Advertisement MissioICN Would you like to advertise on ICN? Click to learn more.

Italy: 'Father Roberto is dead, therefore, he is alive'


Father Roberto Malgesini dedicated his life to the homeless - image: Vatican News

Father Roberto Malgesini dedicated his life to the homeless - image: Vatican News

Source: Vatican News

A Requiem Mass was held in the Cathedral of Como on Saturday morning, for Father Roberto Malgesini, killed on Tuesday by a homeless person. Bishop Oscar Cantoni concelebrated with Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the Papal Almoner, represented Pope Francis. At the end of the Mass, the Cardinal spoke on behalf of the Holy Father.

"I bring you the Holy Father's greetings and fraternal embrace," Cardinal Krajewski told the congregation at the end of the Mass. "He is with us. He is united with us in prayer."

He then related that as soon as Pope Francis heard the news of Father Malgesini's death, he picked up the words of Como's Bishop during the General Audience on Wednesday.

"I give praise to God for the witness, that is, for the martyrdom of this witness of charity toward the poorest."

"Pope Francis is with us and is united to the pain and prayers of Father Robert's relatives.... He is united with the faithful of his Parish, to the needy whom he served with all of his heart until that last morning, and with the entire community in Como."

"Father Roberto is dead, therefore, he is alive. Love never dies, not even with death," the Cardinal said. "Greater love than this has no one than to lay down one's life for one's friends." Commenting on this passage, Cardinal Krajewski said, "One cannot be a true Christian if we do not make this page our own."

The Cardinal said he didn't know why this had happened to Fr Roberto. "One thing is certain though" he said. "In his life, he incorporated Jesus's prayer: 'Our Father, your will be done, not mine; hallowed by thy name, not mine; thy kingdom come, not mine."

"That refers particularly to us priests, who need to live the Gospel in its purity, we who need to spread Jesus's perfume everywhere we go." This is the sentiment expressed in a prayer written by Saint John Henry Newman and left by Mother Teresa as a legacy to her sisters in their daily service to the poor:

Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly,
That my life may only be a radiance of Yours.

Shine through me, and be so in me
That every soul I come in contact with
May feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!

Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine,
So to shine as to be a light to others;
The light, O Jesus will be all from You; none of it will be mine;
It will be you, shining on others through me.

Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example,
By the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do,
The evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.

Then turning to the Bishop of Como, Oscar Cantoni, Cardinal Krajewski said: "I am sure that there are many priests and lay faithful who want to pick up Father Roberto's evangelical work because this path is the true Gospel in action."

Adverts

SPICMA

We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. See our advertising page if you would like more information.

We Need Your Support

ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. As our audience increases - so do our costs. We need your help to continue this work.

You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN.

Mobile Menu Toggle Icon