杏MAP导航

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

On Friday afternoon, fifty years to the day that Blessed James Alberione, the Founder of the Pauline Family died, a museum was inaugurated that chronicles his life. Joining the Pauline Family to cut the ribbon, was Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Museum dedicated to the 鈥榓postle of the modern times鈥�

In opening remarks, Father Valdir José De Castro, Superior General of the Society of St Paul, said that on the 50th anniversary of the death of the Founder of the Pauline Family, a space is now available that is dedicated to his 鈥渉istorical memory鈥�. Calling Blessed James Alberione an 鈥渁postle of the modern times鈥�, Father De Castro declared that the new museum will allow his 鈥減atrimony to be discovered and savored鈥� by all those who appreciate Alberione鈥檚 vision. The museum is not intended only to 鈥渄isplay old objects鈥�, Father Valdir said. Instead, 鈥淭his museum wants to provide a message鈥�. It seeks to make Blessed James Alberione鈥檚 specific charism available and able to touch people.

Located on the premises of the very locations Blessed James Alberione lived in Rome, the Museum contains a room dedicated to the memory of Alberione鈥檚 relationship with 杏MAP导航 Saint Paul VI, another dedicated to his travels around the world, another dedicated to prayer, another to the importance he gave to ongoing study in his life, and another to the apostolate he carried out throughout his life. Among the items on display is his journalist accreditation badge, handwritten notes he took as he participated in various sessions of the Second Vatican Council, a typewriter he used, a typewritten manuscript鈥�

Various personal objects, including Blessed James Alberione's journalist credentials

Joy and gratitude

Immediately following the inauguration of the museum, Holy Mass was celebrated commemorating Blessed James Alberione鈥檚 liturgical feast, in the Basilica of the Queen of Apostles in Rome. During his homily during the Celebration of the Liturgy for his feast, Cardinal Semeraro reflected on his personal relationship with the Pauline Family, as well as on the life and vocation of Blessed Alberione.

The Cardinal expressed his 鈥渋nterior joy鈥� at being present as well as his 鈥済ratitude to the Family Pauline鈥� as former bishop of Albano, where the Cardinal had many opportunities to know the work of the Pauline Family up close where all of the religious institutes of Father Alberione have houses. Even more importantly, the Cardinal revealed that in the 1950s he remembers accompanying a Pauline priest as he brought the weekly magazine Famiglia Cristiana from door to door. Years later, he understood Alberione鈥檚 own words: 鈥淚f the missionary does not go personally in search of souls to bring them to Christ, they will generally not seek Him. So too, if the apostle does not bring a good book, a good magazine directly to people, many will not receive them because they are not looking for them鈥�.

Jesus is Way, Truth, Life

The Cardinal then turned his attention to the self-definition Jesus pronounced during the Last Supper, 鈥淚 am the Way, the Truth and the Life鈥�, a hallmark of Pauline spirituality. 鈥淎ccording to Father Alberione鈥�, he explained, 鈥渂y affirming himself as way, truth and life, Jesus 鈥榮ynthesized everything that He is for us鈥� and this phrase contains everything about religion, everything about love, everything that the human person owes God 鈥榳ith the mind, with the will, with the heart鈥� 鈥�.

Scrutinize the signs of the times

It was 杏MAP导航 Saint Paul VI, the Cardinal reminded those present, who referred to the Pauline Family as a 鈥渇lowering tree with eight branches鈥�. On , Paul VI also defined Father Alberione as a person who was 鈥渁lways intent on scrutinizing the signs of the times鈥�, the Cardinal continued. He pointed out that 杏MAP导航 Paul VI changed the word used by the Vatican Council 鈥� to read the signs of the times. Instead, he used the word 鈥渢o scrutinize鈥� in describing James Alberione.

鈥淭o scrutinize means careful examination undertaken with an accurate vision; to scrutinize means being able to see what is not apparent at first glance. It also means to look and to see into the distance鈥�.

Then the Cardinal challenged Blessed James Alberione鈥檚 contemporary disciples with these two fundamental aspects of their founder: Jesus as Way, Truth and Life, and his ability to 鈥渟crutinize the signs of the times鈥�:

Christ lives in me

The Cardinal left those present with a reminder that Father Alberione was moved by Christ with the 鈥渁nxiety of reaching humanity鈥�. 鈥淗is choice of 鈥榗ommunications鈥� was the tangible expression鈥� of that anxiety. This type of movement within Alberione found its source in St. Paul and his declaration that 鈥淐hrist lives in me鈥� (Gal 2:20). Cardinal Semeraro then concluded his homily on that note:

鈥� 鈥� Christ lives in me鈥� is Paul鈥檚 great teaching that Blessed James Alberione took and wanted to transmit because the self-definition of Jesus as way, truth and life was for him the recognition of Christ鈥檚 influence on the human person, on every person, and on the entire person. Describing the soul of Pauline spirituality, he wrote: 鈥楯esus Truth works on the mind and grants it faith; Jesus Christ is the Way and works on the will which is conformed to God鈥檚 will; Jesus Christ is Life and works on the emotions filling it will supernatural life. When a Christian completely embraces this grafting, he or she will be able to say: Christ truly lives in me鈥�.