The Road to Sainthood Pilgrimage

October 17-27, 2011

Rome, Italy

What is the experience of the canonization of a saint all about? We know that it is a very special occasion in the Church and that it happens infrequently. But what is it like to be there, and how can you describe the atmosphere? Since most of us have never participated in a momentous event such as this, we had to experience it for ourselves.

Most importantly, as members of the Guanellian Family, we were there to support the canonization of St. Louis Guanella, our Founder and inspiration for the work that we do in caring for the poor, the marginalized, and persons with disabilities. Fr. Guanella set the standard for the rest of us to follow, and his priests, sisters, and lay supporters were in Rome in full force during the past week to demonstrate just how far his charism has spread.

Although the canonization took place during one long three-hour event on Sunday October 23, 2011, the ceremony presented an opportunity for a reunion of the Guanellian Family from all over the world. Of the 20,000 people who were in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday morning, 12,000 people or 60% were said to be followers of Fr. Guanella.

The canonization was actually a series of events that took place over a five day period which began on Thursday October 20th, and ended on Monday October 24th. The events included the following:

Mass at St. Joseph at Trionfale in Rome with the Knights of St. Lazarus from Germany and the 1st U.S. delegation to arrive in Rome on 10/20.
An outdoor evening concert at St. Joseph at Trionfale on 10/21.
A Prayer Vigil at St. Paul Outside the Walls on 10/22.
The Canonization of St. Louis Guanella by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on 10/23.
A Thanksgiving Mass for St. Louis Guanella in St. Peter’s Basilica presided at by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone on 10/24.

Thursday - Members of the Divine Providence Province community were well represented at all of these events as Gero Lombardo led his delegation from Germany to Rome to hold a special installation ceremony for his Knights of St. Lazarus members on Thursday night.

Friday - The open air concert was a wonderful event under the stars and lights of Rome on Friday night, as 500 people attended this concert featuring six different acts, and all with original music dedicated to the life of Fr. Guanella. This was the first event with a true international feel to it, as Religious Guanellians and laity were present from every corner of the world. Unfortunately, as the temperatures dropped into the 40’s (F), the crowd began to dwindle due to the cold weather.

Saturday - The prayer vigil at St. Paul Outside the Walls was a beautiful event, as we arrived there in late afternoon during the daylight hours, and remained as the night descended upon us. The service, prayers, and music were performed in many different languages, and at the end of the ceremony, a line of flag bearers marched to the front, carrying the flags of the 22 different countries that the Guanellian Family has been welcomed into.

Sunday - Of course, the canonization was the highlight of the weekend, led by the presence of the Holy Father and 20,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. Your author was given the honor of performing a reading in front of the Pope’s Altar at 9:30 a.m. during the introductory ceremonies, and at 10:00 a.m., the Holy Father arrived to begin the services. The trumpets sounded, and the Swiss Guards clamored to their posts in their colorful uniforms. The remaining clouds parted, the sun shone brightly, and God smiled down on the crowd; right on cue. The pageantry was beautiful as each step of the canonization ceremony was completed, and the leadership of the Servants of Charity had a strong presence during the ceremonies. Participants included Fr. General Alphonso Crippa, Fr. Emeritus Nino Minetti, Fr. Mario Carrera (PUSJ), Fr. Councillor Piero Lippoli, and Fr. Provincial Luigi DiGiambattista; all present to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father.

Especially significant for our Province was the participation of William Glisson and Fr. Peter Di Tullio in the ceremonies. Accompanied by Fr. Peter, William was one of three members of the laity who carried the reliquaries to the altar carrying the bone fragments of each saint. Finally after the Litany of Saints, Pope Benedict XVI read the Formula for Canonization, and declared that Luigi Guanella, Guido Maria Conforti, and Bonifacia Rodriquez De Castro were the newest saints of the Catholic Church. Mass for 20,000 people followed the canonization ceremonies, and the Guanellian Family left with a blessing from the Holy Father, and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Monday - The following day, the Guanellian Family came together one last time to celebrate Mass with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State of the Vatican. It was a colorful site to behold, as well over 100 priests, bishops, and cardinals entered St. Peter’s Basilica for this special event that was shared with 12,000 members of the Guanellian Family. The laity brought their colors with them, as the Chilean’s were dressed in blue, the Brazilians in red, and members of the Divine Providence Province wore their white hats and yellow scarves. All of our Servants of Charity and local priests who came sat proudly near the altar, and Cardinal Bertone welcomed us all to Vatican City on behalf of the Holy Father. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, we had opportunities to exchange names with our new friends from the Guanellian family, and the official ceremonies came to an end.