|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
In his Son, Jesus Good Shepherd, the Father has opened
in the Church, through Blessed James Alberione, a new
path of holiness. The holiness of God, which is nothing
else but his goodness and his beauty, has been made
visible in Christ the Good Shepherd: kalōs, the
Beautiful Shepherd. |
|
Good
Shepherd,
Mausoleum of
Galla
Placidia,
Ravenna |
|
|
For every Christian, the
path to holiness begins
with Baptism. We are all
called to live in
holiness, faith, hope
and charity.
For us Pastorelle
Sisters, it’s not only a
vocation to personal
holiness. We are called
to take care of the
holiness of the people
of God in the ministry
of pastoral care. Ours
is a vocation to be
mothers and sisters in
the Spirit at the
service of the holiness
of the Church by our
configuration to Christ
the Shepherd, in order
to reawaken the taste
for God in our fellow
human beings today.
|
|
"We begin
the year of
our 70th
anniversary
of our
Foundation,
which
providentially
coincides
with the
Year of Paul
proclaimed
by Pope
Benedict
XVI. We want
this year to
be
particularly
dedicated to
the
“holiness of
the
Pastorelle
Sister in
the ministry
of pastoral
care”
who has in
St. Paul one
of the two
models of
pastoral
holiness as
given to us
by Blessed
James
Alberione."
Sr. Marta
Finotelli,
general
superior |
 |
|
|
In our prayer let us ask
for the gift of pastoral
holiness:
italiano
english
português
español
|
|
Let us be challenged by
those who have been
witnesses of holiness as
lived out in the
ministry of pastoral
care.
|
|
The Fathers of the
Church |
|
St. Ignatius of
Antioch, Bishop and
Martyr
He died in the year
107 and is
remembered on 17
October. |
|
 |
Among the models of
pastoral holiness we
remember Ignatius of
Antioch who was an
extraordinary bishop
and martyr, and
disciple of St. John
the Evangelist. The
witness of his
holiness and passion
for the unity of the
Church can help us
to live our mission
and to make progress
in the path of
holiness.
Etymology:
Ignatius
= from L. igneus
"of fire, fiery".
Symbol: pastoral
staff, palm of
martyrdom.
|
|
He was the third
bishop of Antioch,
in Syria, the third
great metropolis of
the ancient world
after Rome and
Alexandria, and of
which St. Peter was
its first bishop. He
was not a Roman
citizen and it is
thought that he
converted to
Christianity at not
so young an age.
While he was bishop
of Antioch, the
Roman Emperor Trajan
began to persecute
him and had him
arrested and
sentenced to death
by being thrown to
wild beasts, and for
this purpose he was
sent to Rome.
On the journey to
Rome he wrote seven
letters where he
exhorted Christians
to avoid sin, to be
mindful of errors
and to keep the
unity of the Church.
He also pleaded with
them not to
intercede in his
favour to be spared
from martyrdom. In
the year 107 he was
torn to pieces by
the wild beasts
towards which he was
sympathetic.
“Rejoice therefore,
he wrote, that they
shall be my tomb,
and that nothing
shall be left of my
body, that my
funeral shall thus
cost no man aught.”
We read in the Roman
Martyrology: St.
Ignatius of Antioch,
Bishop and Martyr.
Memoria. He was
sentenced to death
by being thrown to
wild beasts and for
this purpose he was
sent to Rome and in
the year 107 under
the Emperor Trajan
suffered a glorious
martyrdom. On the
journey to Rome he
wrote seven letters
to the various
churches in which he
dealt wisely and
deeply with the
theology of Christ,
the constitution of
the church and the
Christian life. |
| |
|
|
To the
Christians
at
Ephesus
he
wrote:
”I am
not
giving
you
orders
as if I
were a
person
of
importance.
Even if
I am a
prisoner
for the
name of
Christ,
I am not
yet made
perfect
in Jesus
Christ.
I am now
beginning
to be a
disciple
and I am
speaking
to you
as my
fellow-disciples.
It is
you who
should
be
strengthening
me by
your
faith,
your
encouragement,
your
patience,
your
serenity.
But
since
love
will not
allow me
to be
silent
about
you, I
am
taking
the
opportunity
to urge
you to
be
united
in
conformity
with the
mind of
God.”
Letter
to the
Ephesians,
2,2-5,2
And to
the
Christians
in Rome
that he
was on
his way
to reach
he
wrote:
“My love
of this
life has
been
crucified,
and
there is
no
yearning
in me
for any
earthly
thing.
Rather
within
me is
the
living
water
which
says
deep
inside
me:
“Come to
the
Father”.
I no
longer
take
pleasure
in
perishable
food or
in the
delights
of this
world. I
want
only
God’s
bread,
which is
the
flesh of
Jesus
Christ,
formed
of the
seed of
David,
and for
drink I
crave
his
blood,
which is
love
that
cannot
perish.
Let me
be food
for the
wild
beasts,
for they
are my
way to
God. I
am God’s
wheat
and
shall be
ground
by their
teeth so
that I
may
become
Christ’s
pure
bread.
Pray to
Christ
for me
that the
animals
will be
the
means of
making
me a
sacrificial
victim
for God.
No
earthly
pleasures,
no
kingdoms
of this
world
can
benefit
me in
any way.
I prefer
death in
Christ
Jesus to
power
over the
farthest
limits
of the
earth.
He who
died in
place of
us is
the one
object
of my
quest.
He who
rose for
our
sakes is
my one
desire.
The time
for my
birth is
close at
hand.”
Letter
to the
Romans
4, 1-2;
6, 1-8,
3
|
|
|
|
|
Witnesses of
pastoral holiness |
|
Sr. Rosaria Nazzari:
a heart of a true
Pastorelle Sister |
|
 |
Her
baptismal
name was
Valentina,
and she
was
among
the
first
Pastorelle
vocations.
She
entered
the Via
Antonino
Pio
community
in Rome
on 7
August
1937 at
a time
when
there
was
great
heroism.
Her
first
apostolic
experience
was in
Massa
Martana
(PG) as
a
pre-novice,
and here
her good
example
made an
impact
on the
young
Angela
Orsini
who
entered
the
Pastorelle
Sisters
and took
the name
of Sr.
Celina
at her
Profession. |
|
|
Valentina
made her
First
Religious
Profession
on 21
September
1943,
and
chose
the name
of
Sr.
M.
Rosaria.
She
endured
the
terrible
hardships
of the
Second
World
War
together
with the
first
Pastorelle
Sisters.
After a
short
time in
Capoliveri,
she was
sent to
Pois
d’Alpago
joining
all
those
who had
been
evacuated
because
of the
war. At
the end
of the
war in
1945 she
went to
Marciana
Alta
where
she
dedicated
herself
to
working
with
young
women. |
In 1946
she was
chosen
by the
First
Master (primo
Maestro)
to go to
Brazil
together
with Sr.
M. Nives
Negri to
start
the
Congregation
but the
latter
returned
to Italy
only a
few
months
after
their
arrival.
Sr.
Rosaria
stayed
and
waited
for the
arrival
of other
Sisters
from
Italy.
Jesus
Good
Shepherd
blessed
her
generosity
and
rewarded
with
many
Brazilian
vocations
the
sacrifices
she
offered
up with
love and
humility. |
| |
|
|
|
She was always
poorly in health and
the demands of
adapting to the new
environment
certainly didn’t
make things better
for her. But she was
spiritually robust
and her faith was
unshakeable.
And so, aided by her
strong common sense
she began to
establish the
Pastorelle Sisters
in the big Brazilian
metropolis of San
Paolo, in an area
called Villa
Mariana, and with
the new Sisters from
Italy she opened a
small kindergarten
in a basement. We
are certain that the
heavenly Father
looked lovingly on
the hardships,
sufferings,
enthusiasm and
progress of this
foundation.
But after two years,
on the feast of the
Assumption of Mary
in 1949, Sr Rosaria
manifested the first
signs of a serious
illness: leukemia.
Like fire, in a span
of only fifteen
months, it consumed
her for the Lord,
and the offering she
made of her life
bore fruit for the
future of our
Congregation in
Brazil. She was 37
years old.
Recalling the
experience of her
illness and death,
this is what our
Brazilian Sisters
have written: |
|
“During
this
period
her
illness
went
through
four
crisis:
the
first
was
caused
by
pleurisy
and
chronic
leukemia
which
according
to the
doctor
was the
cause of
her
death.
She
received
the
sacrament
of the
Anointing
of the
sick but
God’s
plans
were
otherwise.
Following
radiation
treatment
she had
a brief
and
slight
improvement.
On the
week in
which
she
received
the
Anointing
of the
sick,
she told
us that
she had
heard a
voice in
her ear
saying:“On
a
beautiful
day!”
Every
feastday
became a
reason
for
trepidation
for us
while
for her
it was
joyful
expectation
of the
coming
of the
Lord.
The days
went by
and
filled
with
loving
care for
her, and
always
hoping
to see
some
stable
improvement
in her
condition.
However,
it
wasn’t
long
before
she
developed
a skin
rash
that
caused
her so
much
burning
that
made her
feel as
if she
were in
purgatory.
We
thought
“the
beautiful
day” had
arrived
for her
but
Jesus
was
reserving
more
suffering
for her.
She took
penicillin
but her
illness
still
ran its
course
and
leaving
her in a
lot of
pain. It
wasn’t
until
the end
of May
that
there
was a
slight
improvement
in her
condition.
Towards
the
middle
of
August
she
lamented
severe
pains
again on
her
liver
and
spleen
which
were
caused
by the
leukemia.
|
For the
second
time she
had
radiation
treatment
and that
improved
her
condition
for
three
months.
She
resumed
her
charge
of the
house
but that
wasn’t
easy for
her as
she
always
had a
touch of
fever.
We
thought
that Our
Lady had
worked a
miracle.
In the
morning,
our
dearest
Mother
Rosaria
would
get up
and come
to Mass;
she
would
come
down the
stairs
even
twice in
a day;
she
would
take
part in
almost
all of
the
recreation
times
and was
the life
of them.
But
unfortunately
even
this
time her
improvement
was
short
lived.
Early in
December
she
started
having
higher
temperature
and a
cold.
Then she
had
bronchial
pneumonia
and the
swelling
of the
liver
and
spleen
which
made her
breathing
always
more
difficult.
During
this
crisis,
she
asked
not to
be left
on her
own,
maybe
because
she felt
that
“the
beautiful
day” was
nearing.
The
doctor
gave her
penicillin
again
and this
made the
fever
drop
completely
but left
her very
sickly.
Time
went by
and in
spite of
all the
treatment,
there
was no
sign of
improvement.
At her
request,
she
received
the
Anointing
of the
sick for
the
second
time
receiving
great
spiritual
strength
from it. |
| |
|
|
|
On 1 January 1950
the doctor said that
he could see some
improvement but Sr.
Rosaria didn’t feel
so. In the last two
days of her life she
suffered greatly.
She could find no
rest. She spent the
last nights sitting
on an arm chair to
help her breathing.
On the last night,
groaning and seeking
a bit of relief, she
sent for a sister
and asked her to go
to the chapel and
pray for her, and to
light a candle to
Our Lady. During
this last night she
spoke to us of the
vow she had made
to offer her life
for the Congregation.
She asked for some
holy water to drive
the devil away as
she thought he was
there causing her to
suffer and wouldn’t
let her die At about
four o’clock in the
morning she insisted
that a priest come
to give her a
special blessing. |
| |
|
A
Pauline
priest
[1]
came and
at about
5.00 am
Sr.
Rosaria
began
her last
agony
but
still
joining
in the
prayer
which
could be
seen
from the
movement
of her
lips.
Eventually
the
priest
said: “I
am going
to the
chapel
to
celebrate
Mass for
you, and
you can
join me
with
your
thoughts”.
She gave
a nod.
She
renewed
her
vows;
kissed
the
Crucifix
many
times
and as
the
priest
finished
offering
the
sacrifice
of the
Mass,
Jesus
also
accepted
the
sacrifice
of her
spouse
M. Maria
Rosaria.
It was 7
o’clock
in the
morning.
The
priest
gave her
the
Papal
blessing
and the
indulgences
|
for the
dying,
and Sr.
M.
Rosaria
breathed
her last
in the
embrace
of the
Lord.
Hers was
an
enviable
death,
calm and
serene.
Her face
was as
if
smiling.
She
suffered
a great
deal but
accepted
everything
from the
hands of
God with
courage
and
spiritual
strength,
leaving
us a
great
example.
We are
confident
that she
will
intercede
for us
ad for
the
needs of
the
Congregation.
She used
to say
that she
couldn’t
be of
much
help to
us on
this
earth,
but that
from
Paradise
she
would
have put
in a
good
word to
Jesus
for the
Pastorelle”. |
| |
|
|
|
The news of her
death was
communicated to the
Founder by telegram.
In his reply he
wrote: “I have
only ever heard
praises told of this
Sister, for her
upright spirit, her
religious observance
and her deep and
true piety. Her
patience in the face
of much suffering,
her heart of a true
Pastorelle Sister,
and her common sense
are well known to
all the Pastorelle.
She was a soul
given all to
God and she was
purified by her many
suffering. For this
I believe that she
is now the heavenly
protector of the
Pastorelle Sisters.
From heaven she will
do for you more and
better than when she
was on earth.”[2]
In a letter to her
sister Gemma, who
was also a
Pastorelle Sister,
in November 1949,
sr. M. Rosaria
wrote: “I always
pray for you and ask
that you also
remember me in your
prayer that I may
always be generous
with the Lord, and
always say “yes” in
all that he sends my
way. A few moments
in heaven will be
enough reward for
whatever suffering
we may have endured
on this earth”.
The Good Shepherd
not only gave her
the joy of his
presence in
Paradise, but he
also kept his
promise, because
after her death he
gifted our
Congregation with
many vocations both
in Italy and Brazil.
“Love is truth
manifested, beauty
is love fulfilled”,
says the 20th
century Russian
theologian, Pavel
Florenskji. We see
this reflected in
the short and
intense life of our
sister Sr. M.
Rosaria Nazzari. She
lived Love by
witnessing to the
beauty of pastoral
holiness.
Sr. Giuseppina
Alberghina, sjbp
|
|
|
|
|
|
Archives |
|
●
Sr. Elizabeth
Franchi |
| |
|
|
|
