Bright people in dark times

Reverend Don Mario Carrera,

Thank you very much for your very welcome letter, your words and the always useful calendar for appointments.

In this somewhat gray and sometimes sad time, his words comforted me. In this time it is fashionable to expatriate to procure death, even long steps are being taken to introduce euthanasia. I continue to hope that his magazine sheds adequate light on these issues. Life is no longer considered a gift and this distresses me and I remain desolate.

What can we of the Pious Union do to stem this mentality? This is also why I entrust myself to your prayers so that the Holy Spirit will suggest convincing and adequate words to offer a correct evaluation on these topics.

With deferential sentiments of esteem, I greet and thank you.

Signed letter - Como

Dear friend,

I thank you for your expressions of appreciation and encouragement to continue my work as a sower of the soothing word of the Gospel through our magazine and various types of contacts with our Associates. With ever greater frequency the problem of euthanasia returns to the fore in the mass media, unfortunately influencing, as you assert, the opinion favorable to its practice, even among Catholics, who forget that no one is the master of their own life. Before religious faith, the common experience of humanity attests to this. No one came into existence on their own initiative or was asked for permission to come into existence. Life was given to us, granted, gifted. It's a gift. The illicit nature of euthanasia, even before faith, emerges from the recognition of the truth of man's being.

If a person is a believer, he sees the mark of God in life and for this very reason acquires a halo of sacredness which reinforces his inviolability. In this case, pain and suffering have many things to give if they are experienced in communion with Jesus: "I am happy with the sufferings that I endure for you and I complete in my flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, in favor of his body which it is the Church” writes Saint Paul (Col 1,24). Perhaps the first form of evangelization on the value of life, even when its health integrity is seriously affected, is offered to us by the attitude that each of us has towards those who suffer. Jesus' behavior in the Gospel teaches us this with his predilection for the marginalized; Pope Francis bears witness to this in his sensitivity towards those whom society "discards".

Let's not forget that before words, the testimony of our actions is the most effective message we can offer, for better or unfortunately, even for worse. Our magazine, referring in its mission to the preciousness of life even in the final moment of its sunset on this earth to open up to the light of Heaven, will always be a strong point in proclaiming the value of every life and of all life.

We of the Pious Union of Transit are a large family which, with all its Associates, embraces the five continents: an immense choir of prayer which every day raises to the Father the hymn of thanks and supplication for the life of all.

I take this opportunity to bless you and encourage you in your faithful testimony as an authentic disciple of Jesus. 

The joy of a gift

Dear Don Mario Carrera, 

I would like to tell you my most sincere thanks for the consoling words you sent me. It is truly a source of serenity to know that prayer keeps us united with each other, and I assure you that feeling like a very small part of the Pious Union has an immeasurable value for me and is of great help to me. 

Unfortunately it is difficult for me to sit down at a table, even just to write a few lines, but I assure you that I always read with great pleasure, every month, the Crusade of St. Joseph and that I have listened to the beautiful album, a "CD", «It Christmas" that she wanted me to have. They are very beautiful songs, even modern and unusual for me, all with a beautiful rhythm. 

I hope they are successful and help many people, even young people, to strengthen their faith. I sincerely wish you much health and energy and I pray that the Lord will always help you in your praiseworthy work of charity and evangelization. 

With much gratitude. 

 Paola Santucci, Milan

Dear Mrs Paola,

the "thank you" and the sharing of the noble feelings that our "walking together" with our associates encourages us to keep alive the tension towards a service to make life joyful especially in the inevitable moments of darkness.

Singing always brings joy. I have read - and I am convinced - that where there is a people who sing there is no need to be afraid: they are a people who love chorality and in a choir there is the search for harmony. Christmas carols then have an extraordinary repercussion on the soul: they caress the memory, make moments of familiarity bright and bring out the smiling faces of people who loved us with free love, without interest, but it was simply love.

I pray to Saint Joseph that he preserve a young heart that knows how to enjoy the daily joys of life as well as live the joy of faith with enthusiasm.