It will be presented tonight January 3, at 19, in the church of the Passionist Fathers a Novolithe book of Passionist Father Antonio Curto entitled “Fruits of sanctity of Passionist spiritual direction” (Editrice Salentina, 448 pages).
The presentation is entrusted to Cesare Pradadirector of the Ministerio Hispano Institute of Passionist Spirituality «Holy Name Retreat Center» Of Houstonin the US.
In the presence of the author, after the institutional greetings of the father superior of the Novolese Passionist community Father Luca Fracasso and of Frances Ingrossodeputy mayor and councilor for equal opportunities of the municipality of Novoli, intervene Clare Armillispsychointerpreter of sciences and arts e don Vito Mignozziconsultant to the dicastery of the Causes of saints, dean of the theological faculty of Puglia, Ucd director of the diocese of Castellaneta, professor of dogmatic theology; moderate Emmanuela Ruccopresident of the association «Nova Liberars». Selected pieces of sacred polyphony will be performed by the local Polifonica «San Gabriele dell’Addolorata», directed by the master Simonetta Miglietta Sozzo.
The volume presents in its essential lines, without any claim to be exhaustive, the human, Christian, mystical and spiritual experience of Saint Gemma Galgani.
The result of years of serious, meditated and in-depth study of the spirituality of the Passion, lived, embodied, experienced by a young woman who lived in Lucca from 12 March 1878 to 11 April 1903, «Gemma Galgani, who if not by habit and by profession, undoubtedly by desire and affection, should deservedly be numbered among the religious Daughters of St. Paul of the Cross».
With Gemma, other people enter the story of the book, who in mysterious ways were part of her life, already known to her or entered into God’s plans: the then Confratel Gabriele of Our Lady of Sorrows (1838-862), the founder saint of the Passionists St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775), Gemma’s first spiritual director, mgr. John Volpi (1860-1931), the Father Germano Ruoppolo (1950-1909), which Jesus himself had shown Gemma in a vision, Mrs Cecilia Giannini (1847-1931), “the aunt” as Gemma familiarly called her, and other known and unknown people. Each of them had its own role and impact of human and Christian faith in Gemma’s life.
Very appropriately the author (professor at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston, former provincial superior of his Congregation, polyglot, writer and translator), has seen fit to include in the volume a few brief news on San Gabriele dell’Addolorata, according to the testimony of his spiritual director Father Norberto Cassinelli (1829-1911) and St. Paul of the Cross, with his advice on spiritual direction to his first spiritual daughter Agnese Grazie (1703-1744).
It is a journey backwards in Italian social, political, religious, ecclesial history, more than 300 years, of those periods and with people who lived, worked, thought, expressed their religious faith, their love for the people, for the Church and for society of its time. A book that certainly helps in human and Christian growth, in the environment and with the people that God has placed next to each of us.
‘Fruits of holiness of Passionist spiritual direction’, Book by Father Antonio Curto