small amount of exactly fifty pages of text, but great content for the human, spiritual and pastoral.
A chronicle dry, pungent, without conceding a literary asides, or descriptions of environments and locations, as well as those squalid barracks where housed immigrants from various origins, both prestigious as the monumental Cathedral of Cologne.
is like a succession of black and white photos which sets out the essential traits of the characters and their feelings.
The thread of Diary of Don Olivo Bolzon on each page is the idea, the passion, the yearning for "the evangelization of the poor", with the painful realization: "The poor are evangelized." On page 42 he writes: "More and more I aware of the misery in which we have abandoned them and the urgent need for the Church to evangelize the poor. But I do not see how."
And on page 70: "It seems to me that these friends of mine are open to the Gospel as a flower is open to the sun.'s Just that they can not receive, because no one gives it to her. Impresses me more and more serious because of this lack of evangelization."
This is not an individual transaction. Involves the whole Church: "I desire burning the whole Church is aware of the poor and for this I would be with them, even though life here is hard, terribly hard, commonplace, dull, sad, useless. Sometimes I suspect are doing something which is absolutely useless, stupid, and I wish someone would speak to me. But for this I can not have that silence and more silence. "I feel really alone" (p. 60). "The Church does not notice the poor" (p. 51).
are the moods of abandonment, of loneliness, worthlessness that often transpire. It is from here that occurs in the young priest who decided to spend a month doing the work of garbage in the city of Cologne, a series of demanding strong, urgent, vital. The first, of course, is the need of the Church. A Church to be in charge of what is its fundamental mission: "He sent me to evangelize the poor." It is absurd to send a minister, a priest in his so exposed a frontier where reigning misery, degradation, despair, where the man loses his dignity and is reduced almost to the level of beast of burden, and then leave him alone, as were a private company, a solitary project.
The whole Church must be the last hell on earth. He goes with his left, with her priest and says, accompanies him and makes his rich experience, making it all the experience and drive to a real conversion the Gospel. The second requirement is that of "Mass". With this definition, by a deliberate reverence. (P. 43). The need to celebrate. But he is offered an altar. Not match the times! At least participate in the Eucharist, to be able to receive Communion. Whenever I can. And when that fails, why not have the day at will, there is in him even physical suffering to be deprived of a reality that there becomes a reason for living, balance, comfort. Other than "say Mass" out of habit, or office!
And then there is the prayer: "I feel that my prayer during this period has become more real, concrete, intense. Always think back to St. Paul (Ephesians), "Prisoner of Christ for you, to proclaim his Gospel" (p. 61).
A prayer that is not a retreat into himself, taking refuge in a soothing corner, away from the miserable plight of others. "For several days in prayer and I think I've discovered a great reality: the prayer is not just cry, too convenient, but it is a task for himself to fulfill the will of God in a position where we are. When we pray for the others, for example for the evangelization of these men, that prayer is real and truly effective only succeed to the extent that we pray sincerely, we will emerge from our comfortable selfishness, we turn away from our calm and satisfied, we will approach by breaking the barriers, divisions, etc. ... a commitment possible with our position and calling, but effective and practical, to those who are not evangelized. So prayer is continually going out of oneself to enter the Will of God, whether you pray for us, whether we pray for others, and it is being available to him and a real collaboration with Him "(p. 71).
A theoretical synthesis of spiritual theology experienced and lived while carrying out their work so humble next to some fellow that nobody has taught us to pray (p. 41).
The "Diary" in every page reveals a great love for those who are the last ones, whose work "increasingly degrades the human person (p. 41)." I think I love them, and I think that between me and them is known mutual sympathy, manifested by signs of kindness, by mutual favors "(p. 51). But there is a pain: you can not really be" like them "." One of them. "They" feel that I am not of their world "(p. 51 ). The young priest wants to give himself to these poor people who have become his traveling companions because each of them "is entitled to accept all of ourselves, that we have achieved all that in Christ and in him we have learned to give. Each stop this desire, this research is selfishness and sin against love, because it reserves to our selfishness something that belongs to Love, to Christ and to men "(p. 53).
The question arises whether to stay or leave:" Everyone I show respect and sympathy : the Moroccans wanted to give me some fruit. I'm sorry I could not stay longer and do not see the whole church involved with me. I'm sure these poor people waiting for the Gospel and would love very much ... When one comes close to them, without ulterior motives, for pure love, free, feel alive "(p. 73). The departure is necessary, but painful. It is not an escape but a confirmation of allegiance: "Last day as a scavenger and goodbye to my fellow workers: treadmill, boring, but made for you with love. I would like to remain faithful to you and thank you because you have helped me to follow Jesus more closely "(p. 76)." There is still much to do in my life to be poor and humble as you. "Is a command that has the conclusion of a new consciousness. "I feel that I belong especially to them" (p. 77).
* * * * *
This story would have no meaning if there was a reason for that intimate it depends, a center around which turn those days between July and August 1964, monotonous, boring, full of fatigue and loneliness. A young priest makes a choice that he also seems to be "stupid", to become a partner the work of some scavengers of a rich German city. Why? The answer is one: to be faithful to a call to follow Jesus Christ in his poverty, in its abjection, in his becoming anything. The most intimate relationship with Christ is the root of such a decision.
The protagonist of "Diary" reveals his secret. He does so with simplicity and understated style that suits the confidences when they sneak into the ball more jealous of person. This story, while interior and apostolic, is carried out having as background the experience of St. Paul, as described in Ephesians and Philippians. These letters, as a watermark, follow and accompany the daily meditation on the worker-priest. Only a few hints: "I prisoner of Christ, I am instructed to convey his grace" (Ephesians).
Following the comment: "I'm here for these people, the poorest, and I live for them." Even before I have to be a prisoner of Christ, that I give myself to Him in a complete, decisive and completely to Christ because I have to take care of the poor ... I feel an immense need of his light and an infinite desire that he make me with all my faithful person.
"Prisoner of Christ" is a phrase that made me feel a lot and I want to live in the totality "(p. 47)." I love you with the love of Christ "(Phil.). And so I would love these friends of mine " (P. 61). "I understood what we need to be Christ" ("Have the same sentiments of Christ Jesus") and as though it is very hard to be the Good Shepherd, really give life "(p. 67)." This is the great discovery of this month and set the limit ... I'd love to cleanse my life, accepting and loving to be any sacrifice of Christ and all of my brothers. Indeed, "I consider everything a loss because of the supreme knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I am deprived of everything, and everything I have estimated as rubbish, in order to gain Christ ... (Phil 3 8ss) ( p. 73).
The "Journal" says: "I wish with all my life make this "." Forgetting what is behind everything ... O Lord, that my past is truly superseded by a love of strong tea and concrete, which always attracts me more. "" Love is demanding because it requires total and the purification of each day, each moment, each action, requiring me to be always present to myself so I can give to you at all times. Draw me, O Jesus, my everything and always be perfect, the only goal "(p. 75).
* * * * *
In his extensive introduction and acute Marisa Restello In conclusion, addressing a question: "Many things have gone in the Church and in society, but there is still something deeply relevant to the questions that the "Diary" places? ". I believe that there is only" something "deeply relevant, but as a whole, in its spiritual significance and apostolate the" Diary "is strongly present throughout
.
I'm tempted to ask, for example, what is the level of our Eucharistic celebration. Our "say Mass" every day. In the "Diary" there is this challenge: "... I felt with violence today in the cathedral: the priest should celebrate only one Mass in his life and then die, disappear, somehow discard in Christ. If my life could be total intimacy with the redemptive sacrifice of Christ and I could be in reality the total bid with him, only then could I speak of the Mass "(p. 44).
not only celebrate, but the whole message as it is offered, especially the poor, needs to be reported to the freshness and vigor of its origins. "We have many complicated things and at the end of these complications can feel a rule, but the Gospel is simplicity, tenderness, kindness." here refers to the friendship of St. Paul to the Philippians, to the real people of the Community to conclude that "Christ is alive and present in the sublimation of these simple and basic human realities. When you really love with all my heart is in Christ who loves you, He is present among us. It is from Him who is love "(p. 70).
that is currently suffering this observation:" It is so difficult to see in the ministry today, specifically, Christ in search of the lost sheep. "You terrible to think that "the Church is the Church of all, especially the poor, and then see how anything is now able to do for the evangelization of the poor: its liturgical context, his way of teaching, his concerns Costume morals are not at all suitable for these who do this work, by this time, living on the margins of society, which are not grown men. Yet these were the favorites of Christ "(p. 41).
* * * * *
In all of the "Diary" never appears even the shadow of a polemical attitude towards the Church, on the contrary, we perceive a great love, a passionate need for the Church. Just why is it necessary to question today, as a whole, the Church is striving with all his best energies to the evangelization of the poor? And if we fix our gaze above the priest, there is now, practically, the preferential option for the poor? Now seem remote times those in which the priests (and even a few!) Were able to decide that way of being that is described in the "Diary": living with the past, driven by such urgent apostolic Desiring to liken him that being rich has become the last and servant of all.
The Italian Prado was born in that crucible of ideas, impulses of the Council, of a renewed turmoil and trouble if you lose the tension of the early human and evangelical. Someone, during the last Congress, had the impression of seeing a tired Prado. I hope it is not. The first to take themselves away from fatigue and resignation should be just the elderly. To them, according to his manner turned Olivo: "I urge the elders among you, who like them as a senior ..." (1 Peter 5:1), to be witnesses of what the true Shepherd has done in your life. Telling "the wonderful deeds", not an exercise in senile and sad memories, but to receive and transmit the strong reasons that animate and sustain the choices of today has become so complex and problematic. The "Diary", which should be published in its entirety belongs to this kind of narrative. The pathos that it shall help us to keep alive in us that high spiritual tension that has guided us in those years to make choices, interior and apostolic, which gave meaning to our lives.
Bolzon Olivo, "Diary . A priest of the Diocese of Treviso recounts his experience working as a scavenger in the city of Cologne 1964 "GM editor 2007, the series" Questions of Identity, "pp. 80, € 8.00 [Distributed by Tredieci: Via Leonardo Da Vinci, 5 - 31050 Ponzano Veneto - TV Tel 440 031 0422 Fax 963 835 0422].
Don Giuseppe Delogu
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