S
OCIETA’
DI SAN FRANCESCO DI SALES
sede centrale salesiana
Via Marsala 42 - 00185 Roma
Il Postulatore Generale
per le Cause dei Santi
Rome, 31 December 2021
DOSSIER OF THE POSTULATION GENERAL OF THE SALESIANS OF DON BOSCO
"Let us not forget that it is precisely the saints who drive the Church forward and make her grow". (Pape Francis).
"From now on let it be our motto: let the holiness of the children be the proof of the holiness of the father".
(Don Rua)
We need to express profound gratitude and praise to God for the holiness already recognized in Don Bosco's Salesian Family and for that which is in the process of being recognized. The outcome of a Cause of Beatification and Canonization is an event of extraordinary importance and ecclesial value. It is in fact a matter of discernment regarding the fame of holiness of a baptized person who has lived the evangelical beatitudes to a heroic degree or who has given his life for Christ.
From Don Bosco to the present day there is a tradition of holiness that deserves attention, because it is the incarnation of the charism that originated from him and that has been expressed in a plurality of states of life and forms. It is a question of men and women, young people and adults, consecrated and lay people, bishops and missionaries who in different historical, cultural and social contexts in time and space have made the Salesian charism shine with a singular radiance, representing a patrimony that plays an effective role in the life and community of believers and for people of good will.
1. LIST AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2021
Our Postulation covers 173 Saints, Blesseds, Venerables and Servants of God.
The causes directly followed by the Postulation are 58 (+ 5 extra).
SAINTS (9)
saint Giovanni Bosco, priest (date of Canonization: 1 April 1934) – (Italy)
saint Giuseppe Cafasso, priest (22 June 1947) – (Italy)
saint Maria D. Mazzarello, virgin (24 June 1951) – (Italy)
saint Domenico Savio, adolescent (12 June 1954) – (Italy)
saint Leonardo Murialdo, priest (3 May 1970) – (Italy)
saint Luigi Versiglia, bishop, martyr (1 October 2000) – (Italy - China)
saint Callisto Caravario, priest, martyr (1 October 2000) – (Italy- China)
saint Luigi Orione, priest (16 May 2004) – (Italy)
saint Luigi Guanella, priest (23 October 2011) – (Italy)
BLESSEDS (118)
blessed Michele Rua, priest (date of Beatification: 29 October 1972) – (Italy)
blessed Laura Vicuňa, adolescente (3 September 1988) – (Chile – Argentina)
blessed Filippo Rinaldi, priest (29 April 1990) – (Italy)
blessed Maddalena Morano, virgin (5 November 1994) – (Italy)
blessed Giuseppe Kowalski, priest, martyr (13 June 1999) – (Poland)
blessed Francesco Kęsy, laity, & 4 companians martyrs (13 June 1999) – (Poland)
Czesław Józ´wiak, laity
Edward Kaz´mierski, laity
Edward Klinik, laity
Jarogniew Wojciechowski, laity
blessed Pio IX, pope (3 September 2000) – (Italy)
blessed Giuseppe Calasanz, priest, & 31 compagni martiri (11 March2001) – (Spain)
Antonio Maria Martín Hernández, priest
Recaredo de los Ríos Fabregat, priest
Giuliano Rodríguez Sánchez, priest
Giuseppe Giménez López, priest
Agostino García Calvo, coadjutor
Giovanni Martorell Soria, priest
Giacomo Buch Canal, coadjutor
Pietro Mesonero Rodríguez, cleric
Giuseppe Otín Aquilué, priest
Alvaro Sanjuán Canet, priest
Francesco Bandrés Sánchez, priest
Sergio Cid Pazo, priest
Giuseppe Batalla Parramó, priest
Giuseppe Rabasa Bentanachs, coadjutor
Gil Rodicio Rodicio, coadjutor
Angelo Ramos Velázquez, coadjutor
Filippo Hernández Martínez, cleric
Zaccaria Abadía Buesa, cleric
Giacomo Ortiz Alzueta, coadjutor
Saverio Bordas Piferrer, cleric
Felice Vivet Trabal, cleric
Michele Domingo Cendra, cleric
Giuseppe Caselles Moncho, priest
Giuseppe Castell Camps, priest
Giuseppe Bonet Nadal, priest
Giacomo Bonet Nadal, priest
Alessandro Planas Saurí, lay collaborator
Eliseo García García, coadjutor
Giulio Junyer Padern, priest
María Carmen Moreno Benítez, virgin
María Amparo Carbonell Muñoz, virgin
blessed Luigi Variara, priest (14 April 2002) – (Italy – Colombia)
blessed Artemide Zatti, religious (14 April 2002) – (Italy – Argentina)
blessed Maria Romero Meneses, virgin (14 April 2002) – (Nicaragua – Costa Rica)
blessed Augusto Czartoryski, priest (25 April 2004) – (France – Poland)
blessed Eusebia Palomino, virgin (25 April 2004) – (Spain)
blessed Alexandrina M. Da Costa, laity (25 April 2004) – (Portugal)
blessed Alberto Marvelli, laity (5 September 2004) – (Italy)
blessed Bronislao Markiewicz, priest (19 June 2005) – (Poland)
blessed Enrico Saiz Aparicio, priest, & 62 companians martyrs (28 October 2007) – (Spain)
Felice González Tejedor, priest
Giovanni Codera Marqués, coadjutor
Virgilio Edreira Mosquera, cleric
Paolo Garcia Sánchez, coadjutor
Carmelo Giovanni Pérez Rodríguez, sub-deacon
Teodulo González Fernández, cleric
Tommaso Gil de la Cal, aspirant
Federico Cobo Sanz, aspirant
Igino de Mata Díez, aspirant
Giusto Juanes Santos, cleric
Vittoriano Fernández Reinoso, cleric
Emilio Arce Díez, coadjutor
Raimondo Eirín Mayo, coadjutor
Matteo Garolera Masferrer, coadjutor
Anastasio Garzón González, coadjutor
Francesco Giuseppe Martín López de Arroyave, coadjutor
Giovanni de Mata Díez, lay collaborator
Pio Conde Conde, priest
Sabino Hernández Laso, priest
Salvatore Fernández Pérez, priest
Nicola de la Torre Merino, coadjutor
Germano Martín Martín, priest
Giuseppe Villanova Tormo, priest
Stefano Cobo Sanz, cleric
Francesco Edreira Mosquera, cleric
Emanuele Martín Pérez, cleric
Valentino Gil Arribas, coadjutor
Pietro Artolozaga Mellique, cleric
Emanuele Borrajo Míguez, cleric
Dionisio Ullívarri Barajuán, coadjutor
Michele Lasaga Carazo, priest
Luigi Martínez Alvarellos, cleric
Giovanni Larragueta Garay, cleric
Fiorenzo Rodríguez Güemes, cleric
Pasquale de Castro Herrera, cleric
Stefano Vázquez Alonso, coadjutor
Eliodoro Ramos García, coadjutor
Giuseppe Maria Celaya Badiola, coadjutor
Andrea Jiménez Galera, priest
Andrea Gómez Sáez, priest
Antonio Cid Rodríguez, coadjutor
Antonio Torrero Luque, priest
Antonio Enrico Canut Isús, priest
Michele Molina de la Torre, priest
Paolo Caballero López, priest
Onorio Hernández Martín, cleric
Giovanni Luigi Hernández Medina, cleric
Antonio Mohedano Larriva, priest
Antonio Fernández Camacho, priest
Giuseppe Limón Limón, priest
Giuseppe Blanco Salgado, coadjutor
Francesco Míguez Fernández, priest
Emanuele Fernández Ferro, priest
Felice Paco Escartín, priest
Tommaso Alonso Sanjuán, coadjutor
Emanuele Gómez Contioso, priest
Antonio Pancorbo López, priest
Stefano García García, coadjutor
Raffaele Rodríguez Mesa, coadjutor
Antonio Rodríguez Blanco, diocesan priest
Bartolomeo Blanco Márquez, laity
Teresa Cejudo Redondo, laity
blessed Zeffirino Namuncurá, laity (11 November 2007) – (Argentina – Italy)
blessed Maria Troncatti, virgin (24 November 2012) – (Italy – Ecuador)
blessed Stefano Sándor, religious, martyr (19 October 2013) – (Hungary)
blessed Tito Zeman, priest, martyr (30 September 2017) – (Slovakia).
VENERABLES (18)
ven. Andrea Beltrami, priest, (date of Decreto super virtutibus: 15 December 1966) – (Italy)
ven. Teresa Valsè Pantellini, virgin (12 July 1982) – (Italy)
ven. Dorotea Chopitea, laity (9 June 1983) – (Spain)
ven. Vincenzo Cimatti, priest (21 December 1991) – (Italy – Japan)
ven. Simone Srugi, religious(2 April 1993) – (Palestine)
ven. Rodolfo Komorek, priest (6 April 1995) – (Poland – Brazil)
ven. Luigi Olivares, bishop (20 December 2004) – (Italy)
ven. Margherita Occhiena, laity (23 October 2006) – (Italy)
ven. Giuseppe Quadrio, priest (19 December 2009) – (Italy)
ven. Laura Meozzi, virgin (27 June 2011) – (Italy – Poland)
ven. Attilio Giordani, laity (9 October 2013) – (Italy – Brazil)
ven. Giuseppe Augusto Arribat, priest (8 July 2014) – (France)
ven. Stefano Ferrando, bishop (3 March 2016) – (Italy – India)
ven. Francesco Convertini, priest (20 January 2017) – (Italy – India)
ven. Giuseppe Vandor, priest (20 January – 2017) – (Hungary - Cuba)
ven. Ottavio Ortiz Arrieta Coya, bishop (27 February 2017) – (Peru)
ven. Augusto Hlond, cardinal (19 May 2018) – (Poland)
ven. Ignazio Stuchly, priest (21 December 2020) – (Czech Republic)
SERVANTS OF GOD (28)
The ‘Positio’ was presented
Elia Comini, priest (Italy) martyr
Special Congress of Theologians: 2 May 2022
Antonio De Almeida Lustosa, bishop (Brazil)
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 2 May 2003
Carlo Crespi Croci, priest (Italy – Ecuador)
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 15 February 2010
The drafting of the ‘Positio’ is in progress
Costantino Vendrame, sacerdote (Italia – India)
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 1 February 2013
Giovanni Świerc, priest e 8 companians, martyrs (Poland)
Ignazio Dobiasz, priest
Francesco Harazim, priest
Casimiro Wojciechowski, priest
Ignazio Antonowicz, priest
Lodovico Mroczek, priest
Carlo Golda, priest
Vladimiro Szembek, priest
Francesco Miśka, priest
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 10 May 2013
Oreste Marengo, bishop (Italy – India)
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 6 December 2013
Carlo Della Torre, priest (Italy – Thailand)
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 1 April 2016
Andrea Majcen, priest (Slovenia – China – Vietnam)
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 23 October 2020
Rodolfo Lunkenbein, priest (Germany – Brazil) & Simão Bororo, laity (Brazil), martyrs
Decree of validity of the Diocesan Inquiry: 16 December 2020
The Decree of Validity of the Diocesan Inquiry is pending.
Anna Maria Lozano, virgin (Colombia)
Closing date for Diocesan Inquiry: 19 June 2014
Diocesan Inquiry in progress
Matilde Salem, laity (Syria)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 20 October 1995
Carlo Braga, sacerdote (Italy – China – Philippines)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 30 January 2014
Antonino Baglieri, laity (Italy)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 2 March 2014
Antonietta Böhm, virgin (Germany – Mexico)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 7 May 2017
Silvio Galli, sacerdote (Italy)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 11 October 2020
Cognata Giuseppe, bishop (Italy)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 12 December 2020
Rosetta Marchese, virgin (Italy)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 30 april 2021
Luigi Bolla, priest (Italy – Ecuador – Peru)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 27 September 2021
Vera Grita, laity (Italy)
Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 23 January 2022
EXTRA CAUSES FOLLOWED BY THE POSTULATION (5)
Venerable COSTA DE BEAUREGARD CAMILLO, priest (France)
The Decreto super virtutibus: 22 January 1991
Venerable BARELLO MORELLO CASIMIRO, Franciscan Third Order (Italy - Spain)
The Decreto super virtutibus: 1 July 2000
Venerable TYRANOWSKI GIOVANNI, laity (Poland)
The Decreto super virtutibus: 20 January 2017
Venerable BERTAZZONI AUGUSTO, bishop (Italy)
The Decreto super virtutibus: 2 October 2019
Venerable of God CANELLI FELICE, priest (Italy)
The Decreto super virtutibus: 22 May 2021
We should also remember the Saints, Blesseds, Venerables and Servants of God who at different times and in different ways have encountered the Salesian charism, such as: Blessed Hedwig Carboni, the Servant of God Cardinal Giuseppe Guarino, founder of the Apostles of the Holy Family, the Servant of God Salvo d'Acquisto, a past pupil, and many others.
2. EVENTS OF 2021
On 13 January 2021 the Holy See granted the Nulla Osta for the Cause of the Servant of God Mother Rosetta Marchese (1922-1984), Professed Sister of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
On 12 March 2021, the Positio super Vita, Virtutibus et Fama Sanctitatis of the Servant of God Carlo Crespi Croci, (1891-1982) Professed Priest of the Society of St Francis de Sales, missionary in Eucador, was submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
On 27 April 2021, the volume of the Positio super Vita, Virtutibus et Fama Sanctitatis of the Servant of God Antonio de Almeida Lustosa, of the Society of St Francis de Sales, Archbishop of Fortaleza (Brazil), was submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.
On 30 April 2021, at the Vicariate of Rome, the official opening of the Diocesan Enquiry for the Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Mother Rosetta Marchese (1922-1984), Professed Sister of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, took place.
On 4th May 2021 in the Ordinary Session of the Cardinals and Bishops members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a fully positive opinion was given, regarding the heroic exercise of virtues, the reputation for holiness and the signs of the Servant of God Felice Canelli (1880-1977), Priest of the Diocese of San Severo (Foggia-Italy), Salesian Cooperator, whose Cause of Beatification is being followed by the Salesian Postulation.
On 22 May 2021 the Holy Father Francis authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the Decree concerning the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Felice Canelli (1880-1977), Priest of the Diocese of San Severo (Foggia-Italy), Salesian Cooperator.
On 26 May 2021 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints notified the Bishop of Savona-Noli, Monsignor Calogero Marino, of the Nulla osta from the Holy See for the opening of the Cause of Beatification and Canonisation of the Servant of God Vera Grita (1923-1969), Lay person and Salesian Cooperator.
1 July 2021 the Medical Council of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave a positive vote to the presumed miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Artemide Zatti, Salesian brother, which happened to Mr Roberto Narvaez (Philippines), recovery from "acute parenchymal haemorrhage with perilesional oedema with compression of the pons and shrinkage of the fourth ventricle" (22-23.8.2016).
10 August 2021 Presentation of the Supplication for the Opening of the Diocesan Enquiry super vita, super martyrio et super sanctitatis signorumque fame of the Servant of God AKASH BASHIR, (1994-2015) Lay person, Salesian Past pupil.
On 27 September at the archbishopric of Lima (Peru) the opening session of the diocesan enquiry into the life and heroic virtues as well as the reputation for holiness and signs of the Servant of God Luigi Bolla (1932-2013), professed priest of the Society of St Francis de Sales, missionary among the Shuar and Achuar Indians of Ecuador and Peru, was held.
From 30 October to 4 November 2021 Diocesan super miro enquiry at the Shrine of Our Lady of Myans (Chambéry - Savoy) "on the alleged miraculous healing of René Jacquemond's traumatic and infectious eye injury (right eye), obtained from God through the intercession of the Venerable Camille Costa de Beauregard".
3. REALISM OF FAITH
Holiness represents the incarnation of the charism and helps to live the Salesian spirit in a realistic form, by offering good practices, authentic incarnations of the charism. There is an apologetics of holiness that shows not with words or documents, but with life, the beauty and truth of the Gospel of Christ and the Salesian charism.
Each of our Saints, Blessed, Venerable and Servants of God is the bearer of a richness of aspects that deserve greater consideration and appreciation. It is a question of contemplating a diamond with many facets, some more visible and attractive, others less immediate and " pleasing", but certainly no less true and decisive. Knowing and making known these extraordinary believers generates a progressive involvement in their own journey, a passionate interest in their lives, a joyful sharing of the projects and hopes that animated their steps.
Some examples
- Youthful holiness emerges from the testimonies of Dominic Savio, Laura Vicuña, Zeffirino Namuncurá, 5 young Oratorians from Poznan.... There are 46 young people under the age of 29: adolescents, Salesian Cooperators, young Salesians in formation, priests, consecrated women and men!
B. Laura VICUÑA(1891-1904) – 13 years
S. Domenico SAVIO (1842-1857) – 15 years
B. Federico COBO SANZ, asp.(1919-1936) – 17 years, martyr
B. Zeffirino NAMUNCURA,(1886-1905) – 19 years
B. Jarogniew WOJCIECHOWSKI, orat. (1922-1942) – 20 years, martyr
B. Franciszek KĘSY, orat.(1920-1942) – 22 years, martyr
B. Czesław JÓŹWIAK, orat.(1919-1942) – 23 years, martyr
B. Edward KAZIMIERSKI, orat. (1919-1942) – 23 years, martyr
B. Edward KLINIK, orat.(1919-1942) – 23 years, martyr
B. Luis MARTÍNEZ ALVARELLOS, ch.(1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Juan LARRAGUETA GARAY, ch.(1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Florencio RODRÍGUEZ GÜEMES, sac. (1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Pascual DE CASTRO HERRERA, sac.(1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Esteban VÁZQUEZ Alonso, coad. (1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Heliodoro RAMOS GARCÍA, sac. (1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Emanuele BORRAJO MIGEZ, ch. (1915-1936) – 21 years, martyr
B. Bartolomé BLANCO MÁRQUEZ, coop. (1914-1936) – 22 years, martyr
B. Francesco Edreira Mosquera ch. (1914-1936) – 22 years, martyr
B. Javier BORDAS PIFERER, ch.(1914-1936) – 22 years, martyr
B. Zacarias ABADIA BUESA, ch. (1914-1936) – 22 years, martyr
B. Felipe HERNÁNDEZ MARTÍNEZ, ch.(1913-1936) – 23 years, martyr
B. Victoriano FERNÁNDEZ REINOSO, sac. (1913-1936) – 23 years, martyr
B. Jaime ORTIZ ALZUETA, coad.(1913-1936) – 23 years, martyr
B. Rafale RODRÍGUEZ MESA, sac.(1913-1936) – 23 years, martyr
B. Pedro ARTOLOZAGA MELLIQUE, sac. (1913-1936) – 23 years, martyr
B. Juan Luis HERNÁNDEZ MEDINA, sac.(1912-1936) – 24 years, martyr
B. Justo Juanes SANTOS, sac. (1912-1936) – 24 years, martyr
B. Pietro MESONERO RODRIGUEZ, ch.(1912-1936) – 24 years, martyr
B. Félix VIVET TRABAL, ch.(1911-1936) – 25 years, martyr
B. Teódulo GONZÁLEZ FERNÁNDEZ, ch. (1911-1936) – 25 years, martyr
B. Ramón EIRÍN MAYO, coad.(1911-1936) – 25 years, martyr
B.Francisco José Martin LOPEZ DE ARROYAVE coad. (1910-1936) – 26 years, martyr
Ven. Andrea BELTRAMI, sac.(1870-1897) – 27 years
B. Virgilio EDREIRA MOSQUERA ch. (1909-1939) – 27 years, martyr
B. Miquel Domingo CENDRA, ch.(1909-1936) – 27 years, martyr
B. Higinio DE MATA DIEZ, asp.(1909-1936) – 27 years, martyr
S. Callisto CARAVARIO, sac.(1903-1930) – 27 years, martyr
B. Alberto MARVELLI, exall. dell’orat.(1918-1946) – 28 years
B. Emilio ARCE DIEZ, sac.(1908-1936) – 28 years, martyr
B. Carmelo Juan PEREZ RODRIGUEZ, sudd.(1908-1936) – 28 years, martyr
B. Sanjuan CANET ALVARO, sac.(1908-1936) – 28 years, martyr
B. Anastasio GARZON GONZALEZ, sac.(1908-1936) – 28 years, martyr
Servo di Dio Karol Golda, sac.(1914-1941) – 28 years, martyr
B. José CASELLES MONCHO, sac. (1907-1936) – 29 years, martyr
B. Eliseo GARCIA GARCIA, coad. (1907-1936) – 29 years, martyr
Ven. Teresa VALSÉ PANTELLINI, FMA(1878-1907) – 29 years, virgin
Particularly, the testimony of St Dominic Savio shines through from several points of view:
The appeal to the preventive reality not only as an educative pedagogical aspect, but as a theological fact. In his life, as Don Bosco himself testifies, there is a preventive grace that works and is manifested.
The decisive value that First Communion represents.
The fact that he constitutes a kind of leader, a kind of teacher in the ways of God (as Don Bosco also sees him in the dream of Lanzo of 1876) and that is confirmed by the lives of so many of our Blessed, Venerable and Servants of God capable of making Dominic's intentions their own: Laura Vicuña, Zefirino Namuncurá, Giuseppe Kowlaski, Alberto Marvelli, Giuseppe Quadrio, Ottavio Ortiz Arrieta Coya.
Dominic's role in the foundation of the Sodality of the Immaculate, the nursery of the future Congregation, in relation to John Massaglia, a true friend for the things of the soul and of whom Don Bosco affirmed: "If I wanted to write about the beautiful traits of virtue of the young Massaglia, I would have to repeat in large part the things said of Savio, of whom he was a faithful follower while he lived".
- The dimension of Salesian paternity and maternity, an expression of pastoral charity that loves and makes oneself loved. Among the Salesians: Don Bosco's successors Michele Rua and Filippo Rinaldi; José Calasanz, Vincenzo Cimatti, Augusto Arribat, Carlo Braga, Andrea Majcen, Ignazio Stuchlý. Among the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians: Mother Mazzarello, Maddalena Morano, Maria Troncatti. Among the lay people we remember donna Dorotea Chopitea and Matilde Salem.
- The dimension of the "wounded family": the history of Salesian holiness is also marked by stories of wounded families: families where at least one of the parental figures is missing, or the presence of the mother and father becomes, for different reasons (physical, psychological, moral and spiritual), detrimental to their children. Don Bosco himself, who had experienced the premature death of his father and the estrangement from the family due to the prudent will of Mamma Margaret, wanted - not by chance - the Salesian work to be particularly dedicated to " the poor and the abandoned youth".
Blessed Laura Vicuña, born in Chile in 1891, fatherless and whose mother began living in Argentina with the rich landowner Manuel Mora; Laura was therefore wounded by her mother's situation of moral irregularity and was ready to offer her life for her.
The Servant of God Carlo Braga, born in Valtellina in 1889, abandoned by his father when he was very young and whose mother was sent away because she was considered, through a mixture of ignorance and slander, to be psychologically weak; Carlo therefore encountered great humiliation and saw his Salesian vocation put in difficulty several times by those who feared that he might suffer a repetition of the psychic discomfort falsely attributed to his mother.
- The vocational dimension, well expressed in the testimonies of:
Stephen Sándor (1914-1953), beatified in 2013, recalls the vital need for complementarity between the two forms of the one Salesian consecrated vocation: the lay vocation (coadjutor) and the priestly vocation. The luminous witness of Stephen Sándor, as a Salesian coadjutor, expresses a clear and decisive vocational choice, an exemplary life, an educative authority and an apostolic fruitfulness to look to for a presentation of the vocation and mission of the Salesian coadjutor, with a predilection for young apprentices and the world of work.
Titus Zeman (1915-1968), beatified in 2017, martyr for vocations. When the communist regime in Czechoslovakia banned religious orders in April 1950 and began deporting consecrated men and women to concentration camps, clandestine trips to Turin were organised to allow young Salesians to complete their studies. Fr Zeman took charge of this risky activity. The Servant of God organised two expeditions for about 30 young Salesians. On the third expedition Fr Zeman, together with the fugitives, was arrested. He underwent a harsh trial, during which he was described as a traitor to his country and a Vatican spy, and even risked death. He lived his Calvary with a great spirit of sacrifice and offering: "Even if I lost my life, I would not consider it wasted, knowing that at least one of those I helped became a priest instead of me".
- The martyrial dimension that expresses fidelity to the Gospel and the Salesian charism to the point of total self-giving in the mission received. From the protomartyrs Louis Versiglia and Callistus Carvario to the 95 martyrs of religious persecution in Spain; from the martyrs of Nazism in the extermination camps to the young martyrs of Poznan; from Stephen Sándor and Tito Zeman, victims of communism, to the martyrs defenders of the indigenous peoples Rodolfo Lunkenbein and Simão Bororo
- The missionary dimension, expressed by a considerable number of men and women who have borne witness to the proclamation of the Gospel, the inculturation of the faith, the promotion of women, the defence of the rights of the poor and indigenous people, and the foundation of local churches.
Luigi Versiglia and Callisto Caravario, martyrs in China; Luigi Variara, missionary in Colombia and founder of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart; Maria Troncatti, FMA, missionary among the Shuar people of Ecuador; Vincenzo Cimatti, founder of the Salesian presence in Japan; Rodolfo Komorek, Polish missionary in Brazil; Laura Meozzi, FMA, missionary in Poland; Attilio Giordani, Salesian Cooperator, missionary in Brazil; Stefano Ferrando, Francesco Convertini, Oreste Marengo and Costantino Vendrame, missionaries in India; Giuseppe Vandor, Hungarian Salesian missionary in Cuba; Carlo Crespi, missionary in Ecuador; Andrea Majcen, missionary in China and founder of the Salesian presence in Vietnam; Carlo Della Torre, missionary and founder in Thailand; Carlo Braga, missionary in China and founder of the Salesian presence in the Philippines; Antonietta Böhm, FMA missionary in Latin America; Luigi Bolla missionary among the Shuar and Achuar; Rodolfo Lunkenbein missionary martyr among the Bororo of Brazil.
- The victim-oblative dimension that expresses the deep root of "Da mihi animas". Starting from the trilogy Andrea Beltrami, Augusto Czartoryski, Luigi Variara, this strand continues along the years with other family figures such as Eusebia Palomino, Alexandrina Maria da Costa, Laura Vicuña, Bishop Giuseppe Cognata, Bishop of Silence; Salesian Cooperator Vera Grita and Nino Baglieri, Volunteer with Don Bosco, Rosetta Marchese, General Superior of the FMA.
- The episcopal dimension: in the varied trail of holiness that flourished in Don Bosco's school there is also a significant number of bishops who embodied in a special way the pastoral charity typical of the Salesian charism in the episcopal ministry: Luigi Versiglia (1873-1930) martyr, Saint; the Venerables Luigi Olivares (1873-1943), Stefano Ferrando (1895-1978), Ottavio Ortiz Arrieta Coya (1878-1958), Augusto Hlond (1881-1948), cardinal; the Servants of God Antonio de Almeida Lustosa (1886-1974), Oreste Marengo (1906-1998), Giuseppe Cognata (1885-1972).
- The dimension of "charismatic filiation". We venerate some saints who shared some seasons of life with Don Bosco, who appreciated his holiness, his apostolic and educative fruitfulness, but then travelled their own path with evangelical freedom, becoming founders in their turn, with their insightful intuitions, genuine love for the poor and boundless trust in Providence.
Saint Leonard Murialdo: in collaboration with Don Bosco he chose to work in the first oratories in Turin, among the poor and outcast boys of the suburbs: first at the Guardian Angel oratory, until 1857, and then at the Saint Louis oratory, as director, from 1857 to 1865. He later founded the Giuseppini del Murialdo.
Saint Louis Guanella: Longing for a more radical religious experience, in 1875 he went to Don Bosco in Turin, making his temporary profession in the Salesian Congregation. In his first two years as a Salesian, he was director of the St. Louis Oratory in Borgo San Salvario in Turin, while in November 1876 he was given the task of opening a new oratory at Trinità di Mondovì. In 1877 he was entrusted with adult vocations, which Don Bosco had called the 'Work of the Children of Mary'. His admiration for Don Bosco was also deeply rooted in their temperaments, which were very similar: enterprising, apostles of charity, decisive, influential fathers and with a great love for the Eucharist, Our Lady and the Pope. Salesian spirituality and pedagogy were a basic element in the formation and mission of the future founder. At Don Bosco's school he learnt the loving and firm approach to young people and the educational desire to prevent rather than cure; also the desire to save his brothers and sisters with the impetus of a great apostolic charity.
Saint Louis Orione: from October 1886 to August 1889 he was a pupil at the Valdocco Oratory in Turin. St John Bosco noticed his qualities and counted him among his predilections, assuring him: 'We will always be friends'.
- Blessed Giuseppe Allamano, Founder of the Consolata Missionaries. Grandson of Saint Joseph Cafasso on his mother's side, he attended grammar school at Valdocco and, as an educator, boasted none other than Don Bosco. At 22 he was ordained priest in Turin and immediately put in charge of the formation of young seminarians. At 29 he was rector of the sanctuary of Our Lady of Consolation and formator of the young clergy at the Convitto Ecclesiastico.
4. THE COMMITMENT TO SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE, IMITATION AND INTERCESSION OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY WHO ARE CANDIDATES FOR HOLINESS
We are the guardians of a precious heritage that deserves to be better known and appreciated. The risk is to reduce this patrimony of holiness to a liturgical-celebratory fact, without fully appreciating its spiritual, pastoral, ecclesial, educational, cultural, historical, social, missionary potential... The Saints, Blesseds, Venerables and Servants of God are precious gems that are taken from the darkness of the mine to be able to shine and reflect in the Church and in the Salesian Family the splendour of Christ's truth and charity.
The pastoral aspect touches on the effectiveness of the figures of the Saints, Blesseds, Venerables and Servants of God as successful examples of Christianity lived in the particular socio-cultural situations of the Church and the Salesian Family. The spiritual aspect implies an invitation to imitate their virtues as a source of inspiration and direction. The pastoral and spiritual incarnation of a Cause is an authentic form of pedagogy of holiness, to which we should, by virtue of our charism, be particularly sensitive and attentive.
A Cause of Beatification is never a dry procedural process, but a pilgrimage of faith in search, meditation and imitation of the virtuous heroism of the saints. It is an ecclesial action that has a certain liturgical character, since it is aimed at the praise of God and the glorification of his faithful servants. To this must be added the fact that the Causes of Beatification of Confessors of the Faith and all Causes of Canonization also include the accurate evaluation of a miracle, which is a work done by God through the intercession of one of his faithful servants, outside the order of causes known to us. If the verification of the heroic virtues of a Servant of God is a work "from below", the miraculous event is a work "from above", a gratuitous intervention by God, which requires a scrupulous scientific and theological verification of the truth of the facts.
Although there is no shortage of groups and initiatives that praiseworthily promote knowledge of and prayer for a Saint, Blessed, Venerable or Servant of God, this aspect needs to be better looked after and promoted. In this regard, the considerable number of Venerables (currently 18) is striking, as they could already be beatified, but without a miracle they remain at a standstill. One fact that gives us food for thought is that the last Canonization of the Salesian Family, promoted by our Postulation, was that of St Dominic Savio (12 June 1954), more than 66 years ago! The Canonisation of St Louis Versiglia and St Callistus Caravario took place by dispensation from miracles, granted by Pope John Paul II. The person responsible for the Cause is not the Postulator alone, or some individual devotee, but the ecclesial community which in its various components (diocese, parishes, congregations, associations, groups...) expresses interest, enthusiasm and participation.
4.1 Suggestions for promoting a Cause.
To encourage prayer through the intercession of the Blessed, Venerable Servant of God, by means of images (also ex-indumentis relics), leaflets, books... to be distributed in families, parishes, religious houses, spirituality centres, hospitals to ask for the grace of miracles and favours through the intercession of the Blessed, Venerable Servant of God.
It is particularly effective to spread the novena of Blessed, Venerable Servant of God, invoking his intercession in various cases of material and spiritual need.
Two formative elements are stressed: the value of insistent and trusting prayer and that of community prayer. We recall the biblical episode of Naam the Syrian (2 Kings 5:1-14), where we see several elements: the signaling of the man of God by a young girl, the instruction to bathe seven times in the Jordan, the indignant and resentful refusal, the wisdom and insistence of Naam's servants, Naam's obedience, the obtaining not only of physical healing but also of salvation. Let us also recall the description of the first community in Jerusalem, when it states: "All these were persevering with one accord in prayer, together with some women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers". (Acts 1:14).
It is advisable to hold a moment of prayer and commemoration every month on the day of the death of the Blessed (Venerable) Servant of God.
Publish a quarterly or every four months an information sheet informing about the progress of the Cause, particular anniversaries and events, testimonies, graces... to underline that the Cause is alive and accompanied.
Organize a commemorative day once a year, highlighting particular aspects or anniversaries of the figure of the Blessed, (Venerable) Servant of God, involving groups that are particularly "interested" in his or her testimony (e.g. priests, religious, young people, families, doctors, missionaries...).
Collect and document the graces and favours attributed to the Blessed, (Venerable) Servant of God. It is useful to have a notebook in which to note down and indicate the graces asked for and those received, as evidence of the fame of both holiness and signs. In particular, in the case of healings and/or presumed miracles, it is important to collect urgently all the medical documentation proving the case and the evidence attesting to intercession.
To set up a Committee that would undertake to promote this Cause also in view of the Beatification and Canonization. Members of this Committee should be people who are particularly sensitive to the promotion of the Cause: representatives of the diocese and parish of origin, leaders of groups and associations, doctors (for the study of the alleged miracles), historians, theologians and experts in spirituality...
Promoting knowledge through biography, critical edition of writings and other multimedia productions.
Periodically present the figure of the Blessed, (Venerable) Servant of God in the parish bulletin and the diocesan newspaper, in the Salesian Bulletin.
To have a website or a link dedicated to the Blessed, (Venerable) Servant of God with his life, data and news related to the Cause of Beatification and Canonization, request for prayers, report of graces...
Reviewing and reorganizing the environments where he/she has lived. Organize an exhibition space. Elaborate a spiritual itinerary in his footsteps, highlighting places (birthplace, church, living environment...) and signs.
To set up an archive with all the catalogued and computerized documentation relating to the Blessed, (Venerable) Servant of God.
To create an economic fund to support both the expenses of the Postulation of the Cause and the work of promotion and animation of the Cause itself.
To promote works of charity and education in the name of the Blessed, (Venerable) Servant of God, through projects, partnerships...
4.2 Initial discernment before starting a Cause of Beatification and Canonization.
First of all, it is necessary to investigate and document with great caution and diligence the fama sanctitatis et signorum of the candidate and the relevance of the Cause, in order to verify the truth of the facts and the consequent formation of a firm moral certainty. Furthermore, it is essential that the Cause in question concerns a relevant and significant portion of the people of God and is not the intention of just a few groups or even individuals. Unfortunately, some of our causes, apart from the holiness of the candidates, suffer from this fact. The question often arises: but who is interested in this Cause? Who promotes it? Who really wants this process? All this requires a more motivated and documented initial discernment, to avoid dispersion of energies, forces, time and resources. Every cause that is started requires a lot of commitment, care and dedication. The passage of time, the change of persons (postulator, rapporteurs, vice-postulators, collaborators...) often slows down, if not stops, the process initiated.
Conclusion
Recognized holiness, or holiness in the process of being recognized, on the one hand is already the realization of evangelical radicalism and fidelity to Don Bosco's apostolic project, to be looked to as a spiritual and pastoral resource; on the other hand, it is a challenge to live one's own vocation with fidelity in order to be prepared to bear witness to love to the extreme. Our Saints, Blesseds, Venerables and Servants of God are the authentic incarnation of the Salesian charism and of the Constitutions or Regulations of our Institutes and Groups in the most diverse times and situations, overcoming that worldliness and spiritual superficiality which undermine our credibility and fruitfulness. The saints are true mystics of the primacy of God in the generous gift of self, prophets of evangelical fraternity, creative servants of their brothers and sisters.
The path to holiness is a journey to be made together, in the company of the saints. Holiness is experienced together and achieved together. The saints are always in company: where there is one, there are always many others. The holiness of daily life makes communion flourish and is a "relational" generator. Holiness is nourished by relationships, by trust, by communion. Truly, as the liturgy of the Church makes us pray in the preface of the saints: "In their life you offer us an example, in their intercession a help, in the communion of grace a bond of brotherly love. Strengthened by their witness, let us face the good fight of faith, to share beyond death the same crown of glory".
Don Pierluigi CAMERONI SDB,
Postulator General for the Causes of Saints
postulatore@sdb.org
