Abp. Lustosa Declared Venerable

Abp. Antonio De Almeida Lustosa Declared Venerable

(ANS – Vatican City – July 20, 2023) – The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has passed on to the postulator general of the causes of saints for the Salesian Family, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, the decree by which on June 22 the Pope Francis declares that “the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity toward God and neighbor, the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance and other related virtues, were practiced to a heroic degree by the Servant of God Antonio De Almeida Lustosa of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, archbishop of Fortaleza.” The decree is signed by the prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, and the secretary, Bishop Fabio Fabene.

The decree begins with the words “In the shadow of your wings.” This biblical quotation, found in several psalms and chosen by Abp. Lustosa as his episcopal motto, illustrates well the testimony of the Servant of God’s virtuous life. He placed his trust in God his refuge and lived an intense union with him, the source of his tireless and fruitful pastoral activity.

After briefly covering the stages of the life of the great Salesian archbishop, the decree summarizes the passages that accompanied the cause of beatification: by virtue of his reputation for holiness, the diocesan inquiry took place at the archiepiscopal chancery in Fortaleza, Brazil, from August 14, 1993, to August 14, 2001. Its validity was recognized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints with a decree  on May 2, 2003. Once the Positio was prepared, it was submitted to examination by the theological consultors on November 8, 2022. The ordinary session of the cardinal and bishop members was held on June 20, 2023.

The spiritual and pastoral profile of the new Venerable of the Church is well expressed by these words spoken by Fr. Pasquale Liberatore, at that time postulator general, on the occasion of the 19th anniversary (1993) of the death of the Servant of God: “He was a great ascetic (also from an external perspective: ‘wrapped in air’ was how his physical person was described), but with an adamantine will which translated the fire that burned within him. Thanks to this inner strength, he was able to carry out exceptional work, leaving an imprint in so many areas: a passionate researcher of the truth, a serious scholar, writer, and poet who established so many works: the Curé of Ars pre-seminary, the Cardinal Frings Institute, the São José hospital, the Nossa Senhora de Fatima shrine, the Assunção Cearense radio station, the Casa do Menino Jesus schools, workers’ groups, etc.; and above all, he was the  founder of a religious congregation. Both great yet simple, he knew how to ensure that the bishop’s many commitments could also include catechism to little ones and – in the final years of his life – his erudite lessons in Latin with a humble stamp collection. A zealous pastor, he loved his people, never left his flock, felt the urgent need for vocations, and filled his seminaries with them. He was always a Salesian at heart. “An eternal Salesian,” he called himself. Made master of novices as a newly ordained priest, he remained a forger of souls in the Salesian style throughout his life. An ascetic, I said initially. In fact, he epitomized the motto left to us by Don Bosco: work and temperance. The secret of his holiness is to be found in his abhorrence of all forms of mediocrity. He was an athlete of the spirit – perhaps that’s why we love to remember him ‘always on his feet’ (although in recent years he was confined to a wheelchair). Always on his feet! Even today. Like someone who continues to teach us a lesson. The most difficult and most demanding lesson: holiness.”

The official version of the decree is available in several languages.