(ANS – Rome – April 13) – A seminar to consider issues concerning the promotion of the causes of
beatification and canonization in the Salesian Family took place in Rome, April
10-14. On its 4th day Fr. François-Marie
Lethel, a Carmelite, showed participants how holiness is able to unite in a
wonderful and fascinating synthesis the scientia fidei, “knowledge based
on faith,” or as Benedict XVI called it, scientia amoris, “knowledge of
love.”
The day had already begun with a call to discernment
and compassion as the main roads indicated by the Pope as calls to holiness,
also stressed in the recent apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate. That came in the homily preached at morning
Mass by Fr. Francesco Cereda, vicar of the Rector Major.
Fr. Lethel, uniting great depth of thought with
simplicity of language, indicated how discernment and compassion, faith and
love, are the paths which the saints have traveled and opened for everyone,
where one finds that unity between faith and life, theory and practice, earth
and heaven which is at the heart of the Christian mystery.
A particularly fascinating element, which the
Carmelite priest made his audience tangibly perceive, is the communion between
saints and charisms, “as in heaven, so on earth.” The saints have never been jealous or
parochial, and it is surprising to see how already in their earthly experience
there was an admirable exchange of gifts between Dominic, Francis, Ignatius,
Teresa, John of the Cross, et al. The
same can be seen in Don Bosco, for those who listen attentively to his
spirituality. Indeed, communion is the
very heart of holiness, that is, life in God. Charisms do not add up; they multiply when
communion intensifies.
In concluding his address, Fr. Lethel – who in 2011
preached the annual retreat to Benedict XVI and the Roman Curia, receiving praise
and thanks – expressed himself an enthusiastic admirer of the venerable
Salesian Fr. Joseph Quadrio, a “perfect example of the religious saint, priest,
theologian, and mystic,” and of Salesian Cooperator Vera Grita,” a humble
consecrated lay person in whom I joyfully discovered a great mysticism of the
Eucharist, perhaps one of the greatest, with a truly prophetic message for the
Church of today and tomorrow.”
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