The current issue of NUNTIA (of the CM) has a summary report of the days events at the beatification of Marco Antonio Durando.Beatification of Marco Antonio Durando, C.M. (1801-1880)
(Rome, St. Peter’s Square – 20 October 2002)
a. Participants. On 20 October 2002, (World Mission Sunday), in St. Peter’s Square, Pope John Paul II, beatified Fr. Marco Antonio Durando and five other Servants of God: D. Okelo, J. Irwa, A. Longhin, M. of the Passion and L. Meneguzzi. About 15,000 persons participated in this celebration, among them were 40 concelebrants. Some of those present: Cardinal S. Ghattas, Bishop G. Grachane, Bishop L. Pacomio (Bishop of Mondovì), Fr. Robert Maloney, C.M. (Superior General), Frs. B. Gonella, G. Guerra, G. Passerini (Visitors of Turin, Naples, and Rome, respectively). Also present at this ceremony were Sr. Maria Pia Barale, (Superioress General of the Nazarene Sisters, the Congregation founded by Blessed Durando), Sr. Juana Elizondo (Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity) and some members of the General Council of the Daughters of Charity, as well the Visitatrixes and Directors of the Daughters of Charity in Italy.
b. Homage to the Holy Father and the Beatification. At 10 a.m. the celebration of the Eucharist began with a moving tribute to the Holy Father. Cardinal B. Gantin highlighted the Pope’s missionary zeal and extraordinary service to humanity during the 24 years of his Pontificate. As the Rite of Beatification unfolded, the ordinaries of the dioceses of the six Servants of God, accompanied by the Postulators of their Causes, presented the Petition for Beatification to the Holy Father. After the reading of a short biography of each of the six Servants of God, the Holy Father pronounced the beatification formula. At this announcement, loud applause burst forth from the square, accompanied by typical African rhythms (two of the Blessed were young catechists from Uganda). During the homily, the Holy Father reminded all of us about the ways in which these newly Blessed fulfilled in a unique way the command to announce and give witness to the Good News. When he spoke about Blessed Durando, he said: “At the school of Saint Vincent de Paul, he learned how to recognize in the humanity of Christ, the greatest, most accessible and disarming expression of the love of God for every human being.”
c. Gathering of the Vincentian Family. At 5:30 p.m. on the day of the beatification, about 300 members of the Vincentian Family gathered together in the Paul VI Hall, located inside the Vatican. Representatives from Italy, Spain, Madagascar, Poland, Lebanon, Columbia and the United States came together to honor the new Blessed. During a brief introduction, Fr. Maloney spoke of the Gospel as a “page of printed music” and the life of a saint is “like that music sung beautifully.” He also highlighted the work that Fr. Durando accomplished in promoting the ministry of the various Vincentian groups. Then, L. Galbiati, an Italian layperson, directed an enjoyable narration on the life of the new Blessed, which was interspersed with Malagasy dances and other readings.
d. Thanksgiving. On Monday, 21 October, the members of the Vincentian Family who had traveled to Rome for the beatification of Fr. Durando gathered together in the parish of St. Gregory VII to celebrate the Eucharist in honor of the newly Blessed. The Archbishop of Turin was the principal celebrant. In his homily, Cardinal Poleto spoke of the religious, missionary and charitable dimensions of the life of Fr. Durando. At the conclusion of the celebration, Fr. B. Gonella, Visitor of Turin, thanked all the participants for their presence at the celebration, and also thanked in a very special way Fr. R. D’Amico the Postulator General of the Congregation for his work on the beatification.
e. Audience with the Holy Father. The “Roman” celebrations in honor of Fr. Durando and the other five Servants of God came to a close on Monday, 21 October with an audience with the Holy Father. About 10,000 pilgrims who came to Rome for the feast gathered in the Paul VI Hall at 11:30 a.m. The Holy Father spoke about each of the six newly Blessed. With regard to Fr. Durando, he said: “Defined by one of his confreres as ‘the Saint Vincent of Italy,’ he shone for the extraordinary charity that he knew how to infuse into every work he touched: from the activity of governing the community to the popular missions; from the spiritual guidance of the Daughters of Charity to the initiative of the ‘Centres of Mercy’ and the founding of Nazarene Sisters.” On 10 December, in the Church of the Visitation in Turin, there will be a solemn ceremony during which the remains of Blessed Durando will be made exposed for public veneration by the faithful.
For other international news of the Congregation of the Mission visit the NUNTIA website.
