Saint of the Month - November 2017: Blessed Pius of Saint Aloysius Campidelli

Bl. Pius of Saint Aloysius Campidelli

Another Light of the Little Way

Memorial: November 3rd

Literature in English is scarce about this youthful Italian Blessed and, I have to admit, when I first read whatever I could gather about him I wasn't completely impressed or inspired. There were no spiritual fireworks about him that wowed me, but rather, he just appeared too "ordinary", as far as I could personally evaluate... and I wondered to myself as to what made him sainthood-worthy.

Bl. Pius of Saint Aloysius was born Luigi Campidelli on April 29, 1868, to poor farmers from Poggio Berni (Forli); child number four to his parents. Biographies describe him as an excellent student and active in parish life, and generally known in his small community as a good kid.  There was also a budding attraction to spirituality from an early age.

Sadly, when he was about 6-years-old, Luigi's father, Giuseppe, died of typhoid, which left his family even more desperate. An uncle arrived to help support his mother and three siblings, but the uncle's bad behavior made home-life a trial for them.

The venerated painting of the
Madonna of Casale

At 12-years-old, Luigi came into contact with the Passionists for the first time and was immediately drawn to their manner of life. He began frequenting the Passionist house in Casale and its shrine dedicated to the Madonna, where he was eventually accepted as a novice at aged 14. Despite his youth, he wholly committed himself to the Passionist charism of intense devotion to Christ Crucified, as well as a deep filial devotion to Our Lady. A year later in 1883 he was given the Passionist habit and renamed Pius of Saint Aloysius; on April 30, 1884, the young religious professed his vows.  By all accounts he was a model religious.

Pius was training for the priesthood when he contracted tuberculosis before he could be ordained. During the course of his illness he never complained and maintained a cheerful disposition. He succumbed to the dreaded disease on November 2, 1889, being only 21-years-old and offering his life to God as a sacrifice for the spiritual good of his home region of Romagna.

The Church beatified Bl. Pius of Saint Aloysius on November 17, 1985 and his sacred relics are today enclosed in a beautiful glass-sided urn near the Shrine of the Madonna of Casale that the Blessed frequented in life.

As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't initially touched when I first learned Pius' life. I actually had to take about a day to reflect more about his spiritual relevance and to "pray" his life message. Then it all suddenly clicked for me - it didn't matter that his life seemed so ordinary and uneventful, but what mattered was that he consistently did the most ordinary things with extraordinary love!  I truly believe that this was Bl. Pius' plan all along and he effected it without any fanfare, via his conscientious practice of humility and obedience; the self-giving he exercised through the fulfillment of his daily duties that were all consciously offered to Jesus and Mary with the profound love he had in his heart for them.

I further recognized that, in essence, Bl. Pius was walking the little way, a method of spirituality later made popular by St. Therese the Little Flower (d. 1897)... and my early doubts about his sanctity vanished. I see why his companions must have been so impressed with him - they probably came to sense the powerful force of love that emanated from Pius' being despite his seemingly ordinary exterior.

Above: The beautiful urn enclosing the

relics of Bl. Pius Campidelli in Casale.

I am now filled with admiration and respect for Bl. Pius Campidelli and see him as a bright light of the little way for the whole world, especially for our young people to emulate.  May God grant us, the Faithful, the joy of his speedy Canonization!

A Short Prayer

  O God, who reveal yourself in a marvelous way to the little ones and to the pure of heart, manifest yourself to us, we beseech you, as you did to Blessed Pius, and grant that we may follow you unceasingly, our one and true God, in purity and sincerity of life, loving you above all things and loving others with your love.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.  Amen.

Monthly Messages from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: October 2017

Our Lady's Monthly Message to the World on October 25th:

   “Dear children!  I am calling you to be prayer in this time of grace.  You all have problems, afflictions, sufferings and lack of peace.  May saints be models to you and an encouragement for holiness; God will be near you and you will be renewed in seeking through your personal conversion.  Faith will be hope to you and joy will begin to reign in your hearts.  Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Our Lady's Special Message to Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo on October 2nd:

   “Dear children, I am speaking to you as a mother – with simple words, but words filled with much love and concern for my children who, through my Son, are entrusted to me.  And my Son, who is of the eternal now, He is speaking to you with words of life and is sowing love in open hearts.  Therefore, I am imploring you, apostles of my love, have open hearts always ready for mercy and forgiveness.  According to my Son, always forgive your neighbors, because in that way peace will be in you.  My children, care for your soul, because it alone is what truly belongs to you.  You are forgetting the importance of family.  A family does not need to be a place of suffering and pain, but a place of understanding and tenderness.  Families who strive to live according to my Son live in mutual love.  While He was still little, my Son would say to me that all people are His brothers.  Therefore, remember, apostles of my love, that all people whom you meet are family to you – brothers according to my Son.  My children, do not waste time thinking about the future, worrying.  May your only concern be how to live well every moment according to my Son.  And there it is – peace for you!  My children, do not ever forget to pray for your shepherds.  Pray that they can accept all people as their children; that, according to my Son, they may be spiritual fathers to them.  Thank you!”

Saints & Holy Relics Speaking Presentation, 10/21/2017: Damien & Marianne Catholic Conference

An occasion of special grace for the Catholic Church in Hawaii!

It's been a busy October so far for this little ministry and there's still a few more things to come before the month ends... but I expected it to be an exceptionally active month since this time of the year is closely associated with Our Lady, the Saints, and the Holy Rosary; devotions I strive to promote.

The latest event I've been involved with - and the biggest so far for me - was the Damien & Marianne Catholic Conference.  The inaugural conference was held this weekend at the Hawaii Convention Center and I was invited to conduct two back-to-back presentations as part of the conference's Saturday lineup of breakout sessions. Several fantastic speakers were gathered to present on a variety of spiritual and social topics, and I considered it an honor for my personal ministry to be included... but at the same time how humbling and terrifying!   

On my part I had the privilege of faith-sharing to a couple of smaller audiences, which made for informal and intimate settings that I enjoyed.  My presentation was called Our Saints - God's Many Faces of Love & Mercy but it was basically the same content and format that I've done in past Saints & Relics presentations - a photo-filled slideshow summarizing the Sainthood Process; explaining what Holy Relics are; and featuring several biographies/genuine relics of mostly modern Blesseds/Saints.  The only thing that changes from presentation to presentation is the lineup of the holy individuals I speak about, which I tailor to suit my general audiences.  

Several 1st & 2nd Class Relics in this

ministry's custody were displayed for public

veneration during my two presentations at

the Damien & Marianne Conference. 

So for the Damien & Marianne Catholic Conference I prayerfully chose the following holy persons to feature and speak about, and also brought their respective relics to be publicly venerated by my audiences: St. Anthony of Padua (bone relic); St. Bernadette of Lourdes (bone relic); St. Damien de Veuster (coffin wood relic); Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos (bone relic); St. Gianna Beretta Molla (clothing relic); Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin (bone relics); Bl. Margaret of Citta-di-Castello (bone relic); St. Peregrine Laziosi (bone relic); St. Padre Pio (stigmata bandage relic); Bl. Rolando Rivi (hair relic); St. Therese the Little Flower (bone relic)... and no talk of mine about Saints would be complete if I didn't include my ministry's veil relic of the Queen of All Saints - the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Based on conversations I managed to have with several attendees after each presentation, it appears both talks were well-received by their respective audiences. People described the presentation as generally "interesting" and the stories of the Blesseds/Saints as "inspiring".  Many stayed to venerate the relics and a few even left teary-eyed, obviously touched by their personal contact with the hallowed remains of our spiritual heroes.  I was also deeply moved seeing the peoples' reaction to the Blesseds/Saints and I understood what they were going through.

Audience members venerating the

relics after the presentations.

As already stated above, this event was a privilege for my ministry.  It's difficult for me to describe in a few words just how personally blessed I feel each time I am able to share with audiences the exemplary lives of the Blesseds/Saints... to be able to give them a "voice" so that their encouraging message can be heard once more... to be able to have them venerated through their relics... and to be able to bring a measure of inspiration and hope to the people in my audiences who may be looking for it.  I can only say that I love this "job" and I thank Jesus that I am given opportunities to do it.  May Glory and Praises be to Him always!