Peacemaker Fall 2020

Peacemaker The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia

Fall 2020

Life is Changed, Not Ended Augustinian since 1907

CONTENTS

Peacemaker

Features

Fall 2020

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Publication of the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia Shrine Director & Editor Jonathan Jerome

Associate Editor Yuliana Saputro

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Design accent communications, inc.

Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

Printer Gerald O’Neill

Shrine Staff

Contact us: National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia 1166 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19146 215-546-8333

www.SaintRitaShrine.org

© 2020 The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia

Make Peace. Find Peace.

Our Vision: Healing broken lives

Patron of Holy Souls

Photography Director Fr. Dan McLaughlin, O.S.A.

Michael Anastasi Stacey Dix Kathy Elmasry Fr. Bob Guessetto, O.S.A. Jonathan Jerome Fr. Dan McLaughlin, O.S.A. Deacon Olindo Mennilli Fr. Jim Paradis, O.S.A., D.Min. Fr. Bill Recchutti, O.S.A. Tatiana Riani Yuli Saputro Michael Sheerin Fr. Jim Spenard, O.S.A. Br. Bob Thornton, O.S.A. Joseph Tierno

Cascia Center Plans Move Forward

Hope in the Midst of Despair The story of Antonio Christian Mangini

Inside 2 3 4 8 14 21

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Letter from the Shrine Director Testimonials: A Glimpse of the Divine Staying Connected to Rita Experience God’s Closeness and Love Called to Serve extraOrdinary: The Bill Atkinson Story

On the Cover

An image of Saint Rita painted by Giovambattista Galizzi, an Italian artist, that hangs near her incorrupt body in the Basilica of Saint Rita of Cascia in Italy. It depicts Saint Rita on her deathbed holding a rose taken from her family’s garden in the middle of winter.

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from the

Dear Friends of Saint Rita,

Director

As this new issue of the Peacemaker makes it way into your home, the world around us will have changed in big and small ways once again. Few among us could have predicted the amount of economic, social, and natural devastation that would impact our communities and our families over the past seven months. Between the unprecedented outbreak of the pandemic, the social unrest brought about by calls to end systemic racism and injustice, and the natural disasters throughout the country, the world and each of us in it have experienced a lot of unexpected change recently.

This time of year also offers us a glimpse of a more simple and expected change: Summer turns to Fall, and the brisk autumn air causes the leaves on the trees to begin changing color. As the leaves begin to fall to the ground and slowly die, we are reminded that change – even the end of life – gives us reason to pause and reflect on God’s closeness and reassuring consolation.

Oftentimes, we have a tendency to shy away from the topics of sickness, dying and death because the shock and heartrending grief brought about by this kind of change can be bewildering and scary. And yet, our faith informs us that it is only in dying that we rise to new life; when we die, “life is changed, not ended.” On its own, death may seem like a heavy topic for an issue of the Peacemaker, but when read in conjunction with our last issue about life, and our next issue about resurrection, the vision becomes clear: we are inviting you to delve deeper into the Paschal Mystery – the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We hope that as you turn the pages of this issue, you find consolation and strength in the stories you come across. From the testimonials of Frances and the prayers of Mrs. Stanton’s class, to the vocation stories of two South Philadelphia funeral directors, to the awe-inspiring life of Antonio, it is clear that even encounters with death have something to teach us about God. Saint Rita, our beloved patroness, knew this well; she was no stranger to sickness, dying or death. Her parents, her husband, her sons, and eventually even Rita faced the complexity and grief of death. Her ability to persevere in these moments though and rely on God’s promise of new life continues to offer us a beautiful example of deep faith and hope in God. May Saint Nicholas of Tolentine, intercessor of Rita and patron of all holy souls, continue to pray for those who have passed from this life to the next. And, may we, who continue to mourn the loss of our loved ones, find consolation today and in the days to come.

Jonathan Jerome Shrine Director

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w Click to Play Video Message from Jonathan

Background Image: The crucifix above the tabernacle in the Upper Shrine

Testimonials: A

Glimpse of the

DIVINE

D

ecember 2019 was an unfortunate month for me. I lost the most important person in my life: my beloved Mom. She lived a pretty full life, but at 99 ½ years old, her body started to fail her. She was in and out of the hospital, and, unfortunately, her last hospital stay in November 2019 landed her in hospice. At first, I had hospice care for her at home, but when it was clear that I couldn’t offer her the care she needed anymore, I transported her to the Vitas Hospice facility on December 24, 2019. Sadly, she only lasted for a day and a half there. My mom went to her heavenly reward on December 26, 2019.

It rained a lot on the day of her funeral, especially as the priest finished saying the prayers at the cemetery. It wasn’t until later in the day that the rain stopped and the sun came out. Like Saint Rita with the rose, I asked God for a sign to let me know that my mom was OK. Almost immediately, a couple of my friends sent me a picture of the sky outside: a rainbow appeared during my mother's funeral luncheon. I’m grateful to God for this little miracle during a difficult time. I’ve always believed that seeing a rainbow is like a promise; it means your loved ones are vowing to never leave you. They will always be there for you during times of need and during times of joy.

Frances Incmikoski

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am sending you these prayers that I asked my 7th graders to write.

Their classmate, David, fell off of a porch and was badly wounded in the head. Many of us began a Novena to Saint Rita the day after we received the news. My students have been praying the Novena prayers in every class. Today I asked them to sit in silence and then write a prayer. This is what they wrote. I told them that I wasn’t going to read them, but I was going to send them to you all. Please add these to the prayers and petitions that you have received. Thank you!

Mrs. Stanton, St. Joseph’s Catholic School

Dear God, I would really like to pray for David, so he feels better and can get out of the coma and his skull will heal and stop swelling. Amen.

Dear God, please help David at this time. He is one of the smartest nicest people I know. I hope that our prayers work and that he fully recovers. Amen.

Dear Lord, I’ve heard that David finally woke up and spoke a few words. I am thanking you for hearing our prayers and healing David. Please make sure that David recovers safely.

Dear God, please help David and give him your Mercy and Grace.

Have you received a favor from Saint Rita or experienced something miraculous?

The McGee family Share your experience and story with us. Call 215-546-8333 or e-mail admin@saintritashrine.org

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Staying CONNECTED to

Twitter.com/saintritashrine

Youtube.com/saintritashrine

Rita

Carl Guanlao Saint Rita of Cascia is my favorite saint and my personal patron saint. My devotion to her started in my childhood and our family has a very strong devotion to her.

Roland Blas When I was 14 I became Catholic. I immediately admired, loved, and became devoted to her life. Saint Rita of Cascia pray for us!

Kaye Abigail A A friend introduced me to St. Rita. She is amazing. She helped me with so many impossible things. Watching this video makes me want to see her in person. I pray it will happen very soon.

Instagram.com/saintritashrine

lisamb15 Thank you Saint Rita for always answering my prayers & bringing me peace when I feel overwhelmed, you are truly a Saint of the Impossible.

Facebook.com/saintritashrine

Diana Paglia Thank you St. Rita of the Impossible!

Prayers for our country and world ďżź and all our people!!!

Margaret E. Smith Love St. Rita. Her intercession saved my marriage plus many more!

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Follow us, give us a like, and check us out online anytime!

SAINT RITA IN THE NEWS

The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia is honoring its namesake with a virtual novena and Feast Day celebration PassyunkPost.com, May 17, 2020 “Some of the most prevalent feelings that people are experiencing during this crisis are sadness, anxiety, fear, and isolation,” said Jerome, who is overseeing his first novena.

“Saint Rita, because of various events in her life, dealt with all of these too, and she pressed on because she trusted the Lord. That’s a great message to proclaim today.”

- Jonathan Jerome, Director of the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia

St. Rita Shrine marks feast day with nationally televised Mass on EWTN CatholicPhilly.com, May 27, 2020 “She is a reminder that with God, all things are possible. She also reminds us of God’s nearness to those who place their trust in him, so, it is with all of our energy and sincerity that we say, ‘Saint Rita, pray for us.’” - Fr. Michael DiGregorio, O.S.A., Homilist at the Mass for the Solemn

Feast of Saint Rita

Area shrines slowly reopen as COVID restrictions ease CatholicPhilly.com, June 13, 2020 “In South Philadelphia, reopening the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia has been a ‘slow but intentional’ process. We know it’s an important place of prayer, reconciliation, peace and healing for so many people.” - Jonathan Jerome, Director of the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia Holy Spirit Radio Interview: CathTrips HolySpiritRadio.org, July 30, 2020 “In the heart of South Philadelphia lies a Catholic Shrine that is truly a staple for both South Philadelphia natives and tourists. The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia is located on South Broad Street near the University of the Arts and a mile and a half from City Hall.”

- Callie Shinkle, Host of CathTrips

Groundbreaking Held For Senior Affordable Housing Community St. Rita Place Philadelphia.cbslocal.com, August 10, 2020 “The building will consist of 46 one-bedroom apartments for income-eligible seniors, 62 and older. The project is a joint effort between Catholic Housing and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia.”

South Philly seniors eye affordable housing as St. Rita’s Place begins CatholicPhilly.com, August 11, 2020 “We create community where residents care for one another and become an extended family so that no one feels alone. During this time of our recent turmoil, the peacemaking message of Saint Rita becomes even more profound, and the opportunity to be creating this Cascia Center to respond to their need for peace and reconciliation is truly an incredible gift.”

- Archbishop Nelson Pérez, Presider at the Groundbreaking

Liturgical Catechesis: The Integration of Liturgy and Catechesis Worship, Volume 94, Fall 2020 Written and submitted by Jonathan Jerome, this scholarly article examines four phases of liturgical catechesis (catechesis for the liturgy, catechesis through the liturgy, catechesis from the liturgy, and catechesis for mission) in order to assess how liturgy and catechesis have been integrated well and also ways in which this integration might be improved.

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CASCIA CENTER PLANS

Move Forward

By Fr. James Paradis, O.S.A., Director of Outreach Ministries

Construction of the Cascia Center begins

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a letter to a close friend who lost her husband in death, Saint Augustine wrote: If poverty pinches, if grief saddens, if pain overcomes us, if exile darkens our life, if any other misfortune fills us with foreboding, let there be good friends at hand who know how to ‘weep with them that weep’ as well as ‘rejoice with them that rejoice.’ With such good friends bitter trials are lessened, the heavy burdens are lightened, the obstacles are met and overcome. (Letter 130, 2.4) It is our hope and plan that the new Cascia Center is an oasis of friendship in Philadelphia that heals broken lives and builds a community of peace. Our inspiration is Saint Rita of Cascia, who, having experienced Christ’s healing presence in the face of violence and death that touched her family, bore the gospel message of reconciliation and peace to the wounded world around her. In doing so, she became a friend to humanity, lifting people to new life in the love of God.

The needs of our community.

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People young and old hunger today for this new life. All we have to do is look around our world, into our neighborhoods, indeed into ourselves to see the restlessness that seeks

meaning and fractured lives that need healing.

We badly need to break from sinful and broken barriers that render us divided from ourselves and others – leaving us isolated, bitter, and dispirited. We need to find alternatives to the addictive cycles of blame, tension, unconstructive anger, hatred, and revenge. Can we work to speak honestly about life and transform our pain on a path toward reconciliation? The God of love is present in creation calling us to this communion.

The Cascia Center will include more than 7,000 square feet

How can we struggle to embrace the power of forgiveness? How can we work to find balance in our life and attitudes? These are weighty tasks; so often we carry horrific wounds, stress, and discouragement. Yet our faith declares that the heart of God is in the midst of every pain, as the cross of Jesus makes clear. Rita trusted in this gift and helped others find it.

It is ultimately the restoring love of God, underpinning the deepest part of our souls, that restores our humanity and empowers us to live fully in freedom and peace. In this we discover our deepest identity and joy.

Planning to make a difference.

In planning for ministries of the Cascia Center, we have a central question: how can

From Left: Fr. Jim Paradis, O.S.A., Fr. Joe Genito, O.S.A. (Former Shrine Director), Fr. Nick Martorano, O.S.A., Fr. Bob Guessetto, O.S.A., Pat and Sam Bruno, Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A., Prior Provincial (Former Shrine Director), Archbishop Nelson Perez, Fr. Jim Spenard, O.S.A., Jonathan Jerome (Current Shrine Director) and Chesley Turner (Former Shrine Director)

we build a “culture of encounter” as Pope Francis challenges the Church, drawing near to people in their alienation and pain, striving to be a force for compassion, reconciliation and healing in our lives? We’re engaging many voices in this discussion – friends of the Shrine, longtime patrons of St. Rita, ministers and others who know the many needs for peacemaking around us. Saint Rita’s Shrine is already a unique place on Broad Street for quiet prayer, sacramental confession, celebration of Eucharist, and devotion. We want to build on this and in fact improve opportunities for pilgrims and communities to gather. At the same time, how can we extend our outreach and bonds of friendship – just as St. Rita reached out to others – through services that promote transformed, reconciled persons and communities? Our plans thus far have us already offering needed pastoral counseling, group support, spiritual direction, retreats and education for a variety of persons: young people, elderly, couples, the bereaved, those who have suffered loss, and professionals wishing to break from relational tensions, divisions and addictions. We continue to offer pastoral counseling and support for victims of sexual abuse and their families.

We hope to become a place of refreshment, renewal and education for caregivers, ministers, parents and leaders who are subjected to particular stressors.

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Our vision: healing broken lives.

Creating the Cascia Center is a work of prayer, dialogue, “encounter” and friendship. As Augustinians, this is the gift of our community life. We strive to bring people together, to learn from each other and discover God in this exchange.

We believe the gift of reconciliation is carried in the stories of our lives and in the sharing of these stories. When we are able to have our stories heard and respected, we come alive. We find strength to renew and heal. We find partners of dialogue and trust in bearing the wounds of life and in examining our lives and values so that we might author a future story of hope together. In every ministry of welcome, education and skill-building or renewal, the Cascia Center will be a place where stories are honored and shared as sacred gifts for our mutual benefit and healing – that we all might create a community of peace that inspires and builds fullness of life. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new and vital ministry of the Shrine. Your prayers, support, ideas, and reflections are most appreciated in the days ahead.

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2020

Groundbreaking Images

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2021

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Experience GOD’S Closeness and

LOVE

Finding faith in sickness and when death approaches: Augustinian Friars provide pastoral care and support

By Fr. Robert Guessetto, O.S.A.

Care of the Sick

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hen Augustinian friars make their profession of vows they express their desire to follow Christ more closely. They live that profession in their common life together as consecrated men as well as in their service to the People of God. That service often leads them to the side of those suffering from illness and pain. There they remember that Christ, who during his life often visited and healed the sick, loves them in their illness. Therefore, following Christ more closely, we are quick to respond when asked to visit a sick person at home or in the hospital, reminding them that their brothers and sisters in faith are with them and are praying for them.

Such a visit forms a link between the person who is ill and the shrine or parish community to which they belong.

Loneliness and isolation, especially now, often accompany illness. Yet, as people of faith, the love that binds Christians transcends the physical separation. Even more, it is an opportunity to renew their bonds to Christ, who is always with us. Yet, we need to make the conscious choice to restore our connection to our Lord in prayer 8

The death of Saint Rita, as depicted on a stained-glass window in the Upper Shrine

since we are so often distracted by life’s activity and work.

For this reason, during a visit with a sick person, I will invite them to prayer and will turn to a psalm, offer another scripture reading, give a blessing and pray with them to the Blessed Mother.

St. Augustine speaks often in his writings of sitting alongside someone who is ill and seeing it as a time to experience God’s closeness and love, to renew trust in his care.

He taught that sickness can be an avenue to a deeper faith. God is at work in sickness to heal and to save us.

In his book, the City of God, Augustine offers a prayer:

Sadness and anxiety have overtaken my inmost being…

But you, Lord, who does not forsake those who hope in you, comfort and help me for your holy name’s sake, and have mercy on me.

Ministry to the Dying

At other times, our ministry calls us to those who are close to death. At those moments, bringing the compassion and the love of Christ is even more compelling. We often pray before these encounters with the sick person and their family. It is our hope that it will be a consoling, reassuring moment that conveys that Jesus Christ and the Church are close to them, wanting to ease their pain.

For us Friars here at the Shrine, when we are privileged to accompany a family through the death and funeral rites for their loved one, they become some of the most beautiful moments of our ministry. Through the eyes and hearts of the family we come to know their mother or father, son or daughter, grandparent or grandchild. Those moments link us with the living faith of families and individuals for whom St. Rita is a devoted friend, and who have known God’s love and grace through the Sacraments of the Church, passing that faith on to their children.

Those visits at the bedside of the dying bring to mind the many moments in St. Augustine’s spiritual memoirs, The Confessions, when God’s love becomes present as beloved family and fellow believers accompany someone soon to return to the house of our Eternal Father and Lord. At those moments, Jesus’ words are comforting:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

The Pain of Grief

Augustine was present at the bedside of a dear friend dying much too young. When he dies, Augustine’s grief is severe, particularly because he had not yet experienced conversion; it was before he knew Christ as the conqueror of death’s sting and the author of eternal life. His reflection at that time expresses the pain of many in their grief: Does the comfort lie in this, that we hope you will hear?

This is certainly true of our prayers, for they presuppose a desire to reach you. But is it true of sorrow for what we have lost, and of the grief that overwhelmed me then?

Years later and after his conversion he was at his mother’s bedside with his son and friends. Together they kept watch with Monica in her last hours. After her death, too, we are told they took up the psalter and began to sing a psalm: “I will sing to you of your mercy and justice, O Lord.” Now a Christian, Augustine experienced the death of one he loved differently, now. While it was still painful, he could look to the promise of fullness of life with God our Father.

That example guides us, Augustine’s sons, when we accompany a family and their loved one. We take time to speak about the person, the pain the family feels, and we invite them to prayer, gently guiding their gaze and their hope to eternal life. That hope is secured on the promise made to each Christian on the day of his or her baptism, assuring them of their future share in eternal life. As we pray at the beginning of the funeral Mass: In the waters of baptism Mary died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May she now share with him eternal glory.

Fr. Jim Spenard, O.S.A. presiding over the funeral liturgy of Mr. Gaetano DiSpigno in the Upper Shrine

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allows us to dream and hope and give our all for our children and for what our hearts believe in will not frustrate us at death and say, “OK, life is ended, it’s all over now.”

The message of Easter presents us with the fuller and heart-consoling truth: life is most certainly not all over!

This is why Jesus continued to trust even on the Cross.

It was a trust whose solid foundation was revealed three days later as He walked alongside grief-stricken pilgrims who were incredibly lifted in spirit when He broke bread with them and they realized He was still with them … it is most certainly not all over! I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. It is in this that we most understand Augustine’s prayer at the beginning of his Confessions: You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.

Prayers of repentance and longing for God

When Augustine himself was close to death, his brothers in consecrated life prayed with him as he awaited the embrace of his loving Lord.

The Death of a Faithful Follower of Christ

Augustine’s reflection and prayer after his mother Monica’s death is inspiring: But now my heart is healed of that wound (his grief) … I pour out to you tears of a very different kind for this servant of yours, O our God; they come gushing forth … she had been brought to new life in Christ, and even before her release from the body she so lived that her faith and her conduct redounded to the glory of your name.

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Augustine reminds us that Christian hope in the face of our mortality is at the heart of the Gospel and powerfully expressed in the resurrection of Jesus on Easter. It’s another way of saying that God who has created us, who allows us to know some extraordinary moments of joy, to know experiences of love and who brings people into our lives who are just so incredibly good to us – the God who

St. Augustine’s biographer, his friend Possidius, tells us about these final hours. They serve as a model of faithfulness for all Christians: In intimate conversations with us (his brothers in community) he used to say that after receiving baptism even exemplary Christians … should not depart from this life without having repented worthily and adequately. That is precisely what he did in his final illness; he had the … psalms on repentance written out and the sheets attached to the wall…he looked at them, read them. Then … as we stood by watching and praying, he fell asleep with his fathers (as scripture says), in a good old age.

Troubled Memories

When a person approaches the threshold of eternal life, he or she may worry about things of the past or need reassurance about the ones they loved and who went before them.

The sacraments of the Church can be a profound consolation at this time. St. Rita experienced this.

In her monastery in Cascia, as she lay dying, some of the sisters and her cousin were with her. They had been speaking about her earlier life. She smiled telling stories about her beloved husband Paolo and she came close to tears remembering some escapades of her two sons.

When her cousin stood to leave, she asked if Rita needed anything. Knowing her cousin would be returning to the

home village of Roccaporena, she asked: Please bring me a rose and two figs from our family home. Her cousin didn’t say: But Rita, it’s winter! So, it only made her surprise greater when passing the house she saw one rose standing tall in the snow and two figs on the tree nearby. She brought them right away to Rita, who received them as a sign from the Lord that her husband and sons were embraced in Christ’s love.

Whether legend or history, what matters is the care and love of the cousin and the sisters alongside Rita, listening, talking and praying with her. They represent Christ’s consoling love. Christ who heals the pain of memories, loss, regret and uncertainty. Christ who reminds us, as St. John Gospel preserves it:

All that the Father gives me will come to me … this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.

Saintly Intercession

Our Augustinian spiritual tradition offers another source of consolation after the death of a loved one. St. Nicholas of Tolentine was the first Augustinian to be declared a saint and was one of St. Rita’s patron saints. He was particularly devoted to the faithful departed, and his prayers for their salvation earned him the title Patron of the Souls in Purgatory. For this reason, we can turn to him, as well, in our prayer, asking his intercession for our loved ones who have died.

This and so much more are all a part of the ministry of all Christians who accompany, by presence and prayer, those who are ill or close to death. It is a ministry for which the Augustinian Friars here at St. Rita’s thank God and seek His guidance and strength.

Father Dan McLaughlin, O.S.A. prays at the interment of Father Frank Brett, an Army Chaplain and Vietnam veteran. Father Frank is buried with his brother, Father Bob Brett, a Navy Chaplain who died in a rocket attack during the battle of Khe Sanh. He and his assistant, Alex, refused the last two seats on a helicopter to safety.

Father Bob wanted a seat given to the Marine carrying mail to the troops on the surrounding hilltops because he felt it more important that mail be delivered to them for the sake of their morale while under siege. Older brother Father Frank volunteered to serve as a Chaplain in Vietnam after he heard his brother was killed. Fathers Bob and Frank are the only two brother chaplains buried together on Chaplain’s Hill in Arlington National Cemetery. Beside them is buried the Marine Chaplain’s assistant, Alex.

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Patron of

HOLY SOULS

SAINT NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINE

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very special aspect of popular devotion surrounding Saint Nicholas is the power of his intercession on behalf of those who have died. It is once again his confrere, Fra Pietro, who relates two exceptional episodes in Nicholas’ life, which are at the origin of this devotion. The first dates to the period shortly following Nicholas’s ordination to the priesthood.

The second event occurred while Nicholas was living in the Augustinian Convent at Recanati.

The news of his blood brother’s death deeply saddened Nicholas. His brother was not at all a saintly man. Nicholas immediately began to do penance far beyond what was customary for his brother's soul.

He prayed, wept and fasted, imploring the Lord: “Lord, save him. Do not let his soul be lost.”

On a certain Saturday night, while he lay in bed, Nicholas heard the voice of someone who identified himself as Fra Pellegrino of Osimo, a deceased friar whom Nicholas had known personally. The friar revealed that he was in purgatory and begged Nicholas to offer Mass for him and many other suffering souls so that they might be set free from their sorrows. When he awoke, Nicholas immediately began to pray for these departed brothers and sisters of his, and in the morning recounted the episode to the prior, with the request that he might offer Mass for them all that week, even though he had been assigned to celebrate Mass for the community. The prior agreed and at the end of the week, Fra Pellegrino appeared to him once again with gratitude for the favor he had done and the assurance that a great number of the persons he had seen were now enjoying the presence of God.

Nicholas was lighting a lamp before the Blessed Sacrament in the church while a loud voice suddenly called to him. His blood brother, Gentile, appeared in front of him and said, “The mercy of God, Nicholas, has been very great. The good God has saved me from certain damnation. Thank you for all you have done for me. Your sacrifices are so acceptable to the Lord that whatever you ask him, you will obtain for as long as you live.”

After these episodes, Nicholas never ceased to pray daily and offer Mass frequently, on behalf of the faithful departed. For this reason, he is often depicted by artists, surrounded by a multitude of souls in purgatory, while celebrating the Eucharist.

From this devotion, Nicholas has come to be invoked throughout the centuries as the special Patron of the Faithful Departed.

An excerpt taken from the book, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino: Patron of Holy Souls, written by Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A.

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The fresco depicts a fairly common scene in the iconography of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine. It is also part of the central altarpiece in the sanctuary of the basilica in Tolentino. It represents one of the miracles of the canonization process: the miracle of Cordova.

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Saint Nicholas of Tolentine in the Lower Shrine by Anthony Visco

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Lord God, source of life and love, whose light guides our days and whose mercy fills our nights. You have fashioned us for life with you and direct our restless spirit so that we may never be separated from you. Hear this prayer for my beloved relatives and friends whose earthly pilgrimage has come to its end.

Give life, peace, and welcome to them that they may live forever in your love.

By the prayer of your faithful servant, Nicholas, bring them to enjoy the fulfillment of their every hope, and the company of all your saints, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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CALLED to Serve

There are few people who encounter death more frequently than those called to work and serve in a funeral home. Their ability to minister and be present to families mourning the loss of a loved one at such a vulnerable time is neither easy nor predictable. The responsibility and challenge these funeral home workers face every day is to honor each person and each story in a meaningful and authentic way. In April, Pope Francis offered prayers at daily Mass for funeral home workers, acknowledging that, “What they do is so heavy and sad.”

And yet, thanks to funeral home workers, we have the opportunity to grieve and show others support during difficult times. Because of their careful preparations, we are able to offer our prayers and act in a way that shows our respect for life and our concern for those who mourn.

Q A

For over a century, the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia has worked closely with various funeral homes in and around South Philadelphia.

In fact, one of our closest neighbors on Broad Street is The Pennsylvania Burial Company & Baldi Funeral Home. By inviting Mr. Peter Jacovini and Mr. Victor Baldi, III, cousins and the directors of this funeral home, to share a snapshot of their lives, we begin to appreciate their commitment to our deceased loved ones, and to how Saint Rita inspires them to embrace their vocation each and every day.

The Baldi and Jacovini families have served the South Philadelphia community for many generations. While you are a business, you also provide a service or ministry to people who are grieving. How did your family get into this type of work and why have you decided to continue to this day?

Victor Baldi III (VB): My great-grandfather’s older brother CCA Baldi started the Baldi Funeral Home sometime before the last century (1900). South Philadelphia was predominantly Irish and there was not any funeral home for the Italian immigrants, so he started the CCA Baldi Bros. Funeral Home in the Italian market area at 8th and Montrose Streets. In 1943 my great-grandfather and grandfather carried on the trade partnering with our cousins, the Jacovini family. We became Pennsylvania Burial Co., Inc / Baldi Funeral Home, and moved to a more bustling thoroughfare on South Broad Street where we currently reside today.

Peter Jacovini (PJ): 2021 will be our 100-year anniversary. It is with great pride that we continue our family’s legacy of funeral directing; four generations of caring for every family as if they were our own.

VB: Watching our fathers and grandfathers service families in times of need is all we’ve ever known and we’re proud to carry on the tradition.

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From Left: Victor Baldi, III and Peter Jacovini

Q A

Are there any particular challenges that come with being a funeral director?

How about misconceptions?

VB: The challenges of funeral service are constant. Death does not take a holiday or a weekend off – it’s 24/7. We are taught in funeral school that no two funerals are the same as every human life is not the same. Every funeral must be planned to fit each individual's or family's needs.

2020, The Pennsylvania Burial Company & Baldi Funeral Home, South Broad Street

PJ: The schedule of a funeral director is the biggest challenge. It’s certainly not a 9 to 5 occupation. You never know what is around the corner. Some days you don’t have much to do, and others you don’t know how you will get it all done.

You also need to be available on weekends, holidays, and all hours of the day.

Victor L. Baldi, Sr.

VB: Times change and we have to change with it. Today video tributes are popular as well as memory or picture boards. Recently, during the pandemic, we began live-streaming viewings and funeral masses in order to abide by city, state and federal guidelines of no more than 10 people in the same space. It was a terrible time to lose a loved one. I’m sure there are misconceptions and stereotypes in our industry as in any other. I try not to feed into the negative and concern myself with servicing and being there for the family that I have that day.

Q A

What are your favorite parts of working as a funeral director?

PJ: My favorite part is when I can see that the family that has entrusted me to take care of their loved one starts speaking to me in a way that I know they trust me and feel comfortable with me. It is sincerely my goal for them to feel like I am a trusted family friend.

Top hats for funerals at 9th and Hall Streets in 1922

VB: My favorite part of working as a funeral director would have to be the day to day interaction with people, whether it be the family itself, the people attending the viewing and/or the clergy.

Background: Horse-drawn hearses at Baldi’s first funeral home 1906

Click to learn more about the Pennsylvania Burial Company

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Q A

Q A

Does your belief in God impact the way you care for and comfort families and tend to the deceased?

In what ways?

VB: As a Roman Catholic, our belief is to serve others as Jesus taught us to do. So that being said, I feel as though I do my part serving others when they come to me at the worst times of their lives. My faith in God From Left: Victor E. Baldi, Victor Baldi, III, Funeral Director of Baldi helps me to deal with grief Funeral, Linda Baldi, Louis Baldi, Lea Jacovini, P. Zachary Jacovini, and death on a day to day Peter J. Jacovini, Funeral Director of Pennsylvania Burial Home, Alessia basis; we are all born to Jacovini, Eva Jacovini, Lilah Jacovini eventually die. Every funeral teaches me something new and engrains me with more knowledge about people and Christ; it makes me a better funeral director.

PJ: I have a strong Christian faith so when I get a chance to share that with families in their time of need, it is extremely rewarding. My favorite psalm from the Bible is Psalm 23 which can bring much comfort as well. My prayer and hope is that my belief in God impacts every step I take in every aspect of my life.

When was the first time you remember learning about Saint Rita of Cascia? How does the life, virtues, and faith of Saint Rita impact your life and funeral ministry?

VB: My grandparents were parishioners of Saint Rita of Cascia Church. I remember attending Sunday Mass with my grandparents, who both had their Funeral Masses celebrated there. Saint Rita is a perfect role model of faith. Her faith was beyond the wisdom or understanding of mankind. I also enjoy attending the annual Feast Day Mass with my wife, who has a deep devotion to Saint Rita.

Saint Rita side altar, Upper Shrine

PJ: I was a Saint Rita parishioner like my father and his father. I married the love of my life there in 1999, Lea Strizzi. For my family, all roads lead to the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia. Funerals have been there and we baptized our first born there in 2002.

Q A 16 12

VB: The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia is like home. It sits two blocks from the funeral home and shares so much history. As I watched the Shrine being built, it was so beautiful to see people from all over the country come to visit. There is a diverse congregation and the Augustinian priests just add to the warmth you feel when you enter through the doors. Their devotion to service is second to none.

Is there anything else that we should know, either about your connection to Saint Rita, your important work, and/or your personal journey?

VB: I plan to continue to support the Shrine and look forward to watching it flourish and grow for generations to come. God bless!

PJ: I’m sure I fall short most days, but my goal each morning is to be a blessing in somebody’s life.

It is more rewarding to be that blessing rather than to look for blessings.

“

Remember me at the altar of the Lord.

�

Saint Monica

Arranging a funeral or memorial service can be mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally exhausting. The Staff and Augustinian Friars at the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia are here to help you and your family prepare for this kind of moment, and appropriately remember your loved ones in a beautiful way. Visit www.SaintRitaShrine.org/funerals for more information about our funeral ministry.

And, before you make these arrangements, consider remembering the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia in your planned giving.

This simple planning will guarantee that you and your legacy continue to live on through the lives of the many men, women and children helped by your generosity. What a wonderful tribute to you and your family! Visit www.SaintRitaShrine.org/bequests for more information, and/or call 215-546-8333.

17

Hope in the

UNBREAKABLE:

Midst of DESPAIR

Antonio Christian Mangini

By Jonathan Jerome

It was a warm summer day in South Philadelphia when Jean and Mario Mangini stopped by the Shrine office. The meeting was set up so that we could talk about sickness, death, and dying.

These topics are heavy enough on their own, but the heat of the day made them seem even more unbearable. Our conversation covered everything from when Jean and Mario first met, to their life in South Philadelphia, to raising three children, to how they’ve started to cope with the recent death of their beloved son, Antonio. Throughout it all, their faith has sustained them and offered them hope in the midst of despair.

L

ike so many iconic love stories, Mario, from South Philadelphia, asked Jean an important question on the patio of her parents’ Northeast Philadelphia home one day back in 1984: “When we get married, do you want to live up here?” Her response – one of shock, awe, confusion, and excitement – resulted in a simple What?!” And, after excusing herself, Jean relayed the question to her mother, who was ironing inside. To Jean’s surprise, her mom simply said, “Well, answer him.” From these humble beginnings, and a clear resolution to call South Philadelphia their home, Jean and Mario Mangini began their married life together in 1985.

Then like clockwork, the Mangini family started to grow; first came Domenique in 1988, then Mario in 1992, and finally Antonio in 1996. After 12 years, Mario’s simple, but direct question proved to be a real blessing for this family of five.

18

Antonio Christian

After trying for a while, Jean gave birth to Antonio Christian on November 1, 1996, the Solemnity of All Saints. As the Psalm on All Saints Day suggests, “We shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God our savior.” In so many ways, Antonio was a blessing from the Lord, and an answer to the Mangini’s prayers.

This made the news of Antonio’s rare heart defect all the more shocking and upsetting for Mario and Jean. Born with Tetralogy of Fallot, Antonio was born with four rare heart issues. While this kind of heart defect can be corrected, Antonio was deathly ill from the very beginning and experienced cardiac arrest two times while undergoing surgery. And, because he was out so long, oxygen didn’t get to

the brain. Sadly, the operation wasn’t successful and, as a result of the lack of oxygen, Antonio ended up being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

What came next, though, can only be described as a miraculous, joy-filled life for Antonio, supported by the love of his parents, siblings, and South Philadelphia community. Antonio had to go through a lot of physical therapy, even travelling to Poland and California on occasion to get the very best treatment. As Jean recalled, these trips weren’t always easy, but with friends by her side, they made it work. And as more and more people learned of Antonio’s needs, support started to flood in from all over. The Shrine community, Annunciation BVM, and a local ACME sold lottery tickets and chances, supported a buffet dinner, and had the elementary school students participate in “Penny Wars.” The Knights of Malta even sponsored a miraculous trip to Lourdes. People all over South Philadelphia and beyond knew of Antionio’s story and the joy that he exuded.

And, Antonio’s joy was surpassed only by his deep faith.

Jean recalls that “Antonio and I prayed every night before he went to bed. I would hold his hand, and we said the Hail Mary and the Our Father, then we would say, ‘Saint Rita, pray for us. Blessed Mother, pray for us.’ And we would go through all the Saints.” This kind of devotion was apparent when he would run his hand along the grotto in Lourdes, or altar serve at school, or smile at the sight of Maria Goretti’s body during the World Meeting of Families, or even as he regularly prayed the novena to Padre Pio. His faith was real and, in many ways, it was deeply rooted in the compassion and care he experienced from others.

A Huge Loss

On August 16, 2019, at the age of 22, Antonio passed away. As Jean recalls, “I just never ever thought he wasn't coming home.” It’s still so raw and surreal for Mario and Jean to even think about. Since birth, the odds were always stacked against Antonio, and yet, he always came out on top. Even with a myriad of health issues, the joyful way Antonio lived his life suggested he was unbreakable.

The last time he was taken to the hospital, Mario recalls that, “His organs were growing but his body wasn’t. The curvature in his spine was pressing down on his lungs.”

So, after two months in the hospital, Antonio passed away; he moved on to eternal life.

Antonio visits Maria Goretti’s body at the Shrine with mom Jean

The days following remain a blur for Mario and Jean.

Jean lovingly recalls that Mario served as the sole pallbearer at the funeral: “My husband walked him in and out by himself. I don’t know where he got the strength, but I’m sure Saint Rita was smiling down.” And Mario recalls the outpouring of love and support from the local community and beyond. Thirteen priests concelebrated the funeral Mass, a Make-A-Wish campaign was set up in Antonio’s name, and people from all over – his nurses, classmates, friends, neighbors, friends, and family – gathered to acknowledge and celebrate his incredible life.

In more ways than one, it is clear that the life and death of Antonio Christian Mangini brought people together in unexpected ways. This has always been one of his greatest strengths.

The First Year is the Toughest

Less than a year has gone by since Antonio passed away.

Understandably, Jean, Mario, and their entire family continue to grieve the loss of their beloved son and brother. Jean is quick to point out that for 22 years, Antonio was a bright light on a dark day; his innocence and joy were contagious. So it’s understandable why the sadness, anger, loss, and shock are felt deeply in both small and big ways every day.

In many ways, their faith sustains them during this difficult time. The Blessed Mother, Saint Anthony, Saint Rita, Saint Padre Pio and countless others have found a place in their lives, and on the chain around Mario’s 19

“

I’ve found some peace by believing Antonio is home and is out of that wheelchair. He is walking.

He is now at peace.

-Jean Mangini

“

neck. It reminds him of Antonio and the relationship they continue to share. Mario and Jean are also quick to acknowledge that Antonio taught them strength and love. For this, they are grateful, especially over the past year as they continue to mourn.

Persevering with Faith and Peace

While it’s hard to offer advice or wisdom to others who are experiencing the loss of a loved one, Jean did share an important reflection: “When you’re younger and see older people, or any time you see people in wheelchairs, you just take it for granted, but when you’re living with the child who is like that, you become humble. It’s almost like, ‘Look.

He’s enduring. He doesn’t even realize that he’s different from everybody else, and he’s happy. I can persevere. I can find hope and joy in my day too.’” Even without Antonio physically present, Jean regularly revisits an important part of our Catholic faith: “It does make me feel better knowing that he’s home in heaven, and he’s with our friends and our family. I don’t know how people live without having faith that there’s a heaven afterwards. I’m thankful that we have the faith to know that he’s with God, and he’s with all the saints and the Blessed Mother, and he’s with our

20

From left: the Mangini family, Antonio, Mario, Jean (wife), Mario (Husband), Domenique

family and friends up there, and he’s happy. That’s the only thing that keeps me really going right now.”

For Mario, visits to the cemetery have helped him to cope. Whether it’s around Christmas or on Father’s Day or any time in between, Mario has made it a point to regularly visit Antonio and bring him flowers, balloons, and stories of life at home.

Mario’s love and devotion to his youngest son is so deep that after visiting the cemetery, he would often walk backwards to the car, refusing to turn his back on Antonio. These small, but meaningful gestures have helped Mario to find some sense of peace: “I’ve found some peace by believing that Antonio is home and is out of that wheelchair. He is walking. He is now at peace.”

It’s clear that the life and death of Antonio Christian Mangini has impacted countless people and continues to serve as a model of unbreakable hope.

While each day brings new challenges for Mario, Jean, and their family, they are grateful for the gift that Antonio was and continues to be for so many.

In more ways than one, lives like Antionio’s are a beautiful reminder of God’s unconditional love and reassuring consolation.

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1166 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19146

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2020-2021 SCHEDULE All Soul’s Novena I November 2, 2020 – November 10, 2020 Christmas Novena I December 25, 2020 – January 2, 2021 Mother’s Day Novena I May 9, 2021 – May 17, 2021 Solemn Novena to Saint Rita I May 13, 2021 – May 21, 2021 Solemn Feast Day of Saint Rita I May 22, 2021 Father’s Day Novena I June 20, 2021 – June 28, 2021 Peace Conference I September 17, 2021 – September 19, 2021 Healing Mass I The 3rd Sunday of the Month, September through May

Around the perimeter of the Lower Shrine, Saint Rita’s three patron saints – Saint John the Baptist, Saint Augustine, and Saint Nicholas of Tolentine – continue to aid, watch over, and intercede on behalf of countless pilgrims and patrons. Whether you are praying for perseverance in faith, your family relationships, and/or your deceased loved ones, lighting a candle is a simple way to make your needs known to God. To purchase a memorial candle in front of one of these saints and/or to learn more, visit www.SaintRitaShrine.org/gift-shop.

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