TIVOLI – Saturday 1 October, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in San Vittorino Romano, the diocesan phase of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Mons.Giuseppe Cognata (1885-1972), Founder of the Salesian Oblates, concluded of the Sacred Heart (SOSC).
After the Eucharistic celebration in honor of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus – in which the continuing relevance of the figures of the Patron Saint of the Missions and the Salesian Servant of God was underlined – Mons. Mauro Parmeggiani, Bishop of Tivoli and Palestrina, presided over the last session of the diocesan inquiry into the cause of Mons. Cognata. Fr Pierluigi Cameroni, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, presented the work carried out from 12 December 2020, the day of the opening of the diocesan phase, by the Diocesan Tribunal, the Theological Censors and the Historical Commission: the folders were presented with over 4,000 pages of testimonials and documents.
Mons. Parmeggiani stressed that “for our whole Church it is a joy to share that of a bishop who is fond of our territory and that from now on we can pray that he intercedes for our needs with God. We are talking about a man, a consecrated person, a bishop, a founder touched by the merciful love of the Father and who testified with his whole life his entrustment to the will of his Lord and heroic obedience to the Church ”.
He then shared some passages of the commemoration made, in 1972, by Mons. Antonio Mistrorigo, Bishop of Treviso, friend and staunch defender of Mons. Cognata: “His life remains a book of exceptional value and interest. If we know how to read it with an understanding of love, we cannot fail to feel stimulated to become better. In each page we find reflected an angle of his humanity and, above all, of his spirituality: enlightened and open mind, extraordinary kindness, fine sensitivity to the needs of the times, man of God, teacher of interior life, wise and lovable father, incomparable director of spirit, devoted to Mary Help of Christians, Imitator of Don Bosco; we find especially in him the martyr of silence. Here, in my opinion, lies the apex of the spiritual greatness of Mons. Cognata. Silence upon a bleeding cross; silence for more than twenty years; smile even in the trial of fire; unshakable trust in that God who, after the storm, knows how to console in all our tribulations ”.
Mother Graziella Benghini, Superior General of the SOSC, brought her greetings in memory of many people who over time have committed themselves to prove and demonstrate the innocence of Mons. Cognata and to promote his cause for beatification including: the Salesian Rector Major don Luigi Castano, Anna Vultaggio, Mother Bice Carini, don Achille Tricca, dr. Giuseppe Viola.
In addition to the presence of numerous SOSCs, including Mother Carmelina Mosca, Mother General for 24 years, the Salesian Family was well represented, with the presence of Fr Pascual Chávez, Rector Major Emeritus, Sr. Lesley Sandigo, FMA, General Councilor for the Salesian Family , Antonio Boccia, World Coordinator of the Salesian Cooperators, Maria Carmen Castillon, Confederal President of the Past Pupils of the FMA; there were also numerous lay people and consecrated persons present, including the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and the Oblate Sisters of the Virgin Mary of Fatima. In the afternoon the documentary film dedicated to the life of Mons. Cognata was shown and the Rosary was prayed at the beginning of October.
If with the closure of the diocesan inquiry the epicenter of the Cause moves from the Diocese of Tivoli to Rome, this does not mean, however, that Mons. Cognata “leaves” Tivoli: he many people who still don’t know him; where to assume that dynamism of prayer and offering that he still teaches to each of us today; places of grace to know him and make him known, love him and make him loved, walk on his example and feel him and know him close as a brother, father and sincere friend ” said Mons. Mauro Parmeggiani in his speech.
Tivoli, beatification of Mons. Cognata: the cause moves from Tivoli to Rome