The Saints of St. Peter's Square [1 ed.] 9781576595404

Citation preview

THE SAINTS OF ST. PETER'S SQUARE A

CONVERSATION

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE, OFM CAP.

TRANSLATED BY SR.

M.

LEONORA DESTEFANO

ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY PRESS

2016

RIGHT COLONNADE 1.St Gallicanus 2. St Leonard 3. St Petronilla - Virgin 4. St Vitalis - Martyr 5. St Thecla - Virgin & Martyr 6. St Albert7. St Elizabeth of Portugal- Queen 8. St Agatha - Virgin & Martyr 9. St Ursula - Virgin & Martyr 10. St Clare - Virgin 11. St Olympias - Widow 12. St Lucy - Virgin & Martyr 13. St Balbina - Virgin & Martyr 14. St Apollonia - Virgin & Martyr 15. St Remigius - Bishop 16. St Ignatius Loyola 17. St Benedict 18. St Bernard - doctor 19. St Francis of Assisi 20. St Dominic 21. St Macrina 22. St Theodosia -Virgin & Martyr 23. St Ephraim 24. St Mary of Egypt 25. St Mark - Evangelist 26. St Febronia - Virgin & Martyr 27. St Fabiola - Widow 28. St Nilamon 29. St Marcian - Martyr 30. St Eusignius - Martyr 31. St Marinus - Martyr 32. St Dydimus - Martyr 33. St Apollonius - Martyr 34. St Candida - Virgin & Martyr 35. St Fausta - Martyr 36. St Barbara - Virgin & Martyr 37. St Benignus - Martyr 38. St Malchus - Martyr 39. St Mamas - Martyr 40. St Columba - Virgin & Martyr 41. St Pontian - Pope & Martyr

42. St Genesius - Martyr 43. St Agnes - Virgin & Martyr 44. St Catherine - Virgin & Martyr 45. St Justin - Martyr 46. St Cecilia - Virgin & Martyr 47. St Frances of Rome 48. St George - Martyr 49. St Mary Magdalene of Pazzi 50. St Susanna - Virgin & Martyr 51. St Martina - Virgin & Martyr 52. St Nicholas of Bari - Bishop 53. St Nicholas of Tolentino 54. St Francis Borgia 55. St Francis de Sales 56. St Theresa - Virgin 57. St Juliana - Virgin & Martyr 58. St Julian - Bishop 59. St Celsus - Martyr 60. St Anastasius - Martyr 61. St Vincent - Martyr 62. St Paul- Martyr 63. St John - Martyr 64. St Damian - Martyr 65. St Cosmas - Martyr 66. St Zosimus - Martyr 67. St Rufus - Martyr 68. St Protase - Martyr 69. St Gervase - Martyr 70. St Thomas Aquinus - doctor

LEFT COLONNADE 71. St Bonaventure - Bishop 72. St Mark - Martyr 73. St Marcellinus - Martyr 74. St Vitus - Martyr 75. St Modestus - Martyr 76. St Praxedes - Virgin 77. St Pudentiana - Virgin 78. St Fabian - Pope 79. St Sebastian - Martyr 80. St Timothy - Bishop 81. St Faustus - Martyr 82. St Primus - Martyr 83. St Felician - Martyr 84. St Hippolytus - Martyr 85. St Basilissa - Martyr 86. St Paul- Martyr 87. St Juliana - Martyr 88. St Nereus - Martyr 89. St Achilleus - Martyr 90. St Felix - Martyr 91. St Constance - Martyr 92. St Andrew Corsini - Bishop 93. St Crescentius - Martyr 94. St Pelagia 95. St Pancras - Martyr 96. St Dionysus - Martyr 97. St Laurence - Martyr 98. St Stephen - Martyr 99. St Romanus - Martyr 100. St Eusebius - Bishop 101. St Spyridon - Bishop 102. St Ignatius of Antioch Bishop & Martyr 103. St Alexander - Bishop 104. St Leo the Great - Pope 105. St Anastasius - Bishop 106. St John Chrysostom - Doctor 107. St Ubald - Bishop 108. St Gregory Nazianzus - Doctor 109. St Leo IV - Pope 110. St Clement - Pope & Martyr 111. St Peter Celestine - Pope

112. St Marcellus - Pope & Martyr 113. St Martin - Pope and Martyr 114. St Sylvester - Pope 115. St Marcellinus -Pope & Martyr 116. St Galla - Widow 117. St Catherine of Siena - Doctor 118. St Beatrice Virgin & Martyr 119. St Theodora - Virgin & Martyr 120. St Hyacinth 121. St Francis Xavier 122. St Cajetan 123. St Philip Benizi 124. St Philip Neri 125. St Charles Borromeo - Bishop 126. St Anthony of Padua - Doctor 127. St Francis of Paola 128. St Anthony - Abbot 129. St Paul - First Hermit 130. St Peter Nolasco 131. StJoseph - Husband of Mary 132. St Romuald 133. Stjohn of Matha 134. St Louis Bertrand 135. St Bruno 136. St Hilarion 137. St Jerome - Doctor 138. St Theodore - Martyr 139. St Theobald - Martyr 140. St Norbert

Published in the United States by St. Bonaventure University Press an imprint of Franciscan Institute Publications St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY 14778

© 2016 Franciscan Institute Publications, St. Bonaventure University All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cover design by Jill M. Smith Cover Photo - Public Domain

ISBN: 978-1-57659-396-7 eISBN: 978-1-57659-397-4

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015956289

Printed and bound in the United States of America Franciscan Institute Publications makes every effort to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials in the publishing of its books. This book is printed on acid-free, recycled paper that is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. It is printed with soy-based ink.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Saints Among Us

1

On This Colonnade We Are Not Ornaments

1

A Life Is Well Spent When It Is Spent For Others

4

Total Beatitude Implies The Presence Of All Humanity

7

Love Is A Crane That Lifts Us Up

9

The "Weaknesses" Of The Saints

10

The Saint: The Person Who Frees And Is Free

20

The Freedom Of The Christian Saints

26

The Saint And The "Friendly Nature"

31

The "Why" Of Sanctity: The Infinite Desire For Joy

36

The One Who Loves Never Loses Hope

41

The Gate Of Happiness Opens To The Outside

44

To See God Means Never To Be Fulfilled In The Desire For Him

46

Love Of God And Neighbor Is The Very Same Love

48

The Message Of The Saints At The Beginning Of The New Millennium

53

Holy Bishops To Their Brother Bishops Of Today

57

The Priests Of The Colonade To The Priests Of 2000

61 vii

viii

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

The Popes Of The Past To The Popes Of 2000

66

Holy Religious Of The Colonnade To The Religious Of Today

70

Holy Lay People Of The Past To The Lay People Of The Present

75

Brief Biographies Of The Saints In Conversation

83

FOREWORD This edition of Bishop Padovese's "Piccoli dialogue fra santi di marmo" provides the Church an important resource for spiritual development. In the midst of time spent in Rome for meetings of Pope Francis' Council of Cardinals, I occasionally have the opportunity to walk through St. Peter's Square. At those times I consider the depth and breadth of the contributions to the life of the Church made by the saints whose images stand guard over the square, each day overseeing all who come and go in the midst of the life of the Church. Though Bishop Padovese's image is not above the Colonnade, we can consider him as among the most powerful witnesses in light of his lifelong commitment to the work of the Church and having made the ultimate sacrifice in that service. Pope Francis' extraordinary pastoral outreach and witness to the presence of the Lord in the world today has renewed the life of the Church for the Catholic community and society at large. It is notable that Bishop Padovese in many respects anticipated this spiritual development as he faithfully and skillfully brought the saints of the Colonnade from their place of enshrinement into the midst of the daily lives of the people of God. The short dialogues format of the Bishop's book will be very helpful for readers who, in the midst of increasingly busy lives and many demands on their time, seek an accessible means whereby they can enter into spiritual reflection based in the lives of women and men who have gone before us in faith. We are grateful to Sr. M. Leonora DeStefano, mfic, for her careful work in preparing this translation. Her dedication to this work, by far no small task and truly a labor of love, is a gift and blessing for us all. I encourage you to join in this spiritual journey, sharing in the saints' lives by making this book your own. Cardinal Sean O'Malley,OFM, Cap. Archbishop of Boston

ix

SAINTS AMONG US " ... because the saints are among us, they belong to our family and we to theirs. Like the Church on its journey, now taking its first steps in the third millennium, we look to them in order not to lose faith in ourselves and in others. The saints are a sign of optimism in the potential of every person: Let us turn to them to discover the saint which is inside us; let us measure ourselves by them to understand that God is not accustomed to declaring defeat in the face of human fragility." These words of John Paul II, read out slowly and broadcast from the microphones of Saint Peter's Square on January 1, 2000, produced one of those roars of applause which arouse only the invitation to hope or the denouncement of sin. Somehow it seemed like everything ended there, in that great theatre. Nobody thought that on that very night the words of John Paul II would be re-echoed in another discussion - on a higher level. But it is always like this: when St. Peter's Square empties and assumes the stillness of a photograph, and the silence, accompanied by a slight breeze, sweeps away the many voices of the day, a conversation begins among those 140 immobile witnesses, the statues of the Colonnade who, during the day, can only watch and listen. It is only during the night that they alter the balance of things seen and heard. That evening, the first of the year, each of them seemed eager to comment on the pope's long discussion that called upon them in such a solemn moment: the beginning of a new millennium.

ON THIS COLONNADE WE ARE NOT ORNAMENTS Usually, these nightly dialogues start out with one of the popes placed there on the Colonnade, or one of the Doctors of the Church, but this time it was Agnes (ca. III Cent.), the young Roman martyr, who had the first word and almost stole it from the others. "You'll excuse me if I speak first, but as you know, I sort of have a right to do so; I was the first one in 1662 to see this square. Here among you I stand in the group of the 'young ones,' but I was not considered so by the one who martyred me. Rather, he himself recognized in me an

1

2

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

energy which has nothing to do with age. So, if you please, it is as the eldest in this theatre that I will speak my thoughts. "When John Paul II spoke of us this morning, he presented us as a sign of optimism for a humanity which is always confronted with the same questions and always seeking answers. However, when I look down at the thousands of people parading below in this square - who do not even notice us, or who look around distractedly and do not even ask who we are, and do not see that we are different from each other - I get the impression that I am more of an ornament placed here to beautify this square, and not a sign of being a living presence. We certainly cannot hope that everyone would recognize us and know why we appear here. And yet the simple fact that only some German or Japanese tourists deign to take a photo of us, not knowing the ultimate meaning of our presence, makes me sad. "When Alexander VII (1655-1667) intended to decorate this portico, giving the commission to Gianlorenzo Bernini, he was thinking of us. He wanted us on this balcony to signify a sense of embrace, the maternity of the Church which, through us, reaches all humankind. We who have been carried by his arms now identify ourselves with these arms. As daughters and sons of the Church, we have become mothers who embrace humanity with our humanity. How can one come in contact with God if one does not accept this embrace? After all the things that I have heard and seen in 350 years, know that I do not wish to exalt our presence, but I would like to say - and I know you will agree - that we must make ourselves more present to the humanity of today in the right light. With all the beatifications and canonizations which I have witnessed - and in these past years we have seen so many - it is clear to me that our role is to transmit our experience more and more than it is to 'give thanks.' This means to be and make the Church: a place where we exchange favors, where we help one another, but especially, where one feels at home. "If everyone who passed underneath us were to realize we are a living part of this family and not ornamental motifs in need of restoration, certainly they would give us more attention. We are the submerged part of the iceberg that today's men and women tread upon. We must convince them that they walk on our shoulders - not to brag about it (a feeling that could only belong to one who lives in the dispersion of ordinary things), but to free them from the illusion of having to build life alone, as if we had been less alive and active than they are. If they

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

3

only knew what power is in our hands; if they would become aware that there exists not only a democracy, a monarchy, and a hierarchy but also an hagiocracy (the authority of the saint)! They would read history in another light, and above all would reconstruct it in a different way." These words of Agnes met immediate approval in the assembly of the 139, and moved Joseph, spouse of Mary and generally a man of few words, to intervene. '~gnes," he observed, "you are right in pointing out how little attention people pay us. Sure, they talk about a 'communion of the saints,' but these words, like so many others, seem like fireworks; they produce a sensation, enchant the viewer, but then leave everything as it was, and everyone falls back on his own strength. Their deeper meaning is not taken in, and in this way, the message of joy which they contain disappears. I think that people should have more respect for their words. People have a creative role, but then, those who speak are always talking about themselves. At times, the way they carryon, many betray the emptiness or the futility which they carry within. Since my Son, the Word, became man, not only the flesh but also the word deserves more respect. "You will agree with me in recognizing that we are the fruit of our past and that we cannot strip ourselves of it, even after that which humans on the opposite shore call 'death.' All of you know how personally reserved I am, so much so that someone decided to place me among you instead of beside my Son. I don't regret it. Even in the face of miracles you know how humble I seem to be. I prefer that people awaken themselves to the mystery of reality. A miracle, according to me, is the illumination of the deepest reasons for the real. I openly admit that in my human experience I did not try to read deeply, with my mind and my heart. Whatever approached, around me and within me, all of it would seem paradoxical, absurd, a nightmare to be forgotten. But since reality is stratified, and only by digging do we come to the heart of things, in the same way life is a proof - that is, a rendering of the truth that goes beyond appearances. If the Gospels call me 'just,' it is exactly for this reason: I have wanted to go to the depth of the reality I have verified, going beyond opinions, commonplaces, and rumors. "To come to the point, I would invite you not to be disappointed if the passersby do not give us any attention. Despite all of the 'authority of the saint' (agiocrazia) we have at our disposal, our role - to use Agnes' expression - is that of mother and father on a secondary level in

4

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

relation to the children who are building up their lives. No, we are not secondary actors, or extras, but we must let everyone go down his or her own road. To want to be the heroes in the lives of our children means to take away their desire to be the heroes. "Look at how little space the Gospels have given to me. I have not complained. It was necessary for me to leave the stage because in my Semitic environment, a father could not put himself on the same level as his son, not even to be his disciple. I, therefore, stayed in the shadows. But do you think that I was not anxious about him when he met with his first successes, or when people turned their backs on him? I became friends with Nicodemus and have shared his choice of being a 'hidden disciple.' Mary was able to be nearer to our Son. I, instead, kept always at a distance in order not to overshadow him. To overcome the parental structure of our 'tribe,' I allowed him to find disciples outside of our family. And yet, I could see myself in this Son of mine when he took a basin of water and started to wash the feet of his friends. They did not understand this gesture at the time, but I did; it was a re-assumption of my whole life, an identity card with this written on it: 'jesus) Son of Joseph the carpenter, who serves without thepretext of seeming to serve.' "

A LIFE IS WELL SPENT WHEN IT IS SPENT FOR OTHERS "Thank you, Joseph, for what you have said," volunteered Peter Nolasco (1180/82-1249). "Perhaps they have put our statues beside each other for what binds us, and this makes me proud. I too am a layman, just like you - with no 'official' responsibility, not specialized in performing miracles, so much in the shadow that they have even taken me off of the liturgical calendar of the Church. But what does it matter to me? You have taught me that life is spent well when it is spent for others, without being a hero. Staying in the shadows and doing good only confirms that we have no other motive. That's what I was doing by introducing the fourth vow: committing not to help one's neighbor generically, but to take his place, seeing one's self as a slave in order to redeem others. The experience has taught me, in fact, that the best help we can offer others is by sharing, but not exactly substitution, that is, without taking over the whole show: A person in need has no flag, or better still has them all. And for this reason I have never shared the confessional choices of my day, even those of the hierarchy.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE, OFM CAP.

5

"The irritation about what Simone de Montfort went around preaching has not yet left me, being put at the head of the crusades against the Albigensians: 'Kill all of them) 'he would say, (the Lord willbeable to recognize His own.' But what saddened me most were the bishops united at the Lateran Council IV (1215), who justified such violence. How could they have sent Catholics to take up the cross and 'arm themselves to exterminate the heretics'? How could they have guaranteed them the same privileges and indulgences granted to those who were sent to the help of the Holy Land?l "A certain part of the Church is always a tributary of its time! Fortunately it was not the whole Church. I know that Saint Francis of Assisi, even though present at the Council, followed a totally different road, not getting into arguments that he could not win. At times one must only act against the current, without raising too much dust. This is what irritates me. Whatever one can say, wars and even the crusades are never 'holy' because they go against humankind. "To fix the mistake by suppressing the maker of the mistake," Peter added, turning toward John Chrysostom (344/45-407), "means we fail to distinguish one from the other. The truth does not go against man until it becomes fossilized. Was it not you, John, who told us that we need to hate mistaken ideas and malice, and not the ones who make the mistakes?" "Yes, I said that and I'll say it again: we are compelled to condemn evil, not the evildoer.i One must distinguish between the person, who is the work of God, and the error, which is the work of the devil.' These threaten to separate us. One rages to dissolve the bonds of affection, and blocks every road to understanding, losing sight of the errant in the error, or of the brother in the hatred, under a judgment that cannot be

reformed." "Love favors and attaches itself to the truth. I have always feared the defenders of Christian truth who do not understand that with love we

1 The Constitution of the III Lateran Council states, "The Catholics who have taken up their cross, will arm themselves to exterminate the heretics, will enjoy the indulgence and the privilege which are granted to those who go to the help of the Holy Land", in G. ALBERIGO (editor), Decisions of ecumenical councils UTET, Torino 1978,227. 2 The text is in the chrysostominianum eclogue 'Intomo all'amore' - HomilY I: PG 63,578. 3 Cf. 'Commentto 1 Corinthians' - HomilY XXXIII 4: PG 61, 282. 4 Cf. 'Intorno all'amore' - HomilY I: PG 63, 578.

6

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

can reach the truth' Cold reasoning is destined to fail, if we assume it is the only tool to convince someone who does not think the way we do. We must not try to pressure people, nor try to think of converting them by human reasoning; if we do so we will obtain the opposite results." I hope Christians who are about to begin this new millennium can understand this. We must not fight our so called 'enemies,' but we must win them by charitable means. It would be enough to reflect a little on history - and on us, because we have made this history. But I get the sense that the women and men of today do not know how to measure the dose of the past, present and future. And, we also know, if the dose is wrong, even the medicine becomes a poison. "I say this because I see that many in these times have broken with tradition, which is understood by them as a burden, a collection of beliefs and values that are no more acceptable in today's context. What people call the 'long-term memory' is now in crisis. They live in a fixed point and go around in a total amnesia of the past, having the impression of being creative when, in fact, they have succumbed to so much conditioning. "We cannot allow this to happen," he said decidedly. "People need models and not myths. Models respect freedom; myths make one drunk. This generation needs us as the repository of values and examples to strive for, just as we needed to have such examples. Do you believe I would have withstood the unjust condemnation, the slander, the exile, if I had not taken Paul as model of life? Throughout the weary withering which dragged me to die a 'natural death,' this apostle was always before my eyes - this 'madman' of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:16), spurred on by the love of Him to suffer innumerable voyages, wearisome labor, vigils without number, hunger and thirst, frequent fasting, cold, and nudity (2 Corinthians 11:26-27). Without this travel companion I would have fallen into despair. And do you know what has strengthened me in him? Not his power of miracles, nor his commitment in the exercise of virtue - as if these were the only signs of holiness!! - but the passion of Christ which has become the passion for humanity." "You said it well," intervened Ignatius of Antioch (ca. +110), also placed on the south arm of the Colonnade. "To fall in love with Christ in such a way as to relive His passion for humanity. Your words, John, give me the chance to point out that when I wrote to the Christians of 5 CE. (Comment to 1 Corinthians' - HomilY XXXIII 5: PG 61, 283. Analogous concepts in 'Intorno all'amore' - HomilY 1: PG 63, 569. 6 CE. 'Commentto 1 Corinthians' - HomilY IV 1: PG 61, 31.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE, OFM CAP.

7

Rome so they would not do anything in my favor, so that I could be food for the beasts, I did not think egoistically of myself." Yes, I was carrying within me the thirst of meeting with God, almost an abnormal fascination, but I have never forgotten being a bishop and the chains which bound me because of the name of Christ. I wore them for my companions of faith. 8 "How could I seek out God when He has chosen to identify Himself with humanity, and wished to be known and sought for in mankind. When I spoke of 'being in Christ,' of 'living in God,' I did not at all intend to wash my hands of it. Read the Letterwhich I wrote to Polycarp and you will see what I mean. I always thought that to live in Christ also meant to feel with, share with, participate with, suffer with Him. And is it not perhaps true that the supreme blessing of being immersed in Him does not exempt me from the sharing of His anxiety, His passion for humanity? Who among us does not know from experience that the exclusive search for God is always inclusive of everything that He loves?"

TOTAL BEATITUDE IMPLIES THE PRESENCE OF ALL HUMANITY From the opposite side of the square, a slight clapping of hands signaled the consensus of the assembly, becoming more and more explosive. The applause was that of Frances of Rome (1384-1440). "Ignatius," she said, "has taken the words out of my mouth. Even I, just as you, have tried to associate the search for God with duties toward others. I did not put my spiritual needs in opposition to my duties toward my family. And when, as I remember, I tried to flee from the mortifying strain of daily life, the angel who used to appear to me from time to time did not show himself anymore, a clear sign that religious yearnings must not reduce our concern for those around us." Moreover, it is the same today. People like us, who are used to working for others, do not stop, not even with death. "Once and for all, it is proven that we are more than benevolent spectators of human events, the sort of fans who, from outside the Cf. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH, Letter to the Romans2. Cf. Letterto theEphesians 1; Letterto Pofycarp 2, on the conviction of Ignatius that his chains were borne, besides for Christ, also for the companions of faith. 9 Cf. The Life LX: 29-30. 7

8

8

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

stadium of life, help sustain those who are fighting in the game - like elderly and famous retired players, rich only in the counsel we offer the younger ones. We have spoken about this before, but it is our duty to insist on the fact that we also are actually on the field. When someone calls to us for help, do they not perhaps believe in our capacity to intervene? The difference is that the one who is calling on us is thinking of occasional help, extra special performance, which frees us, as one might say, from our immobility. "If we had to wait for the prayers of men and women to act, we would truly be like guests or visitors. The reality, though, is that we are all actively involved, even if we are only involved in those ways that God wants and our personal histories determine. To return to the image of the stadium, it is the whole of our human family who play in the game; the roles are varied, but the passion for victory is for everyone, just the same as suffering is for all the defeated." "Let us say it loud and clear," interrupted Gregory Nazianzus (ca. 329/30-390), "that we are still able to have energy and to suffer. Sanctity is not a title which exempts us from taking an interest in our neighbor and in suffering. Certainly, it is not the same pain which we have in the world, as we have entered in a dimension which is different with respect to that of human experience. Here there is no longer physical suffering, nor any feeling of loss with regard to life, nor anguish for the dead; there is no type of humiliation, or love of delusions, or loneliness. Yet even here, the conscience and the memory work to guarantee continuity with the preceding reality which continues to be 'our' reality. "The suffering which we actually experience comes from sharing, from the feeling of being members of each other, and if one member suffers, how can we live blessed?! Ours is not total beatitude, because that would imply the presence of all humankind. Look at the truth placed in such sharp relief when on earth we professed our faith in the 'final resurrection of the just.' "I am sorry that in this square," he added, "my teacher Origen is not present. He taught me so many things with his writings. Through these writings, before I experienced it myself, he made me understand how it is possible for the blessed to suffer. And we suffer, as all of us have proven, because we love. Only egotistical people, by isolating themselves - that is, going against nature - trick themselves out of suffering. And so it is the reason for our joy and at the same time the reason for our sorrow

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE, OFM CAP.

9

"Our paradise, then, is one for love - that is, for the desire realized by a perfect union with God. It is not a paradise of full satisfaction, however, because the One we love is missing. But returning to Origen, please allow me to read from the book I have in hand. Many people who see me with this book in hand think that I am gathering my theological works. In reality, this book contains the Filocalia) that is, the anthology of the writings of Origen which I have collected together with my dear friend, Basil of Cesarea." Skimming the text, Gregory stopped at the Alexandrian teacher's seventh homily on Leviticus. After a brief pause, which he introduced to call attention to what he was about to read and to surround it with respect, Gregory (well aware of his past as rector, which had deserved the qualification of "Christian Demosthenes") solemnly began the reading: The saints, leaving here, do not receive the complete prize of their merits, but await us too - even though hesitant, even though lazy. For them there is no perfect joy until they are sorry for their errors and cry because of their sins. See, therefore, that Abraham still waits to follow the perfect state. Even Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets wait to receive the perfect beatitude. In fact, there is only one body which, it is said, will be raised in judgment. Hence, you will find happiness leaving this life if you have been holy. But then there will only be full happiness when no member of your body is still missing, since even you will wait for the others, even as you have been waited for."

LOVE IS A CRANE THAT LIFTS US UP After the reading was completed, a silence rich of memory swept over everyone, and they recalled the apprehension with which they had followed the events of relatives, friends, travel companions, and even enemies who were left on earth. The minds of the 140 traveled back to when God had first entered in their lives, to that mysterious interweaving of relationships which death does not nullify but clarifies, raises, perfects. Whoever enters into the life of another enters forever; he or she is part of the other's history. And if it is true that the saints belong to everyone, it is also true that a mother remains always a mother, even if she is a 10

On Leviticus - HomilY VII 2.

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

10

saint. In that moment, the murmuring face of Elizabeth (1271-1336), queen of Portugal, was bathed with tears as once before, recalling the anxieties and the many prayers sent up to God for her children who remained on earth. "Gregory the Great was right," she said, "that love is like a crane that raises US. 11 But what an effort that is when freedom is at play!! If one could only force others to do good, everything would be much simpler. But even God does not do this. Our power of intercession must always remain aware of the will of the other, and sometimes the only thing we can do is stop in apprehension and let our love appear. This lesson," continued Elizabeth, "I learned during my life. How many times was I aware that my husband was betraying me with other women? How many times in court they tried to open my eyes to the betrayal! But is it not said that love is blind? Well, then, I chose to be blind to conquer a political marriage. "In this day and age," she continued, "the men and women of the western world can choose whom they want to love. Love and freedom go together. In my days and among people of my rank, love was not as important as family relations; for politics, one would sacrifice everything. This is the reason that I found myself with a husband who was lustful and unfaithful. And yet, when he fell into a serious depression, I never left his side; I took care of him and supported him. Only then did he know that I was the only one who really loved him. "Yes," she concluded, "love is truly a crane that lifts us up."

THE "WEAKNESSES" OF THE SAINTS "True, true," said Francis Xavier (1506-1552). "For this reason it would be good if people saw how we too received love, mercy, and forgiveness from others. If they make us into baptized heroes, putting us on a pedestal and looking at us up here from down below, they rob us of our humanity, without which we would not even be up here. From the time in 1234 when it was decided here in the West that only Rome could be petitioned to recognize holiness, norms have crept in which we would do well to re-examine. The emphasis put on the heroism of our lives, the importance given to our 'miracles' - haven't these overshadowed the fact that we were men and women of flesh, with limits and weaknesses? 11

Cf. In Job 6,58

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE, OFM CAP.

11

"Why, instead, is not our poverty placed in the spotlight? Would it not emerge that our sanctity - before becoming a duty, an effort, a mystical exaltation - was first a gift?! When we speak of 'grace,' do we not indicate that what God's work in us is free of charge? And if it is free, are there not 'states' of being privileged people, because God does not allow His hands to be tied down? "And yet, look around: the greater part of us up here on this Colonnade is made up of popes, bishops, priests, religious, and members of some or other Third Order. As people of God, we have always been a minority. The thing to make known is that we, too - the bishops, priests, religious - have known weaknesses, depressions. This would serve, at least, to show that our so-called 'preferential journeys' have not saved us from the fragility and the heaviness of living. "On this point, I cannot forget how acute a sense of frustration I felt in my ministry in the Extreme Orient. The inability to communicate because I did not know the language often made me feel as useless as a statue. The isolation, the desertions one suffers by living my ideals, the physical weakness and illness, the lack of success, the difficulties coming from those European Christians interested only in stealing - all of these made me feel the weight of going against the grain. How I felt the need to flee to Abissinia! In addition, how bitter it was to know that I spent such a good part of my time preparing myself - in waiting, in travelingto reach my goal. I don't hide this. At times I found my life 12 very tedious, almost to the limit of desperation. "Even at the end of my human journey, already physically worn out but still always wishing I could go to China, I felt like I had accomplished absolutely nothing. The agony of waiting added to the impression of doing little, a deadly mixture that causes bitterness. In this situation, the presence of a friend, an affectionate gesture, or a letter were like water in a burned-up desert. You who see me with transparency, as with God's eyes, could understand why, then, deprived of every other human affection, I begged my friend Simon Rodriguez in Portugal to write me 'a long letter, long enough that it would take at least three days to read it.' Certain feelings of loneliness can be cured only by friends, and there is no saint that can deny it." "I like very much, Francis," said Mary Magdalene of Pazzi (15661607), "that you have spoken of your humanity, of its limits. You have 12

Thus in the Letter 39 to Francesco deMancias

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

12

prepared the way for me to remind myself of the trials and desperation which I also experienced, to the point of suicide. When I found that sharpened kitchen knife in my hands, how I wished to end it all. Five years of trials and strong temptations, brought to the brink of every perverse imagining, and then sixteen more years of total spiritual aridity.P At that time I did not understand how God was acting. And yet, these experiences which are so paradoxical have led me to find light in the darkness, making me understand that one cannot accept and carry great charisms if one is not able to withstand great temptations and trials. When I told my prioress that I seemed to be in complete blindness, provided only with a tiny light of the will to not offend God, my heart bled. I would like to tell anyone listening that for us, the so called mystics, God uses a special treatment." "Since you have spoken of suicide," intervened Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), "I also would like to remember the profound crisis I had at Manresa in 1522 at the beginning of my spiritual journey. Doubts, discouragement, scruples; I had to live for months on this daily bread, which led me to the brink of suicide. To be imprisoned by the Inquisition did not try me as much as the disease of doubt. "Yes, I remember that I fell into another crisis when, in 1555, Cardinal Carafa became pope with the name of Paul IV: At that time, all the bones of my body trembled. Years before, in 1536 in Venice, I had criticized him for his hard, stubborn behavior, and behold, once elected at the papal seat, I had to give him special obedience because of the forth vow which I myself had introduced in the Society of Jesus. How I suffered from the suspicions, nourished by the same Paul I~ of espionage and of hidden weapons which led to the thorough search of our home in Rome. Only then did I clearly understand how important it is that we pray for the pope." "Speaking of crisis, allow me to make a confession as well," said Gregory Nazianzus. "All my life I felt the need to lean on someone. That weakness of my character, together with my dire need of friendship, you already know: Someone started to think of me as a psychological case. Thus you already know the need I had to talk about myself, to reveal the states of my soul. The fact that I do not enter into the scheme of 'conventional' saints is not a mystery to anyone. I have complained about delusions, infirmities, and solitude, especially toward the end of my life. 13

CE. E. AN CILLI, MaryMagdalene

of Pazzi (voice) in BS VIII, 1107-1131.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

13

"I know that some of you would have acted differently. But I am Gregory. The fidelity to myself has been, so to speak, imposed by my sensitivity. I don't want to drag out the discussion, but to give you a glimpse of my state of mind and my pessimism in old age, I will recall for you what I wrote to my friend Eudossio: " 'You ask me how I am doing. l/erypoorlY. I have neither Basilio norCesario; my spiritual brother and my real brother are dead. Just like Druid, I can sqy that my father and my mother have abandoned me. Pf?ysicalIY I am il~ and old age is advancing. Worries suffocate me and my duties crush me; I can nolonger count onmy friends) and theChurch hasnopastors. Allgood things vanish and evilappears in the open; weare walking in thedark) no lighthouse shines) and Christis asleep. What is there to do? I know onlY onefreedom from every worry: death. But even the other side seems scary) and I mustJudge itfrom thispresent world.' "14 The forceful clarity of Gregory's expression moved his friend Jerome (347-419) to take the floor: "As in life you were my teacher in Constantinople for three years, in the same way even now you have opened the way. When it comes to you and me, we are similar, and those who have studied us know this. A modern author wrote that our characters are placed in juxtaposition in order to be understood: '...emotional, quick-tempereci capable of tenderness) ready with irotry and sarcasm) deeplY taken up fry friendship) such lovers of rhetoric and literature that a beautiful sentence wasfor them a delight. '15 "Now, following your example, dear Gregory, I am doing that which during my earthly life I did with extreme difficulty: recognizing my own limits and not seeing only the limits of others. Take my letters in hand and you will find out how, at times, I was biting, stinging, merciless even to the point of being vulgar. I am not defending myself. I was a sinner in both my words and with my pen. If, during my life, there hadn't been women like Marcella, Paola and Eustochia who helped soften my bad temper, I would have been even rougher and more harsh. I confess openly that I did not have that dose of femininity which each man must have to be mature. "Aside from my woman friends, almost nobody was able to live in peace with me for long. Think of how I treated my dear friend Rufinus, against whom I wrote an Apologia full of insinuations and shameful accusations. No, Rufinus, you were not that 'poisonous and mute beast'

14

15

Letter LXXX to Eudossio.

J. PEREZ DE URBEL, Ano Cristiano II, Madrid 1959, 585.

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

14

as I called you then." Now, before you, saints of God, I do not defend myself more than I did all my life. There is no need to defend myself because the only one who is accusing me is myself. If I have reminded you of what I was, I did so not so that you would ignore it, but to inform whoever is listening that the weight of our limits has followed us for our whole lifetime. "Certainly, I am well aware that if my sanctity had been judged by today's standards, I would not be here. And yet, precisely the fact that I am here serves us to remember that sanctity is, before all, a gift of God. We are not without limits and sins; we are not better than so many others who are not found here. And if it was up to me," he added, "I would cede my place to them. But even the choice of placing us, and not others, on this Colonnade is done by men for men, by human standards. And at times - as some of you know from direct experience - the pride of a nation, a city, or an Order has carried more weight in placing us here than mere sanctity." "Well said!" Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) cried out. "Christian tradition honors me as the greatest Cistercian mystic, one of the major spiritual writers of the medieval period, the reformer of the Benedictine monastic life, and the sought-after counselor of popes, bishops, emperors and kings. Solicited by my disciple, who became Pope Eugene III (11451153), I promoted the second Crusade (1146-1147). And still, beyond all these accomplishments, I know that I was aggressive, impulsive, and totalitarian, unable to tolerate opposition of any kind. Read any of my 547 letters, all preserved, and you will see what I mean. Even as a young person I tended to dominate others and always got the last word. "The inflexibility of a blind love for tradition held me back in seeing the theological novelty brought by Abelardo and by Gilberto Porretano. They very kindly gave me the title of doctor melliflus (sweet doctor), but how much vinegar was mixed with that honey! In my defense, however, I could affirm that I refused to appear as the perfect man who does not recognize doubts and hesitations. Now, following the reasoning of Jerome (and knowing who I really am), I would be ready to give up my place in this square, perhaps even to my friend William of Saint Thierry. I was a mystic, sure, but always a man of flesh and blood."!" Cf. JEROME, Apologia adversus libros Ruftni. Libri tres: PL 23, 415-514. William of St. Thierry (1075-1148) was one of the greatest theologians of the eastern Middle Ages. First a Benedictine, then a Cisterstian, he had a good friendship with Bernard, with whom he shared the reform of monasticism. A mystical author, he 16 17

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE, OFM CAP.

15

"Speaking of flesh and blood," Mary of Egypt (V Century) says it, "it is a pleasure for me that in the Volume of Migne!" in which they speak of the hermits and the ascetics of the Egyptian desert, they have also included me. Do you know the title of the section which is about me? 'Saint Mary of Egypt,prostitute. 'To other saints they add the qualification of martyr, confessor, bishop, virgin. For me, and also for Pelagia and Taide, they reserved the 'honorific' title of prostitute. Well, look at how much attention Jesus dedicated to prostitutes. I am not offended; it is because of my past life. Of course, there are those who would be offended. "Remember how, after practicing this profession - the oldest profession in the world - in Alexandria, Egypt, by my services I paid for my own trip by ship to Jerusalem. When I got there, so many more times I had to offer myself just to survive! All these experiences helped form my existence. When one day I had wanted to enter into the church of the Holy Sepulcher, I felt myself held back at the entrance. Then I understood that the life of the senses is not everything. I understood clearly that I had created my own reality outside of the real reality, imprisoned in illusions which I held so as not to call into question my way of life. And how could I have survived differently? "When, suddenly, my eyes were opened and I looked at life from another point of view, I decided to flee to the other side of the Jordan, to a place in the desert." Only one who is capable of great passion, for good or otherwise, is able to make great choices; but what terrible sacrifices this abrupt change would mean, and only those of you who have undergone such experiences can understand. Seventeen long years of fighting with the past, with the memory that made the experience so alive and tangible, especially the greatest transgressions. Nature wants her part, especially when she is used to getting it and is not forbidden to get it. And my nature ... how hungry it was!! "If the men and women who walk by here in this square knew that we are not only statues of travertine, but men and women capable of passion, flings - weak and strong, a mixture of tendencies for partial affirmed that only with love for identifying with the Spirit can man reach perfection. The meaning of the Christian life is understood as a participation of the Trinitarian life which has love as a password. 18 J.P. Migne is the editor of a collection of texts of Christian authors, ancient and medieval, Greek and Latin. Among these texts, volume 73 of the Latin Patrology covers the lives and the sayings of the Fathers of the Desert. 19 Cf. J.M. SAUGET, Maria theEgyptian (voice), in BS VIII, 982-983.

16

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

good, a plurality seeking order - they would take comfort. Human needs - for food, rest, activity, protection in the conquest of the world; for an intimate life and a social life; for sexuality and aggression; for the ardent desire to dominate, and for tenderness - this complex of tendencies does not coexist in peaceful harmony from the beginning. Such harmony must grow and must be won, and it shows to what extent our humanity is given as a program, a mission, and a duty. We must aspire to put in order, unify, and integrate all our tendencies and energies. In other words, everything must be integrated and assumed in Love. "Attracted by this Love, I left everything, choosing to live in the desert, but always accompanied by the live memory of my humanity and my limits, which helped me not lose contact with this world. For this reason - I repeat - I am proud that they remember me as 'Saint Mary, the Egyptian, prostitute, ' and to everyone I announce that passion is not destroyed - it is directed. The ideal is not to suppress, or worse yet, camouflage, but to orient and strengthen that energy, that flame which we carry within ourselves. Gregory the Great said it well, that 'the perfection of man consists in meriting the praise of unity.' "20 The outstanding testimony of Mary appeared to be a clear confirmation of how, as a very alive person, she successfully tended toward "unity," notwithstanding the tendencies and the imaginations which still affected her and which she still resisted. Even though she was not yet able to conquer and direct them all, she did not find them to be an obstacle, but instead used them to consent to the attraction which merciful a God was then exercising upon her. "Hearing about you, Mary," offered Pelagia of Jerusalem (IV Century), "it is as though you have recalled my whole history. You all know that I was also a prostitute. The world of the theatre within which I distinguished myself as an actress, first in the city of Fenicia and then in Antioch, forced me to renounce all my values before I emerged. I paid for success with my body, to the point that there was no shameful action that I had not committed on the theatre and in my life, in order to become a celebrity. "Mary," she added, "at least you fled to the desert and had only to put up with your imagination. Once I changed my life, I had to fight against my many lovers and against the one-time admirers who gave me no peace. Remember when they convinced the prefect of Antioch to 20 In I Regum 161, 2. Recent studies have allowed to establish that the Comment to 1 Kings is not Gregory's as was traditionally held.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

17

send armed soldiers to take me away from my hermitage? A double fight, then: against myself and against those who did not accept the voluntary imprisonment which I had chosen. It took so much time for me to forget the facts of the past. And yet, I am here with you. You were right, John Chrysostom, when one day you brought me to one of your sermons where you declared, 'Noone should despair. God is not like man.' "21 Touched by such a courageous witness of this type of sanctity or converted passion) Domenic of Guzman (1170-ca. 1121) felt the need to bare his soul. With a childlike spontaneity he recalled how, before he died, while urging his friars to persevere in fidelity, he said that he preferred the conversation of young womerrf to that of elderly women. It was a confession that came right from his heart, as if to say that human fragility, always present within us, had not prevailed on the attraction exercised of the beauty of God. After Domenic's confession, others wanted to add their part. Fabiola (IV Century), Roman matron of the Fabi family, praised by Jerome (+ 399), did not miss the chance to repeat what she had once done in the Basilica of St John Lateran, in front of the Bishop of Rome and all the other faithful gathered there: "I acknowledge," she said, "what I had been: a frivolous and sensual woman. My first marriage served as a screen to cover up my thirst for pleasure. When, then, I divorced from my first husband, it became known to the world what was boiling in the pot!" The need to expose fragility and limits consumed the 140. They seemed interested to speak of their humanity more than of the many virtues and heroism which had counterbalanced their lives. But they thought God's sanctifying movement is more apparent when placed in comparison with the patrimony of contradictions and weaknesses which is rich in everyone. They believed that the people in the square would have been more pleased, and it would have been more useful to them, to know the weak saint rather than the hero-saint. This conversation about the deep-laid scheme of evil and the strength which flows from the consensus of good would have continued for a long time, if Celestine V (1209/10-1296), the 'monk pope,' had not interrupted. By raising his arm, he captured the attention of the 21

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM gives the testimony of Pelagius in the Comment to Mat-

thew- HomilY LXVII 4; PG 58, coll. 636-637. 22 BLESSED GIORDANO OF SASSONIA, Life BERNANOS, Milano 1954, 100.

of Saint

Domenic, edited by G.

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

18

assembly which, curious to hear the pope who had abdicated after only four months, suddenly lent him its ears. "My dear ones," he began, "since we have decided to speak of our humanity and what accompanies it, please allow me to have the last word. Consider my drama. I, an old hermit and inexpert, was chosen as a transitional pope to put an end to the quarrels between the king, noble Roman families, and cardinals who bound more closely to their personal and national interests than to the Church of God. They forced me to accept the nomination (18 July 1294), insinuating that it would be a mortal sin if I refused. And I, as a simpleton, believed them. "What happened afterwards, you already know: I found myself surrounded by intrigues - politicians who sought to exploit my great goodness to line their own pockets - or by that thirst for power which with the clergy often serves to compensate for other areas of emptiness. I accepted everything to the limit of what was possible, but do you think that in the long run I was not aware of what people thought of my naivete and lack of preparation? Transitional pope, yes, but a useful transition for scheming, not for yours truly who was living hell within himself. The great Dante has placed me there for the great refusal I made because of cowardice.r' but he never considered how much courage it took to acknowledge my incapacity to rule the throne of Peter. "I remember it as if it were today when timidly I mentioned the possibility of my resignation (8 December 1294). Even in 1190, the canonists had begun to think about the possibility that a pope could abdicate, but with me the theory became a reality and this gave rise to discomfort. Well-intentioned people, together with King Charles II, asked me to remain; even those who detested me did the same, afraid of losing the advantages which they had obtained from my weakness. As for me? I asked God for a sudden and unexpected death, to be the 'deus ex machina,' the solution to a drama of which I was both executioner and victim. "A pope had never left his throne before. I know all too well that some of my predecessors were not able to keep up, were unsuitable and even scandalous, and yet they were always able to cover up their limits and their sins, carrying them more or less naturally to the end of their mandate. But do you recall the tirestorm I caused when, on the December 13, 1294, I abdicated at Naples before all the cardinals? I 23

Cf. The DivineCome4J;J Inferno I 3,59.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

19

gave my speech acknowledging what I had done in four months, and I had the constitutional provisions on the resignation of a pontiff read, in case one of my successors would have wanted to do the same. Then I read the declaration of renouncement, came down from the throne, took off all the signs of the pontificate, removed the ring, the tiara, and the mantel, and put on our grey tunic again. And so, as an ordinary monk, I took my place on the last step of the pontifical throne. "If I told you that I felt humiliated in my humanity, I would be lying. That which was burning within me was the fear of cheapening the throne of Peter, of having desecrated it with my weakness and inability. I think only a few gestures in history have had the dramatic weight of what I felt called to do at that time. For a pope, the prophesy of the weakness which is born on the land of doubt produces an infinite tremor, but it serves, believe me, it serves to show that even those in high places are united in the right to doubt, to be afraid, to make mistakes. "The four months of my pontificate shook up so many certainties that I had nurtured as a 'common man.' Previously I was sure of my truths; I was secure. I had never processed the assumptions on which I had built my existence. But as pope, doubt accompanied me as an inseparable companion. Now, viewing things from a distance, I acknowledge how sorrowfully useful he was, this companion who persecuted me with his presence. Removing the risk of certainty, he prevented mistaken choices and the self-conviction that a pope must always be in the right. Just by means of my temperament, I could never have been as decisive, strongwilled, legislative, and discerning as my successor Boniface VIII! And I would never have been able to reclaim for myself the supreme power, be it in the spiritual or in the temporal realms, as he did. From personal experience I understood that the Church, in order to hold itself up, needs fragile men who show that the helm of the ship of Peter is not in their hands. But let us finish this discourse on our humanity and our limits. As I said on my death bed (May 19, 1296): 'Every spirit praise the Lord' Everyone praises God for that which he was and for that which he is." The words of Celestine V moved the assembly and stoked that impulse of sympathy that everyone was feeling for this "angelic pope," so very courageous in his weakness.

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

20

THE SAINT: THE PERSON WHO FREES AND IS FREE Speaking for everyone, John Chrysostom cried out, "Your testimony will never be forgotten. You have bravely confirmed what I wrote in my book On thePriesthood. Remember?" "And how could I forget?" replied Celestine. "Your own words gave me the strength for the final push. I memorized them and I considered them as viaticum in the two successive years of my retirement. I'll repeat them for everybody: (( ~s in battle wesee the bravest soldiers not onlY fight with ardor, but thry also know how tofall valorouslY) in the same wqy it isfor those who have come to this office and were notable to exercise thepriesthoodproperlY) so that thry withdrawfrom governing) since it becomes Christian menwho know that such a withdrawal deserves a prize not inferior to the exercise of the same office. -24 I have wanted to be a 'Christian man.' Nothing more." Celestine's humble testimony and that of the others encouraged Philipp Neri (1515-1595) to speak. "Do you know," he asked, "why I am happy to find myself among you? Here everyone is accepted with his or her differences. One of the great hardships I experienced when I was part of the earthly assembly was the fact that on earth, at times, people are pressed into solitude so as not to be seen, or else they are forced to be different from what they really are, to hide behind a mask. And how many masks I found in Rome; truly it was a year-round Roman carnival! To share differences was difficult because it meant to reveal something of oneself, to become vulnerable. Here, instead, putting our weaknesses, our poverty, our frustrations together makes the joy of belonging grow greater. Here there is no need to hide anything. Here we are truly free." From the opposite side of the square, the east side, Mark the Evangelist, who stands just beside Mary the Egyptian, said, "Philip, you have dealt with a theme that is very dear to me, and I will never stop writing about it. Indeed, as you can see, they have represented me with a pen in my hand. Listening to Peter's preaching, I understood that the act of Jesus was, above all, an act of liberation from the many slaveries that imprison people. For this reason, I wanted to write the gospel of freedom. It is this liberty which is the basic standard by which we judge everything under the Christian name. It is the characteristic 24

On thepriesthood III 11.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

21

trait of Jesus and, at the same time, the disciple's element of authenticity. How can we act and think as slaves while following the Master who has announced liberty and, in fact, has made it flesh?! Look carefully: in writing the gospel I have never explicitly spoken of it, but it was enough for me to show it in Jesus. "Today, on the contrary, people speak about freedom often, without realizing that having the word in your mouth does not mean that you possess it. They do not realize that freedom is the way, the human means, of tending to good and attaining it. Rather, they bend over backwards to justify an attitude of indifference toward others, an attitude of opposition, of anarchy. They believe, certainly, that they themselves are free, but often they do not know why - to the point that they want only what others are doing, what others desire they do, which is totalitarianism! "From Peter and from my other teacher, Paul of Tarsus, I learned that this freedom, before being won over, is a gift, exactly like sanctity. As you are sanctified in Christ, in the same way you are freed in Him (Galatians 4:31). But why tell you these things as if you don't know? Who among you does not know my gospel? Remember how Jesus broke the oppression of the pseudo-religious, showing that God is not on the side of those who use power unjustly? Nor does He wish inequalities to exist, which every system tries to justify by attributing them to nature, or even to God. With His liberating (but not fanatical) act, Jesus struck at the sin which objectifies itself in structures, ideologies, traditions, common mentalities, and even in values where, evidently, there are only a few who have the better of it. In conclusion, He took away so many masks and showed the true face of who is behind it all. "As for the rest, look around you. Who of us has not had to go against the current? Have we not been on the margin, right on the border, simply because we are uncomfortable with, and critics of, the common opinion which pretends that the dominion of the conscience strives against a Christianity of little pretension? You martyrs know very well what it is to row in the opposite direction. "You, Appolonia of Alexandria (III Century), remember when you spontaneously threw yourself into the fire in order not to renounce your faith?25 "And you, Anastasio Magundat (+ 628), how much did it cost you to see your companions tormented in order to obtain a denial of that 25

CE. EUSEBIO OF CESAREA, Ecclesiastical History VI 41, 7.

22

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

faith, which had brought you from Persia to Jerusalem and led you to leave the military life for the monastic one? I know that for you to be strangulated and then decapitated at Sergiopoli was not as atrocious as seeing the suffering of those you Ioved.r" You have undergone a double martyrdom. "What can we say about you, young Agatha (ca. III Cent.), when you were taken to that house of ill fame in Catania to have not only your virginity, but also your faith in yourself and in a God who helps His friends, taken away?27 "It is true that despair is not the worst sin, but no doubt it is the most dangerous. And how many of us were brought to the brink of despair, only to be deprived of the will to fight?! As you well know, often the most well-trained adversaries are those in our own homes. Do you remember what I wrote about Jesus? When he began to withdraw from the strictures and impositions of his family tribe, choosing an itinerant life, his relatives set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind (Mark 3:21). This story is often repeated, even within the Church. For the one who does not follow or adhere to the conventionally marked path is viewed with suspicion, if not immediately with aversion. "Most of you," added St. Mark, "were acknowledged as saints after your death, but look at how many trials you had to bear in life in order to be accepted with your differences. Yes - because you destabilize the idea that people have of God, or better still, you free it, the way Jesus did, from the human links which attempt to imprison it. This temptation, allow me to say,is always present, even in the Church. One makes a rigid, unchanging image, and when something or someone questions it, we view him as disturbing the peace. That which seems incomprehensible to man is always a source of anguish. "And yet when they speak of a totally different God, of the transcendent God, they should also remember that the human measuring tape is not worth measuring. The different way of thinking, that metanoia which Jesus announced, distinctly requires a reinterpretation of customs, habits, even of the image of God. This gives back to the man of today his own leading role, placing him before his responsibility, giving him the 26 Cf. A.M. FAGNONI, Anastasio the Persian (voice), in E. GUERRIERO - D. TUNIZ (editors), If grande libra deiSanti I, Ed. S. Paolo, Cinsello Balsamo-Milano 1998, 122-125. 27 Cf. C. CRIMI, Agatha (voice), in E. GUERRIERO - D. TUNIZ (editors), ifgrande libra deiSanti I, 29-30.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

23

courage to doubt many of his certainties, his rigor, his cultural dogma. My colleague Luke, in his gospel, captured an expression of Jesus which synthesizes this attitude very well: W0J notJudge foryourselves whatis right?' (Luke 12:57) "But getting back to this group, seeing yourselves in your strange behavior, how many of you have asked yourselves if God can ask of a man what He has asked of you? And how many others have misunderstood, not knowing that your way of being and doing things did not come from an experience of a different God, but a different experience of God, where it is man who changes position? Francis (1181/2-1226)," Mark said, "did the Lord not perhaps ask you to become 'crazy'?" "How could I forget it?" answered the 'poor man' of Assisi. "He revealed that I must be a madman, preferring bitter things to sweet so that I could experience the sweetness in the bitter," My time spent going among lepers confirmed this. Then - as I wrote in my Testament - That which was bitterhas been transformed into the sweetness of souland bocfy. '29 The rapture of freedom gives great joy and urges one to risk more and more. "Try placing yourselves unclothed before everyone, as I did before my father, the bishop and the authorities of Assisi." Mingle in among the poor beggars as I did in Rome in front of the Basilica of Saint Peter," or go among the houses of your city, among your people, asking for a bit of food, as I tried in my city.32 In the final analysis of life, the humiliations, the blows, the insults which I received do not stand a chance compared to that interior freedom which I lived by making myself crazy. For the same reason, I wanted my brothers to run the same course. I blazed a trail of freedom for them, and nothing interests me more than seeing and feeling that they are free. Even the marriage with 'lady poverty' should do nothing except make them happy and joyful." "As far as binomial freedom and craziness or, if you prefer, joy and oddity," interposed Philip Neri, "I too have had interesting experiences. Many of you recognize my extravagances. Do you remember when I let the barber cut my beautiful beard only on one side, to the consternation of 'right-thinking people'? Today, certainly, I would not try such a stunt. Cf. TOMMASO DA CELANO, Vita seconda V 9. The Testament was dictated by the saint in August-September of 1226, shortly before the death of the saint which took place on the 3rd of October of the same year. 30 TOMMASO DA CELANO, Vita prima VI 15. 31 Cf. BONAVENTURA DA BAGNOREGIO, MqjorLegend I 6. 32 Cf. Legend of theThree Companions VII 22. 28

29

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

24

Looking down from this balcony I myself feel that I have been outdone in terms of strange clothing, cuts of my beard, and my hairdo. "You, Cecilia (III Century) ," he said, turning to the saint, "you always smile when you remember that famous November 22 of 1583, your feast day, and the processions with pots and pans which I organized. When the pope compelled me to transfer myself and my brothers from Saint Jerome of Charity to the New Church, I ordered them to take something from the house we were leaving: frying pans, pots, dishes, and other things. In this way we went through Rome, much to the amusement of the people, who were not used to seeing priests who know how to make people laugh. There is too much seriousness in the Church. A little is all right, but even here too much is a sin. "And what about when I invented the visits to the Seven Churches!? I succeeded in changing this penitential visit into a day in the country, in which prayer, being present also, was not accompanied by gloomy silence or even by fasting, but by pleasant conversations, games, music and an abundant packed lunch. You know who paid for this packed lunch which turned into a dinner? No one less than Charles Borromeo. Ah, you Milanese people," said Philip, turning with a smile to Charles, who is right beside him on the Colonnade, " 'tbey have theirheartin their bands'" - generous people. "I confess," he continued, "that those religious picnics have given me and many of my Romans a sense of Church as people on a journey, much more than when they made certain processions - or, rather, fashion shows - where every category, distinct and separated from the other, brings out the best they have. I will not speak about the other 'craziness' as I did in my 'bella Roma' of the sao's. "I know that one can be good without oddities, and yet I seem to think we should get rid of the slavery of public opinion, of formalisms, of conventionalism. It is not for nothing that they have called me the 'Christian Socrates.' Too often we are ruled by other people's opinions. For this reason, at times, I have worn a mask to help others to remove theirs. One needs to know how to relativize in order not to create too many absolutes. "The real Romans," he continued, "I have always liked. I say this, Tuscan that I am, because they have the sense of reality and they know

33

Dialect form of 'they have their hearts in their hand,' expressive of generosity.

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

25

how to laugh without being blasphemous. Irony has been their weapon of defense since the time of the Caesars." "You are so right, Philip," observed Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) with a sigh of sorrow: "There are fewer and fewer who are mad for Christ. You know that. I would not change a comma of what I wrote my Diary over 400 years ago." Already by that time - and are things any different today?! - it seemed to me that they had 'disappeared, those whom thepeople considered craiY when they saw them accomplish heroic acts as true lovers of Christ. We have come to thepoint of thinking that we serve God better if people think of us as sane and sensible. Seehowit dictates ourdiscretion. As a consequence) it seems like it is not very edifying if we do not maintain the externaldignity of our group) with everyone giving honor to herown condition. Evenfor thefriar, thepriest, and the monks) it would seem eccentric, a minorscandal, to wear an old or mended habit, and notJust that, but also to seek out meditation and thepractice of prayer. Suchis thewqy of theworld and to such agreatextenthavepeopleforgotten thegreat impulses to perfection which the saints had. It is said that the world cannot sustain such perfeaion, that thep!?Jsical strength has diminished and that the times are no longer thegolden age. J35 "In reality we have succumbed to public opinion. Ne quid nimis: nothing in excess. But the 'wisdom' of mediocrity has never been an ideal for the Christian. We must free ourselves from this conditioning. I say this thinking especially of those preachers who have too much 'prudence.' They do not burn crazily with that great fire of the love of God which burned the apostles, and so their flame gives little heat. 0 what great freedom it is, to consider living and acting according to the laws of the world as a form of slavery! And since it is a freedom which we receive from God, there should not be a slave who is not disposed to dare everything in order to redeem himself and return home.':"

THE FREEDOM OF CHRISTIAN SAINTS "With respect to freedom," intervened Clare of Assisi (1193/41253), "I feel that I must bear witness. I, 'the little plant of Francis,':" 34 The Diary) also called The book of herlife was composed by Teresa between 1562 and 1565. 35 The verse that was cited was taken from Diary XXVII. 36 Citation taken from The Life XVI 37 This is what she was called by the companions of the Saint (cf.Mirror ofpeifection 108)) and what she called herself (Testament of Saint Clare 37).

26

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

have sought to retain intact the wisdom which he imparted, but I did so adapting it to my identity as a woman. "As to you, Francis," turning to the 'poverello,' "I appreciate the faith in the gospel which was needed to broaden the spaces of your internal freedom. Is it not, perhaps, in the name of this faith-freedom that you dictated your Third Admonition for the friars?38 You had them rightly write that 'if the superior commands something againstyour conscience) even if you do not obey, nevertheless do not abandon. '39 I would never have thought that your words would have me 'resist' even before the pope. If you had not inspired me, notwithstanding my temperament as a decisive woman, I would not have opposed our beloved Gregory IX when he forbade the friars to preach in our monasteries without his special permission. This prohibition did not seem fair to me. Then, the only workable road to take seemed to be the hunger strike. And I made it happen.t" I still wonder that up to today they have not made me the patron of the weak who make their voices heard through the power of fasting! "But this challenge was no big deal compared to the other conflict which set me against Pope Gregory for as long as ten years. You, Francis, had asked me to live the gospel with an absolute lack of property. Because of this it seemed like I betrayed you when I accepted the pope's invitation to own some properties. 0 yes, I understand the goodness of your intention, your fears that we would suffer for the poverty of everything, but I did not give in, and even now; regardless of being on my death bed, I have marked when I had the 'privilege' of not possessing." The freedom to follow the gospel is most difficult when we are met with the thinking of one who loves us and wishes to protect us. It was especially difficult for me, for in my days the ecclesiastic authority expected from a woman submissive acceptance and no resistance." "I also paid a high price for my inner freedom as a Christian woman," said the steadfast Teresa of Avila. "As you know, 'no tengo pelos en la lengua,' as they say in my country." In the Spain of the 1500's I was seen as a danger because I did not fit into the traditional role of a woman, 38 The 28 Admonitions are synthesis of conversations had during the official meetings with the brothers. Perhaps they were the concluding words with which Francis took up the themes that were treated on the preceding days. 39 Admonitions III 7. 40 Cf. Legendsanctae Clarae 37. 41 Cf. Legendsanctae Clarae 14. 42 Literally, "I don't have hair on my tongue," meaning, "I don't beat around the bush; I say what is on my mind."

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE,

OFM

CAP.

27

much less that of a nun. For this I earned myself the 'praise' of the nuncio in Spain, Filippo Sega who, when writing to the pope, called me a 'restless woman) a vagabon~ disobedient and rebellious) who in theguise of devotion invented thefaulry doctrine of leaving the cloister and instructing others as a teacher; in opposition to whatPaulhad written forbidding women to teach.'43 "But what right did that presumptuous ignoramus have to keep me quiet, just because I was a woman? From that moment on, daily, I turned to God and said the same prayer which I composed in my life and which I believe is bearing fruit, even in the Church. I repeat it because the other women on this Colonnade make it theirs. Even here, in fact, there is value in the principle that 'united we are strong.' " 'Lord of my sou4" she began, "when You were on earth You did not abhor women) but rather You alwqysfavored them with much goodness) andfound in them so much love and even more faith than in men. It seems) then) impossible that we do notsucceed in doing atry valid thingforYou inpublic; that wedo not dare repeat some truths which we cry aboutin secret; that You do not answer us when we turn to You with aJust request. I do not believe it, Lord, because I trust in Yourgoodness and Justice. I know that You areajustJudge and You do not actthewqy theJudges of the earth do) for whom) being sons of Adam and definitivelY all men) there does not exist a virtue in women that tbey do not doubt. 0) my King) the dqy will come in which all will know whatweare worth. I do not speakfor myseij; because the whole world knowsmy misery. I see thetime coming in which there is no reason to undervalue holY) virtuous) and strong souls l?J thefact that tbey are women. ~4 ''And then," she added, "as I wrote in my autobiography, 'the Lord gives matry moregraces of contemplation to women thanto men) asI myse!fconfirmed and also heard tellfrom the holY friar Peter of Alcantara) who affirmed that the women on thisJ'ournry get much more out of this than men) and he explained it with excellent reasons) all in favor of women) which it would be useless to repeat to this group.'45 The Master had just invited us to be like little children to enter into the Kingdom, But, over the history of the Church, we women were asked to assume masculine traits to save ourselves." 43 Philip Sega from Bologna had taken the place of Nicola Ormaneto as apostolic nuncio in Spain, and from the beginning he proved himself hostile to the reform of Carmel promoted by Teresa. 44 Wtry of Perfection, first edition, chapter 3. Text was cancelled by the censor. 45 The citation is taken from the Life XL. 46 As E. SCHUESSLER FIORENZA observed, ''According to various gnostic, patristic texts, to become a disciple meant, for a woman, to become 'a man,' 'similar to a man,' and abandon her sexual powers of procreation, because the masculine principle symbolized the celestial, angelical, divine kingdom while the feminine principle rep-

28

The Saints of St. Peter's Square: A Conversation

"It is the moment to tell men not to reject the feminine that is found in them. Were they not perhaps born of a woman? They will not lose anything if they acquire that which we possess. And you, dear Thomas Aquinas (1124/5-1274)," she said, turning to the saint who, like her, was on the arm of the Colonnade on the right, "I am certain that you would no longer say that we are 'disabled men,' 'deformed' or, as you wrote in your beautiful Latin, 'un mas occasionatus.' "47 A roaring applause followed the words of Teresa, especially from the other 37 women saints present on the Colonnade. "Here," said Thecla of Iconio (dates?), "we are in the minority. Thirty eight saints out of one hundred and forty does not respect Christian history. I am not accusing anyone, but you know that the truth is very different. Without us, the Christian faith would not have been able to take hold. Did not my teacher, Paul of Tarsus, count us among his closest collaborators? "Think of Giunia who, in his letter to the Romans, Paul calls an 'apostle' (16:7), or of Phoebe called 'deacon' by the Church of Cencre; think of Priscilla (Romans (16:3), Mary (Romans 16:6), Trifena e Trifosa, and Perside (Romans 16;12) - all women praised for their work done for the Lord. Read Paul's letters and you will see how the feminine presence in the work of evangelizing was no small thing. "I myself," continued Thecla, "having become Christian by the work of Paul, carried out a mission. The major disturbance that caused, dear Teresa," she said turning to the Spanish saint, "I experienced it before you did. But the priest in Asia Minor at the end of the II century who wrote my biography also experienced it. As I recall, he was deposed because of

resents human weakness or evil." In Memory of Her: A FeministReconstruction of Christian Origins (original in English 1988), Claudiana, Torino 1990, 244. This concept, expressive of a common way of considering woman inferior to man, would be more noticed by gnostic dualism. It is interesting to observe how in the later epochs the general way of thinking within the Church remains a "patrimony." On this subject it is meaningful to note what we read in an Epistola seuLibel/usof the IV century, placed in the appendix of the works of Ilario di Poitiers (pL 10, coll 733-750): XI "(The woman) does not esteem herself more than any man because of her sex, after having observed everything legitimately, needing to be transformed to the perfect man. Instead she tends to the virtue destined to receive glory and, in this, does not let herself be held back by infirmities of her own sex, and instead in sanctity, in strength of soul, in continence and patience seeks to strive among men in many tasks." 47 Cf. A. MITTERER, Mas occasionatus: ZtI