Pope canonizes Luigi Guanella, a hero of the defense of life

Pope canonizes Luigi Guanella, a hero of the defense of life

The following news is from RomeReports.com:

Italian Luigi Guanella was a champion for the defense of life. Born in 1842, he founded two congregations dedicated to serving those who were disabled and abandoned by their families.

Behind every person he would see a gift from God, which he said, has value in itself. He defended the dignity of the elderly, sick, and the mentally and physically disabled, who were abandoned or badly treated by their families.

Pino Beneditos
San Giuseppe Rehabilitation Center (Italy)

“One day, the bishop of Como showed up because he had to speak with him about their activities, their charitable projects, and Don Guanella was with the mentally disabled, with his 'good kids'. He was playing cards with them and to make them happy he finished the game, but had to leave the bishop in the waiting room.”

He would tell the priests and nuns who followed him to trust in God's help, but to work hard in their lives. The fruits of their labor are obvious. The group includes 700 female religious, 528 male religious, and 265 households spread across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.

The miracle that led to his canonization is the healing of William Gleeson from the United States. He suffered a neck injury from skating. His doctors said, he had little hope.

Pino Beneditos
San Giuseppe Rehabilitation Center (Italy)

“The mother, without saying anything to William or the doctors, placed a relic under the pillow, prayed and obtained this miracle: for her son to recover without any problems.”

William is one of thousands of pilgrims who will attend the canonization ceremony. Among them, will also be several handicapped, who receive help from the rehabilitation center founded by Don Guanella.

Pope canonizes Mother Boniface, known for work toward women’s economic independence

Pope canonizes Mother Boniface, known for work toward women’s economic independence

The following news story is from RomeReports.com:

(Romereports.com) - The Spanish nun Bonifacia Rodriguez will be remembered for her fight to help poor women to learn a trade. Before becoming a nun, she was actually a rope maker. She went on to found her own religious order known as the Servants of St. Joseph, right in the local shop where she worked.

It was in 1874, in the midst of the industrial revolution. From that moment, she and the Jesuit Francisco Butinyà devoted themselves to helping poor women to make a decent living and discover their faith in everyday life.

The new order allowed the nuns to dress like the artisans of the country. There was no dowry asked of them to enter the convent, where they would work side by side with lay people. It was a project that did not please everyone.

Sister Victoria López
Servant of Saint Joseph

“It was a life project that was too new for it to be understood. Still, some clergy of Salamanca don't understand it. They don't grasp how the gospel works in the project that's so close to the business world.”

As a result the bishop of Salamanca dismissed Mother Boniface and decided the order would be devoted to education. Boniface died being virtually excluded by her own order in 1905.

Years later, in 1936 her writings were rediscovered and the congregation again recognized her as the founder.

Sister Victoria López
Servant of Saint Joseph

“It's recognizing a charisma that was born in the heart of Nazareth. A charisma that is aimed at working women, poor women, women who are often abused, or underpaid, or deprived of liberty.”

The miracle that made her a saint took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was the healing of a 33 year old man who suffered from an incurable stomach disease.

Sister Victoria López
Servant of Saint Joseph

“The entire world was waiting for it to die, but the community had begun to ask Mother Boniface for the healing of Kasongo Bavón. And inexplicably and unexpectedly, this boy was cured.”

Currently, the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph has around seven hundred sisters, working in one hundred communities in twelve countries. They are the successors of a simple working woman who had the courage to face the challenges of her time including being forced out of her order by those closest to her.