The presentation path that the Vatican Publishing Library organized on the occasion of the release of Witness and teacher of virtuethe volume on the Christian journey of don Tonino Bello written by the bishop of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, Msgr. Domenico Cornacchia.
“I was surprised by the very thorough knowledge on the part of young people”, says the prelate, “someone told me that they had read everything that Don Tonino wrote – observed Bishop Cornacchia (LOOK) “.
IN THE EMBLEMATIC PLACES OF DON TONINO BELLO
Passing a Rome after the stages a Correggio (in the province of Reggio Emilia), Bolzano, Lecco And Verona, Msgr. Cornacchia announces that the tour will move to Puglia: “We will visit some emblematic places of Don Tonino’s priestly and episcopal life”. The prelate presented the program which will take place from 21 to 23 May. Three meetings on the calendar: ad Alessanoin the province of Leccebirthplace of the Venerable; Bari, the regional capital; And Molfettawhere he lived his ministry as bishop from 1982 to 1993.
Msgr. Cornacchia, at the helm of the same diocese since 2016, confides the reason that prompted him to write the book: “Usually this great bishop is mentioned, as a social promoter, an animator, etc., but his vocation has deep spiritual roots” . And it is precisely in this dimension that the author places his hopes for the initiative: “I hope that those who read this book will fall in love even more with what Don Tonino witnessed for the poor, for hospitality, for peace , for prayer “.
DON TONINO AND HIS UNPUBLISHED
But what is it that makes this figure so relevant? “Certainly the affability, the loving kindness and the joy that he managed to let out from every gesture”, replies the bishop of Molfetta, who is keen to reiterate that Don Tonino was fundamentally a man of prayer. So much so that “he repeated that one must be contemplative: with two ‘t’, explaining that action, like that for peace, comes from contemplation “.
Mons. Cornacchia personally knew his predecessor. And he tells us “an unpublished episode” in his biography which confirms this trait. Three or four times a week, Don Tonino used to retire in prayer inside the Cathedral of Molfetta from lunchtime until the afternoon. “He asked the sacristan Tanella, still alive, to close the doors. And when the woman asked him how he could eat, she replied: ‘I let him invite me’, pointing to the Tabernacle ”.
The Pope also appreciates the testimony of Don Tonino, as evidenced by the quote during the homily of the mass for the Fifth World Day of the Poor. “He certainly read some of his works”, explains Msgr. Crow that reveals a detail dating back to the apostolic journey to Peru, in 2018, a few months before the visit to Molfetta. “On the bedside table, next to his bed, Francesco had the book by Don Tonino Bello entitled Mary woman of our day“.
The book of Msgr. Cornacchia on Don Tonino Bello’s spirituality makes a stop in Puglia