24
years
And finally the day has arrived: 26 August 2002.
Pope
Luciani's birth place, Canale d'Agordo, adorned with the Vatican and Italian
flags, the banners that remember a new anniversary of the
election as Pontiff, this time the XXIV. Something new: the big portrait of the
Pope at the entrance of the village to welcome pilgrims and visitors that are always more
and more every year. The day before, the portrait had been target of offensive
writings by unknown hands - by now! - Maybe by people who didn't understand - or
don't want to understand - that a heart, plenty of Jesus Christ like Pope
Luciani's, full of love for
the others, an image, a memory that has remained printed on the hearts of all
those who have understood him and loved him, in Italy and abroad, Catholics or
not, cannot be cancelled with insulting writings, in
this case, or with silence or another methods more or less original, in
others.
Just
hardly after the death of John Paul I it was spoken about his holiness of
life. Some years later, the first miracles were known which, while the years
were passing, were increasing more and more like the quantity of persons
who left their signature asking for the beatification.
A
special
day this 26 August 2002. Voices were going around since some months before, and some
newspaper has spoken about the possibility of the introduction of Pope
Luciani's Cause of
Beatification and it was expected the announcement would be given during the
Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Belluno-Feltre, Msgr. Vincenzo Savio.
I
had the great wish: to be present and so to be able to listen in person to the answer to many prayers and
works carried out during these 24 years. The Lord has granted me this grace.
But
my presence was not the only one: native people, pilgrims, a very full church and together
with them I carried with me, if it can be said, in
spirit, the presence of the persons with whom I have collaborated in these last
three years since when we have begun our great adventure to take to the Web,
through our websites, the holy figure of Pope Luciani.
But
not only them were beside me in spirit at the moment of the announcement: persons
from all over the world who told me through e-mail how much important was for
them Pope Luciani and their wish to see him as a Saint.
And
beside me, this time in person, Massimiliano Piovesan, Coordinator of "Amici
di Papa Luciani", with whom I have been able to share the joy of a village
in feast after the announcement of the next appointment of a Postulator in
order to begin the first steps towards an eventual Cause of
Beatification.
Now,
all remains in the Lord's hands...
Gloria
C. Molinari
Venice,
September 5th, 2002
GCM 2002