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.

Cause of Antonio de Almeida Lustosa, SDB, Advances

Cause of Antonio de Almeida Lustosa, SDB, Advances

(ANS – Vatican City – November 10, 2022) – On Nov. 8 during a special meeting of the theological consultors at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, a positive opinion was unanimously given regarding the heroic exercise of virtues, the reputation for holiness, and other indications of the Servant of God Antonio De Almeida Lustosa, archbishop of Fortaleza, Brazil. The Positio had Msgr. Maurizio Tagliaferri as rapporteur, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, SDB, as postulator, and Dr. Cristiana Marinelli as collaborator.

It is a very important step in the process of beatification and canonization and was greeted with joy in the Salesian province of Recife and in the archdiocese of Fortaleza, where Abp. Lustosa spent 22 of his 40 years of episcopal ministry and where the diocesan commission for the promotion of the cause of the Servant of God is active.

“A figure of a bishop whose pastoral action in the 4 dioceses he led was particularly incisive,” commented Fr. Cameroni, postulator general of the causes of the saints of the Salesian Family. “His apostolic zeal generated a series of works and foundations, which accomplished so much good for the people and the faithful. Appreciated for his unwavering commitment to forming a mature and responsible Catholic laity, he is also remembered for his asceticism, for living poorly, for being an authentic man of God and an admirable man of prayer, humble, dedicated to penance and welcoming to all, especially those most in need.”

Antônio de Almeida Lustosa was born on Feb. 11, 1886, to a middle-class peasant family in São João del Rei, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. From his parents, he learned the spirit of sacrifice and the value of work. The Salesians had opened the Don Bosco boarding school in Cachoeira do Campo a few years earlier, and Antônio entered at age 16. Two years later he decided to become a Salesian. He distinguished himself for his intellectual acuity and commitment to religious life. At the age of 26, he was ordained a priest. He was chosen as novice master, then director at Lavrinhas, in charge of the formation of Salesian aspirants and students of philosophy and theology. Besides teaching, he trained numerous clerics in the Salesian apostolate, animating nearby parishes and youth centers with their help.

In 1925 he was chosen bishop of Uberaba. He found the seminary there practically empty, but after a year he had about 30 seminarians around him. He took care of the marginalized, making the urgency of social justice his own. After less than 4 years, he was transferred to Corumbá in Mato Grosso, a larger location with greater difficulties for evangelization. Just 2 years there, and he was appointed archbishop of Belém do Pará, an immense diocese in the northern region of Brazil. He remained there for 10 years, distinguishing himself for his usual generosity.

In 1941 he was transferred to the important see of Fortaleza. Here he gave his best during his 22-year stay, living intensely Don Bosco’s motto of “Give me souls.” Convinced that the 1st evangelization is to restore dignity to the poorest individuals and families, he founded clinics, St. Joseph Hospital, free working-class schools and workers’ clubs. He inaugurated the “Poor Man’s Soup” and the social services of the archdiocese. Never forgetting the care of souls: he started the pre-seminary, the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, and the Assumption Cearense Radio Station. To assist peasant families he founded the Congregation of the Giuseppine.

The Servant of God was a prolific writer in a wide variety of fields: theology, philosophy, spirituality, hagiography, literature, geology, and botany. He was also highly regarded in the artistic field: his are the stained-glass windows of Fortaleza Cathedral.

In 1963 he retired to the Salesian house in Carpina, where he spent the last 11 years of his life and where he died on Aug. 14, 1974. His body rests in Fortaleza Cathedral.

Now the Positio will be studied by the cardinals and bishops of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints: these articulated stages of study and evaluation will allow the Supreme Pontiff, in case of a positive outcome, to declare Abp. Antonio De Almeida Lustosa a “Venerable Servant of God.” A miracle attributed to his intercession will then be needed to open the way to beatification.

Positio super Virtutibus of Abp. Antonio de Almeida

Positio super Virtutibus of Servant of God Bishop Antonio de Almeida Lustosa

(ANS - Vatican City – April 28, 2021) – On April 27, the volume of the Positio super Vita, Virtutibus et Fama Sanctitatis of the Servant of God Antonio de Almeida Lustosa, SDB, archbishop of Fortaleza, Brazil, was delivered to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Msgr. Maurizio Tagliaferri was the rapporteur of the Positio, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, SDB, was the postulator, and Dr. Cristiana Marinelli was the collaborator. The structural elements of the Positio are: a brief presentation by the rapporteur; the Informatio super virtutibus, that is, the theological part in which the virtuous life of the Servant of God is demonstrated; the two Summaria with the testimonial and documentary evidence; the Biographia ex Documentis; the final sessions and the iconographic apparatus.

Antônio de Almeida Lustosa was born in São João del Rei, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on February 11, 1886. From his parents, João Baptista Pimentel Lustosa and Delphina Eugênia de Almeida Magalhães, exemplary Christians, he received a good Christian and human formation. An intelligent boy with a good and generous disposition, at 16 he entered the Salesian school of Cachoeira do Campo (Minas Gerais); three years later he was at Lorraine as a novice and assistant to his companions. After his first religious profession, which took place in 1906, he became a teacher of philosophy, studying theology in the meantime. His perpetual profession took place three years later, and on January 28, 1912, he was ordained to the priesthood. In 1916 he was director and master of novices at Lavrinhas in the Colegio São Manoel. In the five years he spent there, young Fr. Lustosa expressed the best of himself both as a priest and as a Salesian.

On February 11, 1925, anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes, he was ordained bishop of Uberaba, a day he chose to commemorate the presence of our Lady in his life. In 1928 he was transferred to Corumbá, in Mato Grosso, and in 1931 he was promoted to archbishop of Belem do Pará, where he remained for 10 years. On November 5, 1941, he took up the post of archbishop of Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceará.

Among an unusually high number of initiatives and actions of a social and charitable nature, he created more than 30 new parishes, 45 schools for the needy, 14 health centers on the outskirts of Fortaleza, the School of Social Services, nowadays affiliated with the State University del Ceará, the São José and Cura d’Ars hospitals, to mention only some of the most important works attributed to his episcopate.

His pastoral action was articulated in particular in the field of catechesis, education, pastoral visits, the increase of vocations, the enhancement of Catholic action, improvement of the living conditions of the poorest, the defense of workers’ rights, the renewal of the clergy, the establishment of new religious orders in Ceará, not to mention his rich and fruitful activity as a poet and writer. He founded the Institute of Clergy Cooperators and the Congregation of the Josefinas.

Eleven years after his resignation from the archdiocese, after which he retired to the Salesian house in Carpina, in the diocese of Nazaré, Pernambuco, confined to a wheelchair, he died on August 14, 1974, demonstrating, even during his illness and suffering, an exemplary attitude of full and unconditional acceptance of God’s will.