I didn’t have time last Sunday to express my joy of being back here, at St. Therese with you.

Somebody asked if it was hard to leave behind my family and if I was happy to be back at St. Therese.

It is true: at home I could use my own language, the places and the people around me were familiar from my childhood, few things had changed and several new houses had been built over the years. At the beginning it took a while to get readjusted, but then I fit in again perfectly.

During my stay at home I realized how my siblings had aged and how my nephews and nieces had grown up, becoming very handsome and beautiful. I came to realize also that my family had expanded and I was now the eldest in the family, the next in line to die and also the one to whom the whole group was looking for guidance and advice.

My family is now divided in two large groups: one residing in the northern part of Italy and the second one in the southern. The two groups and their cultures were so different and, at the same time, so complimentary to each other.

As usual from time past, there was a kind of ritual that needed to be performed: every member had to acknowledge, in one way or another, that I had come, and that they were looking at me as their leader.

The visitation of the various families begun, ending with a pilgrimage to two shrines very dear to our family. St Padre Pio and St. Michael cave. I had ample time to pray for every member of my family and for St. Therese Parish; I consider St. Therese my real family in God. What unites us is not the fact that were born by the same physical parents, but by the power of the Holy Spirit: “not be the will of the flesh, not by the blood of common parents, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I remember how it was said at the African synod:” In Africa blood is thicker than water, even Baptismal water””.  That statement caused in me great anguish. It does not apply to us: the bonds forged by our common baptism are very strong, stronger than the bonds of blood.

We also honored together our deceased parents in this way pledging loyalty to the family and its members.
When we sat at table it was a long table, and not the round table typical of the Chinese restaurant. Looking at number of people I started thinking how everything had begun with the love of two people: my parents.
Love is always fruitful.

The same miracle of love happens at St. Therese. We put the character “Oi” (Love) as our capstone : the love we have for Christ has kept us together and has increased the numbers of parishioners.

Love is contagious and works miracles.

During the time spent at home I came across so many people, from all walk of life. The shared one thing in common they reminded me of a pine-cone with the sweet pin-nuts inside, but so hard to crack open to get them. The good is there, but is well protected.

Knife or a screw-driver are of no use and one runs the risk of injuring himself. I had learned, as a young boy, that all I needed was to put the pine-cone close to the fire, and let the heat do the job for me!
The same was true with human beings: as soon as they feel the warmth of love they open up showing the best part of themselves.

My siblings and their families are quite different: we share some common traits but also many individual characteristics. The regions in which we live are different. In Northern Italy people don’t usually kiss to show affection, they don’t like to fuss about, and tend to be more reserved, keeping their feelings for themselves so that they don’t embarrass people.  In their mentality deeds speak louder than words. They would give you the house-keys with the words: “make yourself at home” and they really mean it. Leaving you the possibility of organizing yourself as you want.

In the south instead they tend to “kidnap” you! They like to show affection: I never received so many kisses and hugs in my life as during the days I spent in the south. They shovel food in your plate: more food, more love (and I used to say: more weight!).

One has to touch, to feel then it is happy! They shout and gesticulate to make their point. No breakfast or supper, only a long lunch at 2:00pm when all the stores are closed and nobody is in the streets.
They like to waist time together eating pumpkin-seeds or other snacks. Usually lunch last for many long hours, to make up for the time we were away.
The more guests at table the merrier: you don’t need an official invitation, we can always squeeze up and there is room for everybody.
Friendship and cordiality take precedence over order and organization.

A host in the north would get crazy almost fainting if a uninvited guest shows up. The table has been set for a given number of people only. In the south this is secondary: people come first!

Although the majority of Italians are Catholics, the way religion is lived is quite distinctive.

In Northern Italy religion seems to be quite simple and clear: to be upright and generous. In the South the saints seem more important than God who is too busy running the universe to be disturbed by petty problems such as the loss of keys; this is a typical case for St. Anthony to come in.

The saints are “our protectors and defenders” they patronize us. They talk to people in dreams to advice and worn them. Their statues are carried along the streets of the village on the shoulders of devotees, to make sure that everybody is known to them and put under their protection. The heavier the statue, the more abundant the sweat, the more blessings you receive! The saints know that to be a human being is not easy and that is impossible to keep all the commandments and they will put a good word for us with God.

People believe that there is only one “Our Lady”, the one in my village, the one I am familiar with.

Two world-views so beautiful and so different and so complimentary at the same.

While at home “on vacation” I was appointed “confessor” and preacher of retreats” for the clergy and for the youth. There was always a long line of people waiting to have the time to have a chat with me, to open up their hearts to somebody who had shown them some love, to ask for an advice or to celebrate the Sacrament of reconciliation.

At the end of all these meetings, I learned that every time we approach a human being we are approaching a Cross: we have to take off our shoes because we are on “holy ground” made holy by their tears and sufferings.

I have been praying in my heart that I will be an “helper” in carrying those crosses and I asked God to help me not to add to the existing sufferings.

The Church in Italy seems to straggle in her dealing with the modern world and its many challenges. Some priests seem to find shelter and psychological security in the past and they look with kind of nostalgia to the “good olden days”! But, were they really so good?
To want to go back shows our inability or recognizing God in our midst and forgetting His promise:” I am with you, always, yes! To the close of time!”

The hierarchy in Italy gives the impression of being too embroiled and entangled in politics. History has proved that clergy are poor politicians, they should instead form the Catholic political group.

The senior clergy have to deal with the problem of the younger priests who at times are from different countries of origin.

In this specific instance USA is advantaged since ethnic diversity is a common fact and looked upon as gift and not as a threat.

Very humbly I tried the caution bishops not to trade vocations with “green cards” aware that this can be a strong temptation rather than re-think the whole system and empower the laity and our common “priesthood”.

The tension between the two age-groups is inevitable given the our sociological setting.  It is a fact: in the past priests were ordained at 23 years of age, usually, because that was the time people maturated and married. That was the time when one could say : “I own myself and I give myself to you only, and for ever!”.
 Now people tend to mature more slowly and at a later time. We speak of “second vocation in life.
The younger generations seem to suffer of what has been called: ”The Peter Pan complex”  i.e. a prolonged  infancy.
Our younger Priests are people of this time, with the same problems as the people of this age.

We have to pray for them and we can draw strength by their enthusiasm avoiding the risk of becoming not only “realistic”, but cynical pessimists.

It is good to remember when we tend to be discouraged that the church doesn’t not belong to us, that Christ is the only Good Shepherd and we try our level best to imitate him.

Looking back at the long history of the Church and our personal lives we realized that God was always present, always at work. It the words of Jacob: “How terrible is this place, this is the ‘House of God’. God was here and I didn’t know”.

Ii is very refreshing to remember that Christ is present and alive now as He was in the years-past. To be discouraged can mean only two things: “that we have built on the sand that is ourselves” and that ”we practically don’t believe in Christ’s resurrection. In fact we base our hope for the future not on Him and on the power of His resurrection, but on the calculation of possibilities.

“What chance do I have to become a saint with my own efforts?” None! “But I can do everything with the one who gives me strength” are the words of St. Paul. Jesus would agree with this and add: ” This is impossible to man, but for God everything is possible”.

Before coming back to Chicago I had to face the so called “last temptation”  which came through the mouth of my bishop: “Father Michael, you have seen how much you have accomplished in so short a time! Why don’t you stay on with us? You could do much good here; here there is a strong  need of people like you here…”
It was a temptation and I told him that he said so because blinded by the love he has for me, and that after a while, when he would have known me in my true colors, he might get tired of my presence and regretted his offer. Besides, I am not a free-lance, but I belong to a Religious family and my richness comes from the vast experience of my Missionary Congregation. Missionaries more than “priests” are “prophets: who always are short-lived.
We are the people of the dreams, the people who, because carried on the shoulders of the local clergy can see far and show the direction towards which to march.

Jesus said :”let’s go to the other towns because I came to preach the good news to the lost sheep of Israel”!

When I said no to the bishop I felt a sharp pain in my heart because, in spite of everything, missionaries do have feelings and they love their countries.
I realized that while leaving Italy I was saying goodbye to people whom I loved, many I will not see again on this earth because of their ailments or because of age. But our Christian faith reminds us that “we don’t have here a permanent city. Our true home-land is Haven”.

This is why I am happy to be back, grateful to God for the ten years I could spend at St. Therese with you because you are my real family. In the words of St. John: “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God’s children--children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God””.