Anecdotes and Testimonies of Pope Luciani
Part X
" Pope
John Paul I remains as a figure surrounded by mystery : fascinating, cheerful, attractive, a star that falls, but full of mystery. When you are about to reach it, it escapes from you. ". Jean Guitton
|
A microphone that doesn’t work
" In agreement with my Bishop, in Autumn ' 76, I was in Venice to ask the Patriarch if he would preside over a celebration at Frasinelle Polesine in the XXV anniversary of Po alluvium. He welcomed me as a brother and literally 'turned somersaults' to ensure he could attend. He succeeded; after making many telephone calls, and cancelling other appointments. I had met in person and unexpectedly a true Christian, Priest, Bishop, and friend. Leaving the Patriarchy, I felt I had 'wings' to fly. (...)
In
the poor church of Frassinelle, the audio system was wrong. I felt 'down',
knowing of the voice problems of our illustrious guest. The disadvantage,
however, was transformed into something well different; after lunch and giving
him my sincere thanks for all, I again told him about my desolation which made
him more tired. He took my hand and told me: I have come and I am thankful
to you; thankful to your people for so many gifts... Now, it’s your turn to
return the visit. When you come to Venice - if you can – don’t forget to
call-into the Patriarchy : there is don Diego, there are the Nuns... and also
the Patriarch ".
I didn’t think that I would have taken him at his word. First with a fifth degree class at the primary school, then with one of third year at the secondary school, a group of parents, the altar-boys, some young people : the occasions were multiplied until it made me think that perhaps it was too much. However, he was always available: he called the Ducal Palace, the Campanile and St. Mark’s Treasure to inform them that his guests were arriving ... He was put second to the boys interviews... "
"
He cheers up all the palace "
" It gave the impression of the presence of that aloof and wise man inside a majestic palace of other times. " Nevertheless," sister Vincenza said, "when the Patriarch is at home, even though when he sits there on that small divan to pray in silence, he fills and cheers up all the palace ".
don Licio
Boldrin
from " Humilitas ", 1985
Almost secretly
" Albino Luciani was one of the Cardinals who was less seen in Rome; also in the Curia offices but, mainly, in external environments.
Once, he came to Chigi Palace in 1972 to defend a humanitarian cause in the attire of a simple Priest, and my employee asked me at the end of the morning if we had still to wait for the Cardinal of Venice ".
Giulio Andreotti
from " A ogni
morte di Papa. I Papi che ho conosciuto ", 1982
Modesty
Episodes
from the time in which don Albino was Monsignor.
"
Monsignor, a little red, perhaps a thread, would suit you ! " " Come
on, come on; you are crazy! " – he replied in a friendly way. " I am
not interested in ... these stupidities".
A. Salvato
from " La Sorgente ", 1980
"
I found him between a group of seminarians, students of Theology, talking with
affability. " Is it don Albino ? ", I asked. All were surprised when I
called him " don " being a Monsignor. I blushed, but he put his hand
on my head and said: " They are joking ".
don Cesare Vazza
from " L'Amico del Popolo ", 30/9/78
The
last audience to a Vatican head of dicastery
Fragments
of an interview made by " 30 Giorni " in 1998 to Cardinal Bernardin
Gantin :
-
To tell the truth, here it has also been the only curial nomination made by John
Paul I during his brief Pontificate. From Pro-president, in fact, Pope Luciani
nominated you as President of " Cor Unum ". Not only that; John Paul I
received you in audience in the last day of his Pontificate, on September 28th.
GANTIN:
Yes, it has been the last audience granted to a head of dicastery. In the
evening of that day in which he had welcomed us with great kindness, with his
smile, arranging the chairs himself so that we could be near him, nobody
could imagine that, a few hours later, he would have passed away to Eternity
with the Lord. I still keep a photo of that audience as one of the most precious
things.
We
were four: the Pope, I, the Secretary of ‘Iustitia et Pax’, the Jesuit Roger
Heckel, and the Secretary of " Cor Unum ", the Dominican Henri de
Riedmatten. The other three are all dead, I am the only survivor of that
audience ... John Paul I, I repeat, was a man of great humility; we all know his
motto: " Humilitas ". Also his Pontificate had been, from the temporal
point of view, humble, hardly thirty- three days; but significant.
Oil
or wine ?
"
When he was a guest for a meal anywhere, he always went personally to the
kitchen to thank all those who had prepared the food. This custom caused, at the
beginning, not a little perplexity amongst the house-women and the cooks who
were suddenly in front of 'Your Excellence', the Bishop, when they still
had their aprons on and their hands were wet.
During
a pastoral visit to Caorle, to a Summer colony, something embarassing happened;
in the course of the lunch, oil instead of wine was poured in error into the
Bishop’s glass ! Such a mistake is easily explained, because often the olive
oil is conserved in the same bottles which are used for the wine and, in the
confusion of the preparations for the Bishops' visit, a thing like that could
certainly happen... Still, Luciani drank, not much (he drank rarely and very
little), but enough, to save the parish Priest, his host, and the person
responsible for the 'accident', being embarassed. In spite of it, his
neighbour at the table had noticed the change : " But, Excellence, this is
oil !" "Yes", Luciani said; "it also seems to me to be
oil ".
Don Giacomo Ferrighetto
Uncomfortable
clothes
"
In the successive years, already Bishop and Cardinal, he didn'’t wish to be
other than 'don Albino', consecrated by God. No pomp, no outer sign of
dignity, (unless it was absolutely necessary). He hated all those things. As
soon as he returned home after an official ceremony, for which he had 'had' to
wear the official Bishop’s clothes, the first thing he did was to take off
those uncomfortable clothes to put on the simple black cassock again.
In
a certain town near Vittorio Veneto, Luciani appeared , humble and simply
dressed (as always!). A farmer, who had a son a Priest, and whose idea of
a Bishop evidently did not agree with the outer aspect of don Albino, did not
hide his surprise and, with manifest disagreement, he whispered into the ear of
someone who was close to him : " For God’s sake, this one is not a Bishop
who wants to break through".
Msgr. Giovanni Ronchi
Good
bye friendship !
"
When I was presented to Monsignor Luciani, as soon as he was nominated as Bishop
of Vittorio Veneto, I knelt down to kiss his ring and began telling him: "
Your Excellence, forgive me if... ". He stood up quickly, saying: " Oh,
not like this, my dear Father Strim. You begin to be 'distant' with me, and I am
not in agreement with that at all. You must always be on familiar terms, as
usual; if not, good bye to our old friendship !", and he gave a big smile
".
don
Giuseppe Strim
Luciani’s
friend and companion of Seminary
from " Il Celentone "
I
can’t feel the Holy Spirit
"
When I became a Deacon in Innsbruck, that Bishop made me feel well, imposing his
hands onto my head, that passed the Holy Spirit through them. When I became a
Priest, Luciani also imposed his hands on me but in a such a slight way that
made me think the Holy Spirit had forgotten me! However, that paternal
imposition corresponded better to the Biblical fluttering of the Spirit. In the
hunting of his memories, at Pietralba, I have also been in the room that he
normally occupied when he came here. Nothing has changed: such panels, the same
Crucifix, the same desk. Then I sat in front of the desk, I thought about my
ordination and almost as if I had him in front of me, I told him: "
Thanks, Pope Luciani: if others remember you for so many reasons, I will always
remember you for that imposition of your hands on me: light, paternal, lovely
".
don Giuseppe Corradi
Anguish
in the heart
"One day, meeting him for the pastoral visit, I told him: " Excellence, your presence fills me with a little fear ". " But how ? ", he answered me, " I am a man like others " and saying like that he sat down next to me and opened his spirit to the most warm confidence. No, he was a shepherd who did not use the crosier heavily, and he ddin't fill anyone with fear. His appearance was smooth and light like the caressing golden noticed by prophet Isaiah in the tenebrous cavern. His firmness, in principles and in discipline, did not descend to transactions. When he had to repress someone, he did it with great sadness. One morning, he came to me at the parish house without advance warning. He sat down; he was tired; his face was tense. At a certain point, he confided to me: " Tonight I have not slept." Knowing about his weak health, I asked him: " Excellence, aren’t you feeling well? ". He answered me: "I couldn’t fall asleep because, having repressed a colleague, I carry in my spirit all the sorrow that I have had to cause to he who was the object of my correction."
don Pietro Battistella
The
tornado tragedy
"An
air spout, the night of Friday September 11th, devastated the island of Santa
Elena, turning round an Acnil motorboat causing several casualties, continuing
its devastating work up to Cà Savio with dead and injured people amongst the
camping holiday-makers . The Patriarch, in his room, had not realized
during the big storm what had happened only a short distance away. I was
constantly on the phone, requesting news from the Prefecture, from "Il
Gazzettino”, from hospitals. At about 11.00p.m., I decided to call the
Patriarch over the intercom. He answered: "I'll go immediately; call a
taxi." However, all taxis were busy.
In
silence, broken by comments, voices, we arrived at Santa Elena’s wharf : the
photoelectric cells illuminated an ample area of lagoon. There was a motorboat
submerged; the divers occasionally brought a body to the surface, and it
was loaded immediately onto the "Blue Cross" motorboat and taken to a
hospital.
There was silence, like a Tomb. The Patriarch joined his hands, placed them to his lips, and prayed. Local people and officials came close, they greeted him with a sign, gave news, data, numbers. With the Prefecture motorboat, they led us to the Sea Hospital morgue : the first row of victims of the air spout was striking, and the meeting with some of their relatives was painful. We returned home in the morning at about 4.00a.m., and at 7.00a.m., we were already again travelling to Santa Elena, the Sea Hospital, the civil Hospital of Venice, the hospital and the colony of the Red Cross of Jesolo to visit the wounded and to bless the bodies of Cà Savio camping : the air spout had passed, causing devestation and cutting trees, houses, tents from the lagoon to Santa Elena, in the lagoon, in Cà Savio, raising and striking against the ground people and objects. On Sunday, at Caorle, I was due to celebrate the feast of the Virgin of the Angel with the procession to the sea. But, at the Cathedral, after having celebrated Mass and having said the Homily, between the silent people who noticed a man’s pain, a father’s, a Bishop’s, the Patriarch said: " I am sorry about not remaining with you for the celebration but, the tornado tragedy that I carry carved on a father’s heart, tells me that I must return home to cry and pray ..."
Msgr.
Mario Senigaglia
from " Humilitas ", 1985
A
Patriarch amongst the poor
"Within
a few days of his arrival in Venice, leaving the study, Luciani noticed the
great tide of people and the strange scent that had filled the waiting
rooms, he asked me: " Who are they ? ". " They are the poor :
they never lack ". He wanted to go and greet them : I introduced them to
him one by one (perhaps about sixty or seventy in number). For each he had a
smile and a word. Then he said: " Remember, the Patriarch’s door is
always open. Ask don Mario, and what I can do for you I will always do it and
with pleasure ". " Excellence - I mumbled - you will ruin me: they
will not leave me in peace ". He smiled saying: " Somebody will help
us ". Poor, unadaptable, drunkards, released prisoners, women who couldn’t
even walk the streets, clients of the 'nocturnal asylums' ,and beggars ...
were his friends. For many of them, we found houses and work ( it was
easier then than today!), and they all were given to according to their needs. I
still keep some letters. One day, I showed one to the Patriarch; he almost cried.
It came from a sanatorium: " I eat three times a day and also so much. I
have a bed with sheets and blankets and my personal clothes are changed twice a
week. It seems to me I have returned to the orphanage. I am thankful to the
Patriarch for the beautiful pyjamas with his initials. He seems to me to be a
Pope and I hope so much to remain longer, even though I am not happy not to go
for Easter to greet you ... ".
Sometimes,
from the entrance, they warned: ex- prisoners. It was not only to make money or
to find a job, but often, one was to make them surpass the distrust in
everything and in all. It wasn't always easy. Nevertheless, how many of them
wrote to him to thank him for being the only one who would help
them and give them confidence. One day, one of these people told me: " My
children must know that, if one day the Patriarch hadn’t paid for my ticket to
Germany, today I would have neither work nor family ".
Msgr.
Mario Senigaglia
from " La Sorgente ", 1983
"
Thief "
Summer
1922, the final term of the third scholastic year. Another complaint was made to
Mrs. Luciani about her eldest son. That time, the matter was serious. He had
behaved in an intolerable way and the elderly teacher, boiling with indignation,
went to Luciani’s home. What had happened? Luciani had called her a thief! Why?
The explanation was simple: at the beginning of the scholastic year, the teacher
had requested Albino to loan a book, which he no longer used, to a poor
student. He did so with pleasure but when, at the end of the scholastic year, he
had asked the teacher to return the book to him, she had asked him why he wanted
that old and worn-out book. More than enough reason for Albino (who was almost
nine years old) to call the teacher a 'thief' . It was not only the fact that
the book was his, so she could not do what she wanted with it. On the other hand,
to demonstrate his generosity towards others, we have the example of the
first slice of white bread that he had kept for his little brother, Edoardo. No,
even though a book was for him an extremely expensive and precious posession, it
was not a determining reason for such a serious accusation. His sense of right
and justice had undergone a serious blow because of the teacher’s reaction,
which was, to him, incomprehensible.
"
The boy doesn’t bear partialities and injustices and, when he sees or he
thinks to see them, he suffers, moves away locking into himself. In this matter,
things that are trivialities for us, acquire an extraordinary importance for the
boy". (Luciani Albino, Catechesis in breadcrumbs)
How
important this was to make him call his teacher a ‘thief’. The teacher
reacted without realizing her pupil’s indignation, without any pedagogic
knowledge and ability to be able to come in the child psychology, embarassing
his mother, Bortola, into taking steps to remedy the matter.
from
" Una vita per la Chiesa "
by Regina Kummer
A
warning to his friend, a parish Priest
"Once
I went to visit one of my school friends (who was a parish Priest) and I stopped
at the church door (then I was General Vicar) to read the warnings. It was
written: " Women do not enter if wearing sleeveless or short-sleeved
clothes ", etc. Then he had also written: "Women will not be given
Holy Communion if they wear lipstick".
"
Oh", I said, "don, how is this possible ?". " That is
something repugnant", he answered me, "and I do not want it
". "Who gives you this authority? You are not a Bishop at all. You
cannot, friend, I am sorry, but you must take that warning out. Even though you
have this opinion, you cannot do this. In addition, at the neighboring parish it
is allowed; the same in the city : they are going to receive the Communion with
made-up lips, even though being Catholic Action Presidents. But you, why? You
are not a legislator, you cannot do this".
Albino
Luciani
from " Il buon samaritano "
A
written premonition
From
a letter sent by the parish Priest of Tambre d'Alpago, don Giovanni Luchetta, to
the parish Priest of Canale D'Agordo, don Rinaldo Andrich: " Dear, don
Rinaldo, now pay good attention to my premonition about the new Pope : he
will be elected, after few ballots, H.E. Cardinal Albino Luciani from Canale
D'Agordo ! You will have to ring the bells and organize the celebrations
..."
from " L'Amico del Popolo ", 1978
The
thirst
It
was a beautiful Summers' day. Msgr. Luciani arrived suddenly at the parochial
house of Caviola (near Canale D'Agordo). He was going from Vittorio Veneto to
Perarolo. " I passed over here to greet you," he said to don Cesare (one
of his ex- students at the Gregorian of Belluno), "and to ask you for a
glass of water." After having quickly relieved his thirst in the kitchen,
he went away being thankful to me with so much love, as if I had offered him who
knows what ".
from " Il Celentone "
"
It’s a shame "
"It’s
a shame, you know, a shame that there are some parish Priests who do not teach
Catechism. I have made a warning to more than one of my parish Priests. I will
speak of my diocese. I am very happy with my parish Priests, let’s understand,
but some work reluctantly. There is one that, all throughout the year, has never
been to give a lesson at the primary schools. How does he manage ? It is not
possible ! To throw away the grace of God, the possibility of doing a little
Catechism in the classrooms that have heating, where children are upright and
attentive on their benches. Catechism is very important; it is poor of us,
Priests, if we don’t give the maximum importance to it. It is the best Homily.
"
Albino
Luciani
from " Il buon samaritano "
Days of distension
" Pietralba. From 1972 till 1977, we spent at least ten days in total distension between walking by the forests to where the flocks were, with a small annual appointment on the top of the Corno Bianco (m. 2,317), in the bear of San Romedio, and a tour through several neighboring towns, and the meeting at Novacella or Innsbruck and the Sanctuary of the Servants of Maria Waldrast, and some games of bowls, living our daily lives next to the hosts of the place, seated at the common table in the restaurant, playing with the boys, chatting with affability with the adults.
A very human holiday that revealed to all a dimension of spirituality and vast culture in a personage so at the top and so at hand of all ".
Msgr.
Mario Senigaglia
from "La Sorgente", 1983
A
wish
It
was September 3rd, 1978, the day of the official beginning of his Pontificate.
" While one was still before Peter’s tomb, I augured the Pope with the
liturgical expression : " May the Lord make you happy on this earth ".
He answered me smiling: " Yes, happy outside, but, if you knew what I am
feeling inside ".
Card.
Pericle Felici
from " La Sorgente ", 1978
The
smack
Albino,
at 10 years of age, was present at the solemn ceremonies as an altar-boy, and
that really 'opened his eyes'. How great and solemn that church was (n.f.a.
talks about that one of Agordo) comparing it with the small, quiet small church
there at Canale ! Instead of following the ceremony with attention and devotion,
his astonished and curious glances ran to all those beautiful things that there
were to discover. One of the Priests' present, (who obviously did not understand
that infantile stupor), was not pleased with this involuntary and still evident
distraction and, immediately, he observed: " That boy is not in order
". As a Cardinal, he would have remembered the effect of that abrupt
reproach and the smack to the altar-boys that had accompanied it: " But it
was useful to me ".
Thirteen
years after this episode, he would have returned to Agordo as a chaplain: "
And I assure you that I have not given any smacks to the altar-boys. They were
lively. Sometimes I did not know how to control them ".
Card.
Albino Luciani
from
his Homily of June 29th, 1978
(citation from " Una vita per la Chiesa " by Regina Kummer)
Posing
Regarding
the Pontiff’s humility. Forced to pose for the official photographs, standing
up and seated, he commented: " Here is Harlequin, the false prince "
Card.
Jacques Martin
ex-
Prefect of the Pontifical House
from
" Oltre il portone di bronzo "
" They should have elected one more qualified than I, better than I "
"
I cannot forget the successive day to his election, August 27th, 1978, in the
afternoon. I was in the Bishop’s palace of Belluno and I was about to go to
Canale D'Agordo, Luciani’s native town, to celebrate the Mass of thanksgiving
for the election to Extreme Pontificate of a son of our land. I call the
Vatican by telephone and finally located the secretary, don Diego Lorenzi; I
asked him to ask the Pope if I can bring his blessing to Canale D'Agordo. Answer
: " The Pope is in the chapel, he is praying ". I say : " If it
is possible, let me know the answer within fifteen minutes, because I cannot
make the faithful wait who are waiting for me ". About ten minutes passed.
The telephone rang. It was don Diego who, as he was accustomed to doing in
Venice, said : " I give you the Patriarch ", but immediately he
corrected himself: " I give you the Holy Father ". It is surely him;
he commenced like this : " The vixen changes hair but not defects ",
He had changed his clothes, but not the habit of calling me by telephone. I
whisper : " Holy Father, the joy of Belluno is uncontrollable; also the
Cathedral bell clapper has fallen to the ground by force of ringing ".
" But tonight I have not slept, I have had so many scruples. Why did they
elect me ? They should have elected one more qualified than I, better than I.
Pray for me ". I assured him that everybody prays for the new Pope, but
that our peoples' prayer was very intensive and I asked him if I could take his
blessing to Canale. " Yes, yes, to my brother, sister, relatives, to all.
Pray for me ". At this point, I have a doubt: When I say : I bring them the
Pope’s blessing ", there will be someone who will think : " He is
inventing, how has he made to get it ?". I told the Pope: " Holy
Father, can I say that I have spoken with you by telephone ?". " Sure,
say that I have phoned you ".
Could
you imagine the joy of the numerous faithful and journalists joined in
Canale D'Agordo’s church when I mentioned this conversation?"
Msgr.
Maffeo Ducoli
from ‘Tracce’, 9/98
Gratefulness
From
a interview with Cardinal Aloisio Lorscheider, ex- Archbishop of Fortaleza.
-
As you know, the unexpected death and some false news contained in the official
version given by the Vatican fed disquieting suspicions. Then, about his death
many things were written, it was also said about a ' moral homicide'. According
to you, was there anything to legitimize such suspicions?
LORSCHEIDER:
I am interested neither about the things that were written, nor about all the
literature that bloomed around his death. Still, I say it with pain, the
suspicion is in our heart; it is like a bitter shade, a question to which it
wasn’t given a total answer (...)
- Don’t you think that today in the Church the figure of Pope Luciani has been forgotten ?
LORSCHEIDER:
Perhaps, in some environments, his memory is a little alive today. However,
it is not like that for the faithful. The simple people know how to recognize
and find it difficult to forget those
who show them love, with a good father’s love. I remember that, after his
election, when I was in Fortaleza, some university students came to see me.
" Eminence ", they told me, " we have come to say thank you
". " Why ? ", I asked. "We have come to thank you and
all the Cardinals for giving us a Pope like John Paul I ". " Do
you like him a lot ? ", I asked. They answered me: " Yes, he knows how
to speak to peoples' hearts ". I think his brief Pontificate
was like a great breathing in the Church life. Like the dawn of a clear day...
We have saudade (n.d.a. nostalgia), of that smile. I am convinced that one day,
whether he wanted it or not, Pope Luciani will be raised to the honour of the
altars.
-
And if now you were requested to suggest again the Petition of Beatification?
LORSCHEIDER:
I would subscribe it immediately, certainly. But we, as Brazilian Bishops,
have already officially introduced it. It is not now from here that the
initiative must start again. It is important now that a request in such a sense
is promoted, for example, by the Bishops of the Triveneto. I want to speak about
this; I will do it as soon as I return to Italy. I will speak about it with the
Patriarch, Cardinal Cè.
from " 30 Giorni ", 7-8/1998
With
the worn-out shoes
"
I met, for the first time, Cardinal Luciani on August 1977 in the Seminary of
Bressanone. On May 25th, I became a Bishop and, the day consecrated to Peter and
Paul, I began to take part in the Cardinals College. Then, I spent a part of my
holidays with my relatives in the old Episcopal see at the borders of the Isarco
river, as I had done previously, some years ago. During his youth, Cardinal
Luciani had often arrived with his mother to Pietralba, because he knew that
region well. I don’t know how he'd heard that the new Archbishop of Munich was
in the Seminary of Bressanone; this was how he came to visit me. This
noble gesture made on me a deep impression but, still more than this, I felt
impressed by the spontaneous cordiality and the great human goodness towards me
that came from him. I still see him seated in front of me, dressed in his simple
black cassock and the shoes rather worn out, to talk about his youth and to
completely open his heart to me. When, a year later, I saw him again in the
Conclave, the thought came spontaneously to me that a man who had such
talents of heart and a mind illuminated by the heart, should be, of necessity, a
good Pope, and I was glad that many others thought like me ".
Card.
Joseph Ratzinger
Prefect
of the Congregation for Doctrine of Faith
from " 30 Giorni ", 7-8/1998
Memories
of Cardinal Hyacinthe Thiandoum, archbishop of Dakar.
"
The next Pope shouldn’t be an Italian "
"
It’s for me a cause of great particular joy, on the occasion of such an
anniversary, to evoke the memory that I have kept of Pope John Paul I, and
the friendly feeling with which he honoured me. The first encounter was in 1970.
The Patriarch of Venice, knowing that I was passing through the Dolomite,
invited me to spend the weekend at his house. We were in the second half of July.
Our conversations then were centred on the Church life in Europe and
Africa, particularly, on the shortage of Priests in Western Europe and on its
increase, however, in the African continent. We looked together for a way to put
into practice the spiritual renovation proposed by II Vatican Council to favour
the adjustment of the situation.
In
the course of the conversation, great was my surprise when listening to the
venerated Patriarch of the Doges’ City as he came to express this desire :
" I think that the next Pope shouldn’t be an Italian ". I said
nothing. He justified his affirmation like this : " That would give a later
evidence to the universality of the Catholic Church ". " Are you the
only one wishing that ?", I asked him. "Many Italian Bishops,
and those from other countries share my opinion," was his answer.
That’s all about our first encounter, centred on one question; it is
necessary to recognize it, with all due respect."
A
second visit to the Patriarch’s home
"
The Providence granted me a second encounter in 1977, on the occasion of the
Synod closing. The work in which we had both taken part was hardly finished,
when he invited me to accompany him to Venice, where we were met by his
diocesans gathered in St. Mark’s Basilica; very crowded. Then, he asked me to
address them ,and I transmitted the Synod message to the crowd, constituted
predominantly by young people. At the beginning, I rejected, knowing that a
similar duty corresponded to the Patriarch and therefore I didn’t want to
disappoint the audience. However, he convinced me and... there was no
other way than to obey.
That
time I amused myself at Cardinal Luciani’s home for five days. The stay became
memorable by the Solemnity of All Saints that he asked me to celebrate in St.
Mark’s Basilica. He asked me to visit his Seminary located at the shade of the
majestic Santa Maria della Salute’s church. Successively, he asked me to
accompany him to Treviso for a liturgical ceremony and, again, to Padova, to the
house of the Bishop of that city, Monsignor Girolamo Bortignon, ex- preacher of
the spiritual exercises in the Vatican and theologian of deep religious culture,
who was then Vice-president of Triveneto regional Episcopal Conference. The
Cardinal - President of this same Conference - had arrived at his house to
entertain himself in things. I open a parenthesis here to say that these
providential contacts explain, without a doubt, my deep attachment to this
region of Northern Italy (...)
A
small ' trap ' to better-see the future Pope
After
Paul VI was called to God in August 1978, began the arrangements for the
Conclave to elect his successor. For myself, I had no doubts that Cardinal
Luciani would occupy Peters' throne very soon. To the numerous questions they
asked me in Rome about who would be Paul VI’s successor, (before the
opening of the Conclave), I invariably answered: "Cardinal Luciani."
I was convinced to such a point that - the episode is of public dominion -, at
the eve of the entrance in the Conclave, I invited him to dine with me at the
Pious Nuns Mothers’ house in Alcide De Gasperi St., asking people in charge of
the community to approach us at the moment of the coffee: thus, they would have
seen with their own eyes the future Pope. In the presence of the Nuns and of his
secretary, I told him clearly : " We are waiting for you, my Patriarch."
He understood perfectly what I wanted to insinuate and answered me: "
It is not my matter."
Also
before this episode, when I met Cardinal Luciani (naturally, always
outside the Conclave), I greeted him regularly with these words: " I greet
my Patriarch," and he replied : " I am the Patriarch of Venice."
We both knew what we meant ".
from
" 30 Giorni", 7- 8/1998
Two
paragraphs from Cardinal Luciani’s last homily in the church of Agordo in
1978.
A
chaplain with pockets always empty
"
Here, in uniform, he is a Mr., an emeritus gentleman. Then he was in IV class at
the primary school. He accompanied me for the blessing of the houses, up at Rif.
I don’t know if they still do it. One was going to bless the houses and the
owner, perhaps poor, gave them one, or two, eggs for the archdeacon. They were
put in a basket. We had walked all Rif, we also made Piasent. Everybody was
happy. An altar-boy was so happy that he slipped. He threw all the eggs onto the
ground. If they had been for me it wouldn't have mattered, but they weren't for
me. Then he began crying. No smacks. I had to take the handkerchief out and
console him and dry his eyes.
It
is not that I have only worked with these kids, but I also have had to help
solve problems. So many times they broke the glasses, here over the sacristy,
and they caused other damage. They were times of so much poverty. We took walks.
Money, I didn’t have. They also ate an icecream with pleasure, but I was
always without money. I remember being a chaplain with my pockets always empty.
Yet, I remember those years with an affection that I can’t tell you,
among the most beautiful of my priesthood ".
Forced
to play the organ
"
I had also good adult singers and also many voices of children.
Nevertheless, there was no organist. The archdeacon asked me :
"Do
you not know how to play?"
"
No! I had tried but I hadn't finished learning."
He
asked me :
"Why
hadn’t you finished ?"
"
Look, I was told that I was not from the tribe of Manase."
He
exorted me :
"
But you must play it!"
They
were those times in which Priests obeyed and I, by obedience, with a fatigue I
don’t tell you, I have tried. There were people who were listening to me :
there were ladies, young ladies who played the piano and knew how to judge how
the organ had sounded. In that way, I played for a few months... Enough to
exclaim after so many years : " Oh, if I had your hands ! ", I
addressed in admiration to a seminarian who played the organ in St. Peter’s
church. " I also tried to learn to play when younger, but my hands
are hard ".
from
" L'Amico del Popolo ", Sept 30th, 1978
Learning
Portuguese
His
preoccupation, then, was to be understand by all : also by the Brazilians who
did not understand his Venetian Italian. For that reason, he had requested, in
Venice, a month before the trip (n.f.a. travel to Brazil made on November 1975),
of the Franciscan of Christ King Sisters to give him Portuguese lessons. They
were sister Edith Onghero (Brazilian) and sister Valentina Kanton (Italian
resident in Brazil).
Now,
the Nuns say that Cardinal Luciani amazed them with his simplicity and humility.
They were also surprised at the speed with which he learned, adding that the
Cardinal made much practice of the language when he was alone. " He wanted
his words to be understood by all in Brazil ", they said.
from " Esquiú ", Sept. 17th, 1978
Paragraphs
from an interview with Edoardo Luciani.
"
Perhaps I have been the cause of my little brothers' death "
-
Have you some memory of Albino child, that it has particularly remained engraved
in your mind and reveals his personality?
"
Perhaps this is totally unknown. You know that my mother lost her second son,
Frederico, through bronchopneumonia, whe he was still a child. With the rigid
atmosphere of winter up here, the worry we had was to prevent the cold air from
entering the house. Naturally my mother always recommended us to close the door
and the windows, so the little child did not take any cold and he did not become
ill. I remember to have heard my brother Albino that in his early years he had
suffered a lot, because of the fact that his sisters (of the first mother),
Amalia and Pia, reproached him to have made their brother sick like that. He
said to me that he often woke-up during the night and he thought: " Perhaps
I have been the cause of my little brother’s death." It was the moral
suffering that he remembered most." (...)
Journalist
and writer, yes
- Do you remember that he has had as a young Priest some desire, some particular
aspiration?
"It
seemed to me that he intended to have time available in order to read, to study,
to write. If he had intended to fulfill himself on the human plan, these were
his personal likings. He would have been dedicated completely to literature: to
read and to write."
-
Would have he truly become a journalist and a writer?
"
Yes, seriously. He always said that to me. He repeated it many times.
" I would have made it without sacrifice, gladly ". The many other
tasks, he has solved well, with obvious fruits, too; he has faced them
with remarkable hard work, much spirit of adaptation and obedience to the Will
of God (...)
"
Now they will make your brother a Patriarch "
-
When he was nominated as a Bishop, what was your thought? Was it a surprise or
was it in the order of the things?
"
I was at home and I heard the telephone ringing. It was don Ausilio Da Rif, who
announced to me: " I have great news to give you. They have made your
brother a Bishop ". This did not surprise me too much, to tell the
truth. Considering the atmosphere, more or less it was discounted. I think that
it had surprised him."
-
And when he was nominated as Patriarch of Venice, were you waiting for that ?
"
When Card. Urbani died, I remember meeting a colleague, a friend of mine who
told me: " Now they will make your brother a Patriarch ". I answered:
" I believe it, too ". The election as a Pope has not been strange for
me at all." (...)
'
He struck-up a friendship immediately '
-
A slightly difficult question this, Mr. Edoardo. What did you think about the
outbreak of joy at first and of sorrow later provoked by your brother as Pope?
How did you remain? Which was the impression that humanity made to you that
rejoiced at first and cried afterwards?
"
My brother, in a certain sense, has been fortunate. Not because he became a
Pope, but because he was very communicative. As soon as he arrived anywhere, he
struck-up a friendship immediately. This was from the seminary onwards. It is
luck - I repeat - because many others that also are sacrificed and have
been good, many times they do not succeed. Instead my brother had this grace,
perhaps a charisma. I don’t know. Also on the natural plan he was lucky.
Having to come to contact with many people; it was enough that he introduced
himself, and he struck-up a friendship immediately. I remember the first meeting
with people from the Loggia of San Peter: it was possible to lookat them
watching his lips, while they followed with enthusiasm what he said. Indeed, he
had not even opened his mouth, when people applauded him. Also people
religiously indifferent or atheist - I have several testimonies - remained
enthusiastic. I confess it was not a surprise to me - this enthusiasm at a
world-wide level, regarding my brother, because on another plan this had
happened everywhere, in the previous years."
Antonio
Ugenti
from
" The gift of the clarity "
Home - Anecdotes and Testimonies - Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IV - Part V - Part VI - Part VII - Part VIII - Part IX - Part X - Part XI - Part XII - Part XIII - Part XIV - Part XV
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