Subject: 'austraLasia' #312, #313
Note: double-header - yet another Salesian Beatification; aftermath in
Madagascar
'austraLasia' #312
ROME: BEATIFICATION OF ARTEMIDE ZATTI CLOSE
(ANS) – At 11.15 a.m. on 9 March (commemoration of the death of Saint
DomInic Savio) the unanimous approval of the miracle was communicated by the
Medical Council. The miracle under scrutiny was the cure of Don Carlo Bosio,
present Provincial of Rosario, from a very serious case of septicaemia, when
a student of theology in 1980.
With the recognition of the miracle the road to the Beatification is very
near. He is the first Salesian Brother to reach this level.
The final word of the theologians and Cardinals is now awaited for the
reading of the decree and assigning of the date for the Beatification.
ARTEMIDE ZATTI (1880-1951) was born at Boretto (Reggio Emilia, Italy.) on 12
October 1880. His mother, Albina Vecchi, was sister of the grand-father of
the Rector Major Don Juan E. Vecchi. At the beginning of 1897, the family
emigrated to Argentina and settled in Bahia Blanca. It was here that
Artemide began to frequent the parish run by the Salesians, and he won the
confidence of the parish priest Father Carlo Cavalli who advised him to
become a Salesian Brother. He was accepted as an aspirant by Monsignor
Cagliero and entered the Casa di Bernal at the age of 20.
Among other things, Zatti was asked to take care of a young salesian priest
suffering from tuberculosis who later died in 1902. Artemide himself
contracted the disease which was considered to be incurable in those days.
Therefore, he was sent to the hospital of San Josè. Here he was closely
followed up by Father Evarisio Garrone, the unofficial doctor. Along with
him, Zatti asked and obtained from Mary Help of Christians the grace of a
cure. On his part, he promised that he would dedicate all his life to taking
care of sick people. He kept his promise. At first he became involved in the
pharmacy annexed to the hospital. When Father Garrone died, he took charge
of the hospital. Hospital! It became the place of his sanctity. He was
totally dedicated to his sick people.
Special care was given to those who had rather humiliating diseases: he took
them apart <I think they mean 'aside'! JBF>, because he did not want others
to know about them.
In 1950 he fell down some stairs and was forced to take some rest. After a
few months symptoms of cancer were found. He passed away on 15 March 1951.
His remains are laid to rest in the chapel of the Salesians at Viedma.
Beginning of the Process: 22 - 3 - 1980
Conclusion of the Process: 14 - 12 – 1984
Beginning of process on the Miracle : 16 – 4 - 1998
'austraLasia' #313
MADAGASCAR: SALESIANS PLAN TO ASSIST PEOPLE
ANS 10th march -- (translated, paraphrased and abbreviated): In the
aftermath of the cyclones, the human cost can begin to be counted - at least
200 dead, 11,000 homeless, 13,000 stranded by floodwaters...but some 600,000
people in all directly affected. Salesians are all safe and not too much
damage to structures. Our House at Ankilolokar in the North remains isolated
by floodwaters. The two confreres there are safe, though their radio
equipment is damaged. We have yet to hear from the conferes in the House ta
Bemaneviky in the extreme North.
With the cyclones gone there remains the problem of disease, cholera
especially. The worst situation is at Tulear - 420 confirmed dead from
cholera, and 5591 homes suspected of infection. The Salesian Community has
undertaken the task of vaccinating the parish population. Elsewhere at
Ankililoaka where the Salesians are, some 30 are dead so far.
The Salesians, drawing on the resources of the Provinces of origin (they are
chiefly missionaries from five Italian Provinces).
MADAGASCAR, for those who are not sure, is a large island off the South East
Coast of the African Continent. There is one quite strange and little-known
fact which interests the editor of 'austraLasia' at the moment - the
existence of elements of the Fijian language there! Some have used it as
argument that Fijians come from Africa, The argument is spurious -
linguists have ascertained that the opposite happened, that Fijians, once
rather clever at boat-building, headed that way instead!
