NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE P AID CHICOPEE, MA 01021 Permit No. 56 THE ANCHOR “… to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm,…” (Heb 6:18,19) APOSTOLATE OF THE SUFFERING 60 60 th ANNIVERSARY We rejoice on this special year of the 60 ththth Anniversary of the foundation of the Apostolate of the Suffering, whose founders, were guided and inspired in all aspects of the association, by the maternal inspiration of our Blessed Mother. In 1947, Msgr. Novarese, along with Sister Elvira Myriam Psorulla, born in Haifa, and whom he had met providentially, founded the Apostolate of the Suffering. The elder Sister, to this day, continues to make her home above the church where is entombed our Founding Father the Servant of God, Msgr. Luigi Novarese. The 60 th Anniversary celebrations recently opened with the partici- pation of nine hundred International Members of the Apostolate of the Suffering on the 23 rd of May in Rome, with recognition by the Holy Father and a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica. Brother Bob Letasz, our American Director, was fortunate enough to be there at the time, as he was attending a Council Meeting of the International Msgr. Luigi Novarese Confederation. Our 60 th Anniversary Jubilee will conclude with a Pilgrimage to Fatima in October to participate in the 90th Anniversary celebra- tion of Our Lady of Fatima’s final apparition ‘The Miracle of the Sun’ in the Cova da Iria. “YOU,YOU, DEAREST ONES, CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE SALVATION OF HUMANITY, IF YOU UNITE YOUR PAIN,YOUR TRIALS TO THOSE OF Sr. Elvira Myriam Psorulla sodc JESUS.” Msgr. L.. Novarese Page 2 The ANCHOR 1948 ANGIOLINO BONETTA 1963 “When my time will Saving souls and redeeming sin- ners became the goals of his days. arrive, She herself will Angiolino was attracted to the come to get me”. “Volunteers of Suffering because he and Msgr. Novarese were both admir- Angiolino is a precious gift for our ers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. times. His will to live and his resigna- Angiolino had many gifts, but most tion to God’s Will are an inspiration. of all, that of comforting people and He remains a symbol in contrast to the giving them peace. “ these tears are insidious temptations of modern soci- precious, why not offer them to the ety. He is a vibrant part of God’s vine- Blessed Virgin? She accepts every- yard, totally immersed in God’s infinite thing” he would say. love. His presence characterized by the goodness which he instills in others He was gradually, literally put on the will never die. cross, After a while he reflected: “Up Angiolino grew up in an agricultural till now, I have asked to recover. For today’s youth, Angiolino is an family and led a simple life. He was a From this moment on, I will ask for excellent example that every season of good student at the local Elementary the grace to make me a saint.!” life has that enormous potential to fulfill School. He would serve the 6.00 a.m. God’s plan and to live in His grace. Hearing these words, inspired by the Mass and was the admiration of his par- Holy Spirit Msgr. Novarese, Sister To mothers and fathers, his story is ish priest. “ In reality”, said his mother, Myriam and Fr. Remigio decided to give a reminder that “Nothing is impossible “Angiolino never dreamt of becoming a Angiolino a great gift– they allowed him with God”, and that no gift is more pre- priest. Instead he always desired with to become a Silent Worker of the Cross, cious than that of faith. his whole heart to become a Silent making exception to the age limit. To everyone, it teaches that each Worker of the Cross whom he met Angiolino passed away on January part of suffering is an appeal to God’s through Msgr. Novarese and Father Re- 1963. forgiveness as seen on the Cross. It is migio.” the person’s total abandonment to Then he started having pain, subtle at The cause for his beatification has been Christ. first, but soon becoming more severe. given to Father Luca De Rosa of the Order of Minor Friars, who has already Those who knew Angiolino cannot Upon examination he was diagnosed the nulla-osta from the Archbishop of think of him without smiling with affec- with an incurable bone cancer which Brescia, Msgr. Bruno Foresti. tion and feeling moved by his sacrifice. eventually necessitated the amputation of his right leg. THE LORD WORKING THROUGH US Perhaps it can be said that heaven is on its way to us as long as we do not keep it at a distance by our own actions. I believe it is no fantasy or delusion to think this way: that our whole Christian life consists in having heaven continually striving to catch up with us, close in on us. Every Christian act, belief, love sacrifice, struggle, every perseverance, and coura- geous performance – all these things make possible the approach of him who desires only to come forward. But all coldness, indifference, slothfulness, weakness pride, covetousness – everything that sin is called – forces him back, bars the road to him. And heaven fights. Heaven wants to come to us. For heaven is only God’s love come home. What a tremendous thought it is: heaven on the way to meet me, relentlessly advancing toward me, and God’s eye is upon me. And to think of the mightiness of the will behind it! The monumental strength of that desire ! Monsignor Romano Guardini Summer ’07 Page 3 PRAYER Do not let your hearts be afraid for obtaining the beatification Complete freedom from fear is one of those things we owe wholly to of the Servant of God Our Lord. To be afraid is to do him a double injury. First, it is to forget Luigi Novarese him, to forget that he is with us, that he loves us, and is himself al- mighty, and second it is to fail to bend to his will. If we shape our will to his, as everything that happens is either willed or allowed by him, we Eternal Father, shall find joy in whatever happens, and shall never be disturbed or who so love your priests, afraid. So then, we should have the faith that banishes all fear. Beside us, face to face with us, within us, we have Our Lord Jesus, our God dispensers of the whose love for us is infinite, who is himself almighty, who has told us to Divine Mysteries, seek for the kingdom of God and that everything else will be given us. In we thank you for the gifts that blessed and omnipotent company, we must go straight along the path of the greatest perfection, certain that nothing will happen to us you have given your that we cannot use as the source of the greatest good for his glory and faithful priest the sanctification of ourselves and others, and that everything that hap- Luigi Novarese, pens is either willed or permitted by him, and that therefore, far from lying under the shadow of fear, we have only to say, “Whatever happens Founder of the – God be praised!” praying that he will arrange everything not in accor- Silent Workers of the Cross, dance with our ideas, but for his greater glory. We should never forget who understood the two axioms: “Jesus is with me” and “Whatever happens, happens by the saving value of suffering the will of God.” Venerable Charles de Foucauld ( 1916) contemplative and mystic, lived among the Tuareg people of Algeria. in an apostolate among the sick. Weapons for peace sent to Iraq and Saddam Hussein’s former palace We ask that he be glorified The message of Our Lady of Fatima – to pray the rosary for world peace – is not lost here on earth, on Sister Mary Winifred SP, (also a member of the Apostolate). In fact, one of her per- for the comfort and relief sonal ministry initiatives dovetails on her complete trust in the power of those 50 small of the suffering, beads. It all started when her brother, Robert, assured an ill friend he would, “…call my sister, the nun, and ask her to pray for you.” for the love he bore Before long, Sister Winifred’s prayers included her brother’s friend and the safe re- the Blessed Virgin Mary turn of that friend’s son-in-law serving in the military. Providentially, the newest name and for his shining example on Sister Winifred’s prayer list just happened to be stationed in one of Saddam’s for- of love for the Cross. mer Iraqi palaces. Please grant us Sending as many as possible - “Our Lady of Fatima said rosaries could stop war, so that’s what I was thinking,” said Sister Winifred of her decision to send rosaries to the favor we implore. the palace. (Insert here Soon an unspoken partnership emerged: Sister Wini- your special intentions). fred started her rosary mailing campaign to Iraq and her GLORY TO THE FATHER… palace insider distributed them to thousands of hands eager to use them – both within and beyond the palace Servant of God Luigi Novarese, walls. Sister Winifred wrapped and mailed, at her own Pray for us. expense, package after package of prayer beads. Today, she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Frascati, March 9, 1995 there are at least 5,000 more rosaries in Iraq than would Imprimatur + Giuseppe Matarrese be there without her personal crusade.