| “Father Annibale Maria Di Francia,<br>Proclaimed saint by pope John Paul II”<br>(Richmond Victoria, Australia) |
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| Scritto da Administrator |
| Mercoledì 10 Marzo 2004 21:20 |
 19 February 2004, in the Ordinary Public Consistory, held at the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Palace, Rome, Italy, in the presence of the General Superiors of the Daughters of Divine Zeal and the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus, their respective Councillors and representative Lay Rogationists, his Holiness Pope John II has considered the positive opinion of the Cardinals regarding the miracles through the intercession of Father Annibale Maria Di Francia and has fixed the date of his Canonisation on 16 May 2004. Father Annibale Maria Di Francia (1951 - 1927), born in Messina (Italy), the Founder of the Daughters of Divine Zeal (1887) and the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus (1897), will go to enrich the long list of Saints of the Catholic Church. The Vatican has approved the miracle through his intercession to Charisse Nicole Diaz, from Iloilo City, Philippines in 1993. The girl had developed bacterial meningitis when she was only few days old and was miraculously saved from that deadly disease, if not would have left her a vegetable all her life. She is now a vibrant and intelligent girl and is earning excellent marks at school. Father Annibale is universally known as the Apostle of Prayer for Vocations and Father of the Orphans and of the Poor, who was struck by the Gospel verse: “The harvest is great but the labourers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the Harvest to send labourers into his harvest” (Mt 9:35-38; Lk 10:2). This has become the predominant object of his life and work. For him the solution of the misery already present during his time is no other than ROGATE, which means, prayer for good and numerous workers particularly priests and religious in the fields of the Church and society. His life story evolves in Sicily, Italy between the end of nineteenth and the first two decades of the next century, but the consequences of his missionary work would strike the time in many nations and far continents. It’s the “miracle” of a work of solidarity done in favour of the children living in conditions of extreme social difficulty: therefore, orphanages, institutions for education, formation and health, are the centre of the charitable and evangelical effort of Fr. Annibale and of his religious families that have welcomed his witnessing. The Daughters of Divine Zeal first came in Australia, through the request of Fr. Nicola Tornese, SJ, who was the chaplain of the Italian community at St. Ignatius Parish. The first Sisters arrived on 28 February 1959, settled in Richmond, Victoria, to realise a new apostolic work with the Italian migrants. Part of the newly arrived Sisters’ mission was to impart human and Christian education especially to little ones, and recognise the need of parents and families for social services such as child care centre, orphanages and Italian classes. They’ve been present in Shepparton for 20 years but due to scarcity of Sisters, the house was closed in 1989 and concentrated their apostolic ministry in Richmond. More recently, a new community was established in Chatswood, NSW (1999) to answer the request for pastoral ministry in the Parish of Our Lady of Dolours. Today, they continue ministering the young people through the Student’s Accommodation open for tertiary students coming from the country, interstate and overseas; childcare centre and pastoral visitation to the Filipino and Italian migrants, and the sick in the hospital and homebound. They share and witness before them the compassion of the Heart of Jesus, which sums up the Spirituality of Rogate that was handed down to them by their Founder, Fr. Annibale M. Di Francia. The challenge in this society and in this particular part of the world is real. The harvest is great but the labourers are few (Mt 9:35). LET US PRAY TO THE LORD OF THE HARVEST TO SEND LABOURERS TO HIS HARVEST. This is the SOLUTION! |
| Ultimo aggiornamento Mercoledì 10 Marzo 2004 21:20 |