Fall 2013 Almost 100 Years Ago
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The Pro Sanctity Newsletter Year of the Founder Fall 2013 Almost 100 Years Ago... on June 25, 1914, Maria and to avoid paying the fare. Then Gaetano Giaquinta became there was the time he, though the parents of their third child, acting with charitable motives, Guglielmo (William). He spent collected stamps for the mis- the first nine years of his child- sions, but played ‘hooky’ from hood with them in the place of school for a month to do it. His his birth, Noto, Sicily, but when older brother kept the secret, they moved to Rome, he was then finally told his father after not able to join them until he the brothers had a fight. was 11 years old. Gaetano soon decided that his However, some of his youth- youngest son needed discipline ful escapades in the big city and sent him to the Minor Semi- surely did not point to the nary in Rome where he learned saintly man he was to be- good study habits and self- come. Guglielmo’s favorite control. Most important, it was understanding confessor, an mode of transportation was to there that he discerned his voca- eloquent preacher, and a gifted hang on the outside of trains tion. Though Guglielmo was writer. developing a strong character, In the aftermath of World War he was also becoming a kind, II, Msgr. Giaquinta saw the IN THIS ISSUE gentle, modest, and holy young need to minister to Italian youth man. The first of 4 special issues who were rootless and search- commemorating Bishop After continuing his formation ing for something. Thus in Giaquinta’s 100th Birthday in the Major Seminary of St. 1947, he founded the Pro John Lateran, Guglielmo was This Just In………………page 2 Sanctity Movement as a means The Creed - Part II……...page 2 ordained a priest in 1939. Fur- to spread the Universal Call to From Desk of Director….page 3 ther study led to a law degree Holiness and provide a struc- Ask Pro Sanctity………...page 4 and appointment as Judicial ture that would give meaning to Personal Challenge……..page 4 Vicar in the Vicariate of Rome – their lives. Our Stories in Pictures….page 5 an office that he held for ten Guglielmo Giaquinta became Saints for Our Times…....page 6 years. He was known as a faith- Come Grow with Us…….page 7 a bishop in 1968 and continued ful priest, an effective spiritual Save the Date…………...page 8 director and retreat master, an Continued on page 3 This Just In… because of the Incarnation. The Agnes Rus, A.O. Blessed Virgin Mary has a tre- mendous role in this. Could God Update on the Cause of have chosen to accomplish Sal- Beatification of Servant of God vation another way? Of course! Bishop William Giaquinta But He chose to have the Sec- Founder of the Pro Sanctity Movement ond Person of the Trinity be- come a human being through the cooperation of the Blessed In the years since Bishop Virgin and so her participation in Giaquinta’s death, those in Rev. Msgr. Steven J. Aguggia the mystery of the Incarnation is charge of the process have Pro Sanctity Spiritual Advisor paramount. This is why the collected about 200 testimo- and Judicial Vicar of the Diocese Church honors and venerates of Brooklyn and Queens nies from cardinals, bishops, the Mother of God in a profound priests, nuns, spiritual children, continues his study of the Creed way. This is why her greatest married people, members of …... title is in fact, “Mother of our Institutes and the Pro Last time, we talked about God.” Can we easily see how it Sanctity Movement. the beginning of the Creed… all stems from the central mys- This summer, Judge Msgr. God our Father. tery of the Incarnation? Tasciotti and Mr. Francesco, We turn now to the second The Incarnation also means notary, came from Italy to visit (and longest) section, that is, the that the created world is good. Nebraska, California, and New part that describes the Son, Je- Sometimes in history, various York to meet with people who sus Christ. There is really too groups of heretics claimed that had met Bishop Giaquinta dur- much to discuss in just one short the world was evil or that created ing his numerous visits to the article. It requires an entire things drew us away from God. United States. Regrettably, the course on Christology (the theo- However, the fact that God be- interviewers arrived in Califor- logical study of Christ) and Mari- came man (a creation) proves nia just a few days after the ology (the theological study of that God loves His creation and death of Palmira Tafani, an Ap- Mary). that since it is from God, it is ostolic Oblate for over 50 years I would like to concentrate good. We can, of course, misuse and someone well acquainted our attention, then, on one im- creation and sin but that is a cor- with Bishop Giaquinta. Apart portant aspect of the mystery of ruption of what God intends. The from this unfortunate occur- Jesus Christ. In fact, it is so im- mystery of the Incarnation is also rence, the interviewers spoke portant and central to us that, the reason we use images in our with many people and were when reciting the Creed, we churches and for our devotion quite impressed by what they honor this section in a particular (pictures, statues, icons, etc.). heard and also by the develop- way by a bow or by a genuflec- God became man and so is able ment and spreading of the Pro tion. to be pictured. These things (and Sanctity Family in this country. “…And by the Holy Spirit he all created things) should lead us Let us continue to pray for was incarnate of the Virgin Mary to God, as long as we are not the intercession of Bishop and became man.” too attached to them and they Giaquinta and collect the testi- Here is the mystery of the become more important for us monies of graces received, es- Incarnation which is the central than God Himself. pecially those of healing. mystery of Christ. Imagine if you So…it is easy to see why we will…God, the Creator of all bow at these words things, the All-Mighty, becomes when we recite the Pro Sanctity East Newsletter a man, human in all things but Creed (or genuflect Editors sin, out of love for His creation… on Christmas us! “Incarnation” means “the tak- and the Annun- Angela Di Paola, A.O. ciation). They are Rosemary Darmstadt ing on flesh”…God becomes Mariakutty Joseph, A.O. man. the words which de- Nina L. Riti The mystery of the Incarna- scribe the very heart Agnes Rus, A.O. tion is what makes possible our of our Catholic Donna Spoto salvation. The Death and Resur- Faith! rection of the Lord is possible 2 continued from p 1 his pastoral care, deep con- in Rome on June 15, 1994. Ten years after his death, the Cause of cern for his fellow priests, and Bishop Giaquinta’s apostolic activity as the Beatification and Canonization of Coat of Arms Servant of God Guglielmo prophet of the Call to Holiness, Giaquinta was opened. such that in his lifetime the Pro (at left) contains the symbols of a boat which depicts the Sanctity Movement spread from his native Italy to the Church, firm in her direction in the midst of the forces of evil United States, Belgium, Malta, represented by the stormy and India, and more recently to seas. The star stands for Latvia (north of Lithuania), and Mary, Mother of the Church Holland. and light for its journey. Although Bishop Giaquinta was ill for the last eleven years DUC IN ALTUM of his life, he served his dio- “Put out into deep wa- cese as long as he was able ter.” (Luke 5:4) expresses and led all branches of his Pro Bishop Giaquinta’s teaching to Sanctity Family until his death be more and to do more. From the Desk of the Director Donna Spoto st The universal Church recognizes November 1 as All Saints Day: a day we recognize the holiness of the saints in heaven—both known and unknown. The desire of Bishop Giaquinta to communicate to all people their fundamental vocation to holiness was so great that he designated November 1st as the Day of Univer- sal Sanctification. This essential Pro Sanctity celebration touches the very core of our baptismal call to live holiness in our daily lives and the Founder dreamt that this would become a celebration of the whole world. This year’s celebration will be particularly poignant, as it opens the Year of the Founder (November 1, 2013 to November 1, 2014), celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bishop Giaquinta. Our news- letter will focus on the life of our Founder and will assist us in coming to know him more intimately— as a person, priest, bishop, founder, and devoted Servant of God. We celebrate his life as a true apostle of holiness! We are particularly blessed to have as our Episcopal Moderator Bishop Ray Chappetto, who has already embraced with great enthusiasm the Year of the Founder by sharing the Pro Sanctity message with all of his brother bishops in the United States (see enclosed letter). His love of the Pro Sanctity Movement shines through in his beautiful letter and generous availability to Pro Sanctity. Since the core of Pro Sanctity is to understand and know Christ personally and respond fully to His love, Bishop Chappetto shares that the Pro Sanctity Movement promotes the Universal Call to Holiness by seek- ing to address the needs of the mind with theology, the heart with spirituality, and the hands with ministry.