From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
5 November ' Saint Guido Maria Conforti
Archbishop, Founder of the Xaverian Missionaries on 3 December 1895,
teacher, reformer, Contemplative of the Passion, Eucharistic and
Marian devotee ' born on 30 March 1865 at Ravadese, Parma, Italy an=
d
died on 5 November 1931 in Parma, Italy of natural causes ' Patrona=
ge
' the Xaverian Missionaries.
Saint Guido Maria Conforti was born in Casalora di Ravadese near Parma
to his parents Rinaldo and Antonia Adorni, the eighth of 10 children.
In Parma, he attended primary school at the Brothers of the Christian
Schools. On the way to school, he passed the Church of Peace in Borgo
delle Colonne and entered it every day to stop in front of the
Crucifix:=C2 =E2=80=9CI looked at him and He looked at me and it seemed =
to me
that he said many things,=E2=80=9D he said. It was precisely from the
encounter with that Crucifix that the priestly vocation was born in
young Conforti.
Despite his father's resistance, in 1876 Guido entered the seminary=
..
In those years, the rector was Msgr Andrea Ferrari, future Cardinal
and Blessed. Their relationship became a friendship., who was the
mentor of the young man. Although he was still a student, Conforti was appointed vice-rector and kept the position even after his ordination, demonstrating considerable qualities as an educator. During the
seminary years, Conforti began reading a biography of St Francis
Xavier, the Jesuit missionary who proclaimed the message of Christ
throughout Asia up to Shangchuan, the gateway to China, where he died
in 1552. The young man was fascinated by the figure of Xavier and felt
invited to continue the work that had remained unfinished.
This was the spark that inspired his new vocation ' the missionary =
vocation.
Overcoming many obstacles due to his fragile health, he was ordained a
priest in the sanctuary of Fontanellato (Parma) on 22 September 1888.
During his years of study, he sought to approach both the Salesians of
St John Bosco and the Jesuits in order to become a missionary but it
was not possible for him because of his precarious health conditions.
However, this did not make him give up his missionary ideal and on 3
December 1895 (the feast of St Francis Xavier) he inaugurated the
Emilian Institute for Foreign Missions, which was officially
recognised on 3 December 1898 as the Congregation of St Francis Xavier
for Foreign Missions. In the following March, it was with great joy
that he handed over the cross to the first two Xaverian missionaries
leaving for China ' Fr Caio Rastelli and Fr Odoardo Mainini.
The years following, he continued his activity as Vicar General in
Parma until he was called by Pope Leo XIII to rule the Archdiocese of
Ravenna. On=C2 11=C2 June 1902, the day of his episcopal ordination,
Conforti made religious vows together with a vow to devote himself
unreservedly to the proclamation of the Gospel ad gentes.
Unfortunately, his poor health worsened and after only two years he
had to give up the position of Archdiocese of Ravenna. He returned to
Parma to his Missionary Institute where he was able to follow the
formation of young aspiring missionaries. But new appointments awaited
him -St Pope Pius X initially appointed him Coadjutor with the right
to be successor to the Bishop of Parma, a diocese that he had been in
charge of from 1907, nearly 25 years. Religious education was the
focal point of his pastoral commitment. Faced with toils and hardships
without number, he made the pastoral visit five times, celebrated two
diocesan synods, and established and promoted Catholic Action,
especially for young people. He paid particular attention to the
culture and holiness of the clergy, the formation of the laity, the
Catholic associations, the Catholic press, missions to the people and Eucharistic, Marian and missionary congresses.
Bishop Conforti combined new activities with the commitments of his
episcopal office and of his Missionary Institute. He was active in the diffusion of the Pontifical Mission Societies and collaborated with
Blessed Fr Paolo Manna in the foundation of the Pontifical Missionary
Union, becoming its first president. In fact, Conforti believed that
the proclamation of the Gospel ad gentes was the main road for the evangelisation of people.
In these years, he had the joy of sending Xaverian missionaries to
China and of consecrating one of his missionaries, Fr Luigi Calza,
Bishop of Cheng-Chow, to the Cathedral of Parma in 1912. Another
important date in the history of the Xaverian Institute was on 15
August 1921, Bishop Conforti finished his =E2=80=9CTestament Letter (Rule)= =E2=80=9D
that had been definitively approved by the Pope and presented it to
the Xaverian Constitutions. And in 1928, he went to China to visit his missionaries, confirming the bond of communion between the Church of
Parma and the young church of western Honan.
When he returned to Parma, he resumed his pastoral activity but his
health deteriorated. On 5 November 1931, after having received the
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum and having
publicly professed his faith and implored God for his clergy and his
people, Bishop Guido Maria Conforti fell asleep in the Lord. His
funeral was attended by all of Parma. He was buried in the centre of
the apse of the church of the motherhouse of the Xaverian Missionaries
in Parma.
Guido Maria Conforti's heroic virtues were approved by the decree o=
n
11 February 1982, while the decree on the miracle that took place
through his intercession in Burundi dates back to 6 April 1995. Guido
Maria Conforti was beatified by Saint John Paul II on 17 March 1996
and proclaimed a saint by Pope Benedict XVI on 23 October 2011.
Conforti is said to have provided the initiative behind Pope Benedict
XV's encyclical, Maximum illud, of 30 November 1919. That document =
is
called the Magna Carta of modern Catholic missionary work.
from Anastpaul 2019
=E2=80=9CPersevere always with a simple spirit,
humility, mortification, good intention,
cleanliness of heart, fraternal charity
and you will constitute a formidable army,
for the Lord will be by your side.=E2=80=9D
--St Guido Maria Conforti - The Second Circular Letter
=E2=80=9COn the last day, we will not be asked
if we accomplished great deeds,
or been acclaimed by men,
rather we will be asked
if we followed His will,
in the state and condition,
to which we were called.=E2=80=9D
--St Guido Maria Conforti (1865-1931)The Eighth Circular Letter
Bible Quote
=C2 For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: but
from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be
taken away. 30 And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the
exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matthew 25:29-30)=C2 DRB
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From The Glories Of Mary
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, I am not worthy to be thy
servant. But moved by thy marvelous compassion and my own desire to
serve thee, here and now, in the presence of my guardian angel and the
whole court of Heaven, I choose thee as my Lady, Advocate, and Mother.
I firmly purpose to love and serve thee always, and to do all I can to
inspire others to love and serve thee.
O Mother of God and my own most compassionate Mother, I beseech thee,
by the Blood which thy Son shed for me, to receive me into the number
of thy servants as thy child and servant forever. Assist me in all my
thoughts, words, and actions in every moment of my life, so that every
step I take, every breath I draw, may be directed to the greater glory
of my God.
Through your powerful intercession, may I never again offend my
beloved Jesus. Help me to love and glorify Him in this life. Help me
to love thee also, dear and beloved Mother, and to go on loving thee
forever in the happiness of Heaven.
My Mother Mary, I commend my soul to thee now, and especially at the
moment of death.
Amen
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