A Father鈥檚 Day letter from Heaven
By Benedetta Capelli
"Yesterday was Father's Day. My two daughters wished me a 鈥楬appy Father鈥檚 Day鈥� first thing in the morning. But all day long, I couldn鈥檛 help thinking about my son, Giovanni. When I got home, I started looking through his things, something I hadn't done since he died. I found greeting cards from friends, stickers of his football team, photographs... and a piece of paper in Giovanni鈥檚 handwriting that began: 鈥楧ear Dad...鈥欌��.
Massimo Raimondi is the 鈥淒ad鈥� Giovanni addresses in the letter. He has kind eyes and working hands. Massimo spends his days assisting the needy at Rome鈥檚 Caritas Centre, the Citadel of Charity that 杏MAP导航 Francis visited last December. He speaks slowly and thoughtfully as he tells the story of finding his son鈥檚 letter.
The letter
Since Giovanni鈥檚 death, nearly eight years ago, Massimo and his wife Anna have been trying to live their lives as best they can. They attend Mass regularly, together with their two daughters, Antonella and Alessandra. But Giovanni is always present. Every 23rd of June, the feast of St. John the Baptist, his friends gather to eat a pizza in his honor. Then, on 20 March 2019, Massimo came across an unread letter addressed to him from his son.
"Dear Dad, I know it may seem strange to you, but it's me, Giovanni, writing this letter. Every time our family was in some kind of trouble, you always blamed yourself. But maybe you didn't notice all the good you did. I could make a list for you, but it would fill a whole diary...".
Belief in ideals
Massimo was overcome with feelings of love and loss as he read the words of his deceased child. In the letter, Giovanni refers to the many challenges the family has had to face, situations 鈥渢hat would have broken anyone鈥�, he says. But he praises his father鈥檚 ability to bounce back and to provide the family with a home and security.
鈥淗ave you ever stopped to think鈥�, writes Giovanni, 鈥渁bout what you were able to build? Despite the difficulties, you continued believing in your ideals". Ideals like trusting in God鈥檚 love and Providence, respecting others even if they fail to respect you, opening your home in welcome to those who have no home.
Welcoming others
That鈥檚 what happened with Daniel whose mother was in prison. Massimo, Anna, Giovanni, Antonella and Alessandra became the child鈥檚 Italian family. It all started when the prison chaplain of Rome鈥檚 Rebibbia penitentiary asked Massimo to accompany a young boy on a visit to his mother who was serving a jail sentence there. Massimo was volunteering at the prison facility at the time. 鈥淓very Saturday I would collect Daniel from the religious community where he lived and take him back there afterwards鈥�, recalls Massimo. 鈥淏ut I realized the child needed something more".
So Daniel started staying over at Massimo's house, playing with his children. Eventually, the Raimondi family took him into foster care.
A test of faith?
Giovanni鈥檚 illness was totally unexpected. He woke up one morning and found he couldn鈥檛 walk. The long trial of diagnoses, hospitalizations and unanswered questions began. His sisters and parents never left his side. When he died, the family was more united than ever. "Giovanni鈥檚 death鈥�, says Massimo, 鈥渂rought us together, thanks to our faith鈥�.
On the day of the funeral, someone suggested the Lord was testing that faith. 鈥淚mpossible, I said. The Lord I love so much, the Father who picked me up me so many times, couldn鈥檛 take my son away from me鈥�.
He is with us
"I鈥檓 convinced he鈥檚 in Heaven, waiting for us鈥�, says Massimo. 鈥淚t feels like he鈥檚 still with us: I see him in the kitchen, on the balcony when I鈥檓 watering the flowers". Giovanni lives on in the memories of those he loved, and who love him.
They feel his presence and take comfort in imagining how happy he would have been to know he would soon be an uncle 鈥� to Nicholas, his sister鈥檚 first child, and Massimo and Anna鈥檚 first grandchild.
鈥淒ear Dad, let me tell you with all my heart: you鈥檙e a winner!鈥�
Reading those lines from his son on Father鈥檚 Day, says Massimo, was like reading something that came straight from Heaven.
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