Pope canonizes founder of Scalabrinians, Salesian pharmacist

New Saints: Giovanni Scalabrini, Artemide Zatti

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis presided over the Canonization Mass of Giovanni Battista Scalabrini and Artemides Zatti, in St Peter's Square on Sunday, recalling how these holy men lived as examples of an inclusive Church and encouraging the faithful to relearn how to humbly give gratitude for our lives and God's presence in it. The Mass was co-celebrated by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, with 50,000 faithful participating.

Both saints were born in Italy in the 19th century and ministered to others, at a time when there was massive immigration from Italy at the beginning of the 20th century. Bishop Scalabrini founded a missionary order that ministered to immigrants, while Zatti was himself an immigrant, leaving Italy for Argentina with his family in 1897 at the age of 16. Zatti became a professed Salesian in 1911 and was well known for his ardent faith and commitment to the sick, serving as a pharmacist and nurse.

In his homily, Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel of Luke which tells the story of the ten lepers who, after crying out to Jesus for mercy, were healed, with only one Samaritan realizing his healing and turned around "praising God with a loud voice" (Lk 17:15).

The Pope invited the faithful to reflect on two aspects of the Gospel: walking together and giving thanks.

Leprosy, Pope Francis noted, is a disease that isolates those ill from others, forcing those who have the illness to remain together on the "margins of social and even religious life."

This image of solidarity within desolation is also meaningful for us to reflect upon: if we can recognize our own illness as sinners in need of God the Father's great mercy, then we can once more become like brothers and sisters, "mindful that all of us are vulnerable within and in need of healing."

"Faith always urges us to move beyond ourselves and towards God and our brothers and sisters, never to remain enclosed within ourselves. Faith invites us to acknowledge constantly that we are in need of healing and forgiveness, and to share in the frailty of those who are near to us, without feeling ourselves superior."

Walking together is a key cornerstone of the Church and is something we can ask ourselves: in our own lives within our families, our workplace, and where we spend our time, are we truly capable of listening and being open and inclusive to all "in the service of the Gospel," the Pope asked the faithful.

In his homily, the Pope challenged us to "always be inclusive" in the Church and society, "which is still marred by many forms of inequality and marginalization."

In off-the-cuff remarks, Pope Francis said the exclusion of migrants today in Church and society is "scandalous" and "criminal."

"Indeed: the exclusion of migrants is criminal, it makes them die in front of us. Today we have the Mediterranean which is the largest cemetery in the world. The exclusion of migrants is sickening, it is sinful, it is criminal."

In the Gospel, only one leper, realizing he was cured, turned back to praise God and show gratitude, with the others going along their way.

Pope Francis said it is the Samaritan who dares to go back to Jesus in order to enter into a relationship with him to "start a journey of thanksgiving:" Jesus Himself, the Samaritan realized, is "more important than the healing he received."

This can be a great lesson for us, the Pope continued, as so often we fall way to the "nasty spiritual disease" of taking everything for granted, including our relationship with God.

The ability to give thanks rather, allows us to recognize the presence of God in our lives and the importance of others, of our families.

"So please, let us not forget these key words: thank you!"

Recalling the examples of the two newly-named Saints, Pope Francis said each of these two holy men reminds us "of the importance of walking together and being able to give thanks."

Both dedicated their lives to a Church that was inclusive and without barriers, as Saint Scalabrini cared a great deal for migrants and Saint Zatti cared greatly for the sick, taking upon himself the wounds of others.

"With great vision, Scalabrini looked forward to a world and a Church without barriers, where no one was a foreigner. For his part, the Salesian Brother Artemides Zatti was a living example of gratitude."

The Pope noted how today, here in Europe, there is one migration causing "so much pain:" the migration of Ukrainians fleeing the war.

In conclusion, the Pope encouraged us to ask the Saints to help us "walk together, without walls of division" in order to be able to "cultivate that nobility of soul," that is, gratitude.

At the end of the Mass, Pope Francis recalled the beginning of the Second Vatican Council 60 years ago. He stressed that "we should not forget the danger of nuclear war that menaced the world right at that time".

"Why don't we learn from history?" asked the Pope, noting that "even at that moment, there were conflicts and huge tensions, but the way of peace was chosen".

Pope Francis then mentioned Thailand, where three days ago, "a mad act of violence took place". 37 people, most of whom children, were killed in an attack on a nursery in Uthai Sawan Child Development Centre in northeastern Thailand in a gun and knife attack. "With deep emotion, I entrust their lives to the Father, especially the little children and their families", said the Pope.

LINKS

Watch a video of the Canonization Mass on Vatican YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MbYzfovsuQ

Saint Artemides Zatti - www.indcatholicnews.com/saint/80

Saint Giovanni Battista Scalabrini - www.scalabriniani.org/en/giovanni-battista-scalabrini-biografia/