by Don Bruno Capparoni
As in every family, so also in the Pia Unione del Transito of
Saint Joseph it is good to take stock every now and then. Let us remember, however, that beneath these cold "numbers" faith and love are hidden.
Nn the month of March, the month of Saint Joseph, comes the right time to discuss the internal life of our Pious Union. Let us now look at some numbers, which are returned to us by our computers, knowing full well that beneath these figures there is humble faith, sincere devotion, Christian charity.
Last 2022, 1885 people signed up to the Pious Union and expressed their willingness to pray to Saint Joseph for the dying (it is our main aim, never to be forgotten!), especially in Italy, but also in some foreign countries such as Switzerland, Germany, England, United States, Canada, Australia. We had the participation of 155 children and young people, who joined the group of our "heralds", who we place under the mantle of Saint Joseph. Indeed, we would like the "heralds" to be even more numerous; This is why we appeal to parents, grandparents and family members to send their children's registrations.
The number of the deceased registered for perpetual Mass is very numerous and full of responsibility for our prayer; there are 2605. Among these there are the living members of the Pious Union, which the Lord has called to himself; They are joined by the numerous deceased reported to us by members: it is our daily prayer for all during the celebration of Holy Mass.
As for the monthly The Holy Crusade, we have an increase of 995 new items, which unfortunately are not enough to correct the negative balance; we will try to counteract the decrease with new memberships that we await through the column Italy devoted to Saint Joseph. In fact, for a few months we have been giving space to reports on Italian towns and cities that are particularly devoted to Saint Joseph; We expect new members from these The Holy Crusade.
A small but precious number is that of the priests who adhere to the Missa perennis. In 2022 there were 20, joining the hundreds who annually celebrate a Holy Mass according to the intentions of the Pious Union. We ask our readers to let their parish priests and priest friends know about the holy initiative of Missa perennis, blessed by Pope Benedict XV during the First World War and continued since then for over a century.
Let's now move on to give an account of the acts of generosity that the Pia Unione family has carried out to invoke and thank our patron Saint Joseph. During 2022 we received 34.564 donations, of very different sizes, but all rich in that characteristic of Christian charity, which is gratuitousness. How many acts of good, how many small and large sacrifices! Since our thanks is poor and also forgetful, we entrust it to Saint Joseph, who forgets nothing and who is very generous. With this generosity we have been able to support, starting from October 2022, the construction of the San Luigi Guanella center in Iași in Romania, to host the disabled welcomed by the Guanellians and to start the training house for our young Romanian brothers. Almost every month we report on it from the pages of The Holy Crusade and we pass on the thanks that come to us from those parts. We hope that the works in Iași can be completed by 2023.
Some benefactors entrust us with their offerings with specific attention to the food and shelter needs of the poor; so last year we received the shares corresponding to 581 "days of bread", 73 "cots", 39 "scholarships". May your charity, attentive to the concrete needs of the poor, obtain the blessings of divine Providence, just as you make yourselves instruments of Providence for those in need.
There are also those who express devotion and prayer to Saint Joseph by lighting a lamp near the image of the Transit of Saint Joseph which stands out in our Pious Union; in 2022 we had the lighting of 87 single lamps, 76 lamps for every Wednesday of the year, and 14 perpetual lamps. We have also received 151 reports of graces received from those who prayed to Saint Joseph and were granted. This indication is also important to encourage us to persevere in prayer to Saint Joseph.
We will give an account in a subsequent article of the numerous offerings that reach the Pious Union for the celebration of Holy Masses and which we deliver above all to the priests who carry out their apostolate in the missions. Here we begin to say thank you for these offers and convey the thanks of many priests who receive help for their lives and apostolate through this contribution.
I conclude this page by recalling the evangelical meaning that giving has, especially if done to the poor. First of all, Jesus invites us to be happy that our gifts are known only to the Father who it is in heaven: «When you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your almsgiving may remain secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you" (Mt 6, 3-4). The other suggestion, which comes from the Gospel, concerns the measure of the gifts; Those that come from the heart are worth more, like a poor widow's offering to the temple treasure, noted by Jesus even if it was small (see Mk 12, 41-44). Finally we remember the hidden but profound intention of the gift; it must be done to the Lord. "Truly I say to you, as often as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40). Here lies the motivation and also the reward of everything we have listed above; there is no need for anything else.