual profession tomorrow in Rome today, May yours be this Holy Resolution!
References
● LAPUCCI Carlo, The Figure, The Thought And The Action of Fr. Louis Guanella In His Writings, Pious Union of St. Joseph, Michigan Ave, U.S.A., 2005.
● AGUADO Juan Bautista, Father Louis Guanella, Samaritan Priest, Pious Union Of St. Joseph, Michigan Ave, U.S.A., 2011.
● SAGGI STORICI – 2, I tempi e la vita di Don Guanella. Ricerche Biografiche, Editrice Nuove Frontiere, Roma, 1990.
● DIEGUEZ Alejandro – MINETTI Nino (eds.), Don Guanella Inedito. Negli Scritti di Pietro Pellegrini, Editrice Nuove Frontiere, Roma, 1993.
● MAZZUCHI Leonardo, S. C., The Life, the Spirit and the Works of Father Louis Guanella, (trad. by. Fr. Peter DiTullio), Haverton Printing Co., Broomall, 1985.
Fr. Vitus Unegbu, S.C.
From the Guanellian Study Centre
(House of Providence, Yemetu Ibadan)
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