The power of life is stronger than machines

Following yet another grace received through the intercession of Saint Joseph, it seemed right to me to communicate this to you too, dear director; if he wants, he will also be able to publish this writing so that it can bring hope to those who have been waiting for a grace for a long time.
Having said this, I'll tell you the story. My second son Manuel got married in a Christian way on 13 August 2011 in a church dedicated to Saint Joseph (and this immediately seemed to me to be a sign of particular protection); shortly after his wife became pregnant and now she is in the fourth month of pregnancy.
On December 20th (Christmas week) she underwent the prescribed tests and the morphological investigation revealed serious problems with the baby's head, so much so that the doctor, without tact or mincing words, instigated the abortion because, according to her, the child was condemned to blindness and immobility for life. This terrible news that fell like a bolt from the blue made the world fall upon us, took away the joy of the imminent Christmas and we felt crushed by this immense pain.
But we didn't give up. While the parents urgently tried to repeat the test in another facility to verify the validity of that terrible diagnosis, my husband and I prayed and asked Saint Joseph to pray in particular.
After two days, on December 22, my son and my daughter-in-law went to a private facility to repeat the exam and, with joyful surprise, they were told that the child was fine and that there was no cause for concern. He can imagine the joy of all of us after days of tears, fears, terror and anguish.
We immediately thanked the Lord and in particular Saint Joseph who listened to us. At the beginning I spoke of "yet another grace" obtained through his intercession because he always granted me everything I asked for with the prayer, often with insistence, of the sacred Mantle and with the novenas (as well as the rosary and the daily holy mass). .
From time to time I would have liked to send you a detailed report of every grace I received, but I lacked the time, however I always took steps to express my gratitude to dear Saint Joseph by supporting numerous vocations of aspirants to the priesthood. My thanks could not be missed on this last occasion. I greet you with brotherly affection.
Elvira

Perseverance

I have been a subscriber to your magazine since 1960 and I heartily thank Saint Joseph for the many graces I have received during my life.
In the early 50s my grandmother Seno Paola was already a subscriber to the Santa Crociata and I found her in her house. I, very young, read with sympathy and devotion.
Stucco Iolanda

In memory of mother

Dearest friends of the Pious Union, with a heavy heart I inform you of the death of our dear mother Nuzzo Grazia, who died last January after a long and hard struggle to overcome the evil that had struck her; the Lord called her to himself. Her mother was very devoted to Saint Joseph and she had the grace of dying on a Wednesday, the day dedicated to the Saint. She always prayed to Saint Joseph with her heart and with so much faith, as we all do in the family. Now, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Joseph, my sister and I would like to remember her and send, as we did every year with her mother, a thought for your works. This year too we will distribute the blessed bread in church, as an act of devotion and which our mother also did; this will be her first year without her. Pray for her and for all the deceased in our family. We wish everyone a wonderful celebration in honor of the Saint. Long live Saint Joseph!
Giovanna Milazzo - USA

Undercurrents of prayers and good deeds

Dear Don Mario, I take the opportunity of your name day to thank you for signing up for perpetual suffrage for Bruno; the family really appreciated it. Thank you also for the image with the prayer to San Luigi Guanella, which I recite every day together with the Sacred Mantle. Saint Joseph, Jesus and Our Lady have helped me so much in enduring all the difficulties and painful situations, giving me the strength to move forward with faith and with their grace, forgiving the wrongs I have suffered. The graces I have received in this year that has just ended have been of relief, serenity and joy, seeing my family united with a peaceful Christmas. I suffer a little from the fact that I cannot go to church due to my state of health which does not allow me to walk. I follow the Holy Mass on the radio. Forgive me if, quite a few times, I have bothered you with my sorrows but, from your first letter, I understood your goodness and your faith and your understanding; your letters and prayers have helped and comforted me so much. Through the monthly magazine I was able to get to know Saint Joseph and Saint Luigi Guanella well and I felt less alone, especially reading his articles: so much faith! I congratulate her and thank the Lord for letting us meet. I regret the fact that I cannot contribute, as I would like, to your initiatives but my economic possibilities are very, very limited. However, I do not fail to pray to the Lord for you and for the Pious Union so that he may keep everyone healthy and bless you for the work and the good you do. Another warm wish on your name day. With gratitude and esteem.
Catherine,
Vertova (BG)

Very kind
and dear Mrs Caterina,
I thank you for your letter and your words which make me blush, in everyone's life the important thing is to do what the heart suggests and the light and divine energy allow you to do it: everything is grace, everything is a gift from God for the good of all; it is important not to bury the gifts that God places in our hands and hearts. If all men and women opened their chests full of gifts like flower petals open to the light and warmth of the sun, we would have a wonderful world flooded with joy and the colors of the rainbow. God, however, sows his treasures in the souls of humble people and supports the fate of the world not with the actions of the great of the earth, but with the underground currents of prayer and the good deeds of passionate people who seek God. She, like many others, other members of the Pious Union, you are part of this world submerged in energy and strength and for this I thank the merciful goodness of God. For my part too, I try to "help God" not to be forgotten in the hearts of men, for this reason I ask for help of his prayer.

I sought the face of God and it was an "epiphany"

Dearest Director,
I am the daughter of a member of the Pious Union of Saint Joseph's Transit for many years.
Unfortunately, mother left us on Saturday 7 January 2012. She got worse on Christmas Day, was then hospitalized for all the holidays and passed away the day after the Epiphany.
Before leaving this earth, she also had to endure the suffering of being in hospital, which she had never experienced in 85 years of her life. This period was short but intense, but she endured it with resignation. However, there was no lack of intercession from the Saint, whom I prayed to and invoked many times in this period, even turning to Saint Joseph present in the nativity scene in the hospital chapel and who granted her the grace of a good death, which she invoked many times. and asked, because she died on Saturday, in front of her two children and equipped with religious comforts. This is our consolation.
Letter signed

Serve for love

Dear Don Mario,
I turn to you with a heartfelt prayer that he may have a good death. I pray that it happens as soon as possible, given that I am tired of the type of life that I have been living for many, too many years, in fact, rather than life I would call it survival. I am married, with two children and I have to put up, for mother's sake, with all the "bad" things my husband can offer me. Before they told me that he was young, inexperienced and that therefore I had to be patient now, with the onset of age, but mostly due to an illness that forces him to a wheelchair, he behaves badly and I have to have patience for his state of health which makes him irascible to say the least. More than a wife I have always felt like a servant, today even more so. Alone and an orphan since I was little, I married young under the illusion that my "new" life could have positive implications, different from those I had experienced up until that day. Financially I couldn't complain and perhaps this fact was decisive for my husband in choosing me as his wife. It's true that the good Lord has given me two wonderful children, now happily married, to whom I try not to let them perceive my state of mind and my family discomfort. I have always worked and raised my children but now tiredness has taken over, taking away my strength to carry on, so much so that I invoked death as liberation. I probably commit a grave sin in asking to fall asleep forever but the disappointments have weakened my fiber and probably also my faith. I ask for forgiveness and prayers.
Letter signed

Esteemed and dear Madam,
it might be easy for those who live far from their situation to express words of understanding, but their brother's suffering becomes our sorrow, it is therefore necessary to anchor our suffering to a motivation illuminated by hope. The motivation comes from our faith in God who called us to exist in this season of history, making us meet people and entrusting us with a mission to accomplish. The most beautiful and consoling mission is that of being a mother with two splendid children, the fruit of her love and the source of her consolation. So it seems to me that it is a duty to reflect ourselves in this positive reality with a heart grateful to God. The other side of the coin is her condition of discomfort and difficulty towards her husband. It is the most difficult aspect in which we must rediscover the depth of the roots of our faith from which the ability to love is born and strengthened. When before God and the Christian community you were united in marriage, you and her husband decided to share everything in good health and in bad. Even with the help of our prayers and yours, we hope that you will be able to see in the darkness of your suffering a seed of blessing that God has reserved for you even in this difficult and painful situation. We must ask God that in her good will he can make the beatitude that Saint Paul puts on the lips of Jesus resonate: "There is more joy in giving than in receiving". From the top of the Cross, Jesus can say to the Father: "Forgive them, they don't know what they are doing."

In the chorus of gratitude

Rev. Don Carrera,
I would like to thank you for two graces received. The first concerns Saint Joseph, who listened to me and granted me the grace of a good outcome in the very particular exams following my daughter's bad ailments. Also towards me, helping me with moral issues in the family, and for health problems. The second concerns Saint Luigi Guanella, to whom I prayed with the relic on my heart because I had to have a thyroid check-up which scared me a lot. He did everything well to the glory of God.
Letter signed

Christmas is the birth of immortality

Reverend and dear Don Mario,
It is my desire to renew the subscription to the beautiful, welcome magazine "La Santa Crociata", full of news and many ideas for meditation and prayer and which, punctually reaches us from our dear and beloved Italy, from Rome, from the Sanctuary of our dear protector Saint Joseph. Thanks also for the calendar.
As the Christmas holidays approach, Saint Joseph is more present, more deeply felt in our families and for several days we can pray to him, together with Mary and Jesus, in the poor hut in Bethlehem.
Unfortunately in this period the pain for the loss of our daughter Maddalena, who ascended to heaven on 24 December 2003, Christmas Eve, is also revived within us. You can well understand the mood during the Christmas season! We have never lost faith.
May Saint Joseph help us in daily life and protect our family. May the Lord help all of you of the Pious Union and give peace to the whole world. Many warm regards.
Lucia Giglio – Windsor, Canada
Dear Mrs Lucia,
I thank you for your feelings towards us which help us to serve faith, hope and charity with greater generosity and enthusiasm. I understand his suffering in feeling renewed pain for the loss of Magdalene, but Jesus came down from heaven so that we could ascend to heaven and be embraced by the paternal goodness of God and live next to him in communion of grace and light with all our dear ones.
I renew my best wishes and pray that 2012 will be a year full of serenity and light.

A strong hand in difficulty

Dearest Father,
I am a 71 year old lady and my husband Giuseppe has subscribed to your magazine for a very long time. Our life has not been easy since my husband's health worsened. Now he has lost his speech, but he realizes things and tries to make himself understood. Last month I prayed a lot to Saint Joseph and before the end of the novena he had a notable improvement. Every day we are anxious and every day I put myself in the hands of Saint Joseph and I entrust myself to the will of God. May Saint Joseph protect us as well as assist the family of the carer who helps me and bless a missionary priest who prays for my husband and who he admires him greatly for his ability to endure. Pray for me, to always have physical and moral strength. Thank you.
Mirella – Ventimiglia

The testimony of those who believe in Jesus supports us in the effort to accept the bet on existence.

A song of praise

Dear Editor, my mother, whose name is Agnese, has been a subscriber to your magazine for years and is very devoted to Saint Joseph, from whom she believes she has received a grace, which I will explain briefly here, and which she would be happy to let you know. It happened that last April 17th, when you placed your foot badly, you broke it; but in the fall she invoked St. Joseph not to make her break the prosthetics that she has on both of her, too, or it would have been irreversible and she would have ended up in a wheelchair. And so it was: not only that, he didn't feel anything in his hips, but also the break in his foot was "composed" and he didn't have to undergo an operation, which at 78 years of age and with very serious osteoporosis is neither easy nor beautiful. to bear. Everything went well and in less than 4 months my mother was walking as before. She will always have to be careful, but she really wants to point out to you that in her opinion she has received a grace from Saint Joseph, and also in the opinion of her family. We would be happy for you to publish it, thank you.
Raffaella

A joyful supportive presence

Reverend and dear Don Mario, I too want to bear witness to the many graces that Saint Joseph and the Immaculate Virgin have granted me. Although I am completely alone, having no family or relatives on this earth, I received unexpected help and excellent assistance during a very serious illness, which was leading me to certain death: pleural pericarditis. Not only did I heal, but afterwards, I received grace after grace and the Lord filled my life. For this reason, for the second time, as a sign of thanks and praise to the Lord, I send the offer for a scholarship in honor of the Holy Family. Since the letter sent last year never reached you, this time I am sending a registered letter and ask you to remember me in your prayers. Saint Joseph, whom I pray to every day with the Sacred Mantle, may tenderly hold me close to his paternal heart and always welcome me into his Holy Family. A heartfelt thank you.
Stefania Meloni - Cagliari

Dear Mrs Stefania,
I also want to thank you publicly for your generosity, but above all for your testimony of faith and for your great trust in the goodness of God who watches over you as a mother can watch over one of her creatures. In the dark moments of my life, the expression of the prophet Isaiah has always been a consolation to me when he states that God drew our features on the palm of his hand so that he would not forget us. The palm of the hand is the part of our body that the eyes see most frequently. This caressing hand of God is present in a mysterious but constant way, sometimes we don't realize it, but when our heart is attentive and sensitive it senses this presence and praise is immediately given and life is filled with bliss.
I take advantage of this response that unfortunately we have to complain about the dysfunction of the post office, there are now many people who complain about having sent us correspondence that never arrived. We have noticed a frightening drop in correspondence and at the same time a chorus of complaints as if we were leaving incoming letters unanswered.

Present alongside a cheering crowd

Reverend Don Mario,
I hope he's well. Together with some members of the Pious Union, I send you an offer for the great celebration that will take place on October 23rd, when Pope Benedict XVI will proclaim the dear Don Luigi Guanella a saint. I personally believe that the sanctity of Don Guanella is beyond doubt, as is that of the beloved Pope John Paul II, now blessed. I know what was published in your newspaper about Don Guanella but his works speak loudly for him; everything is an image of his great heart as a father and of his boundless love for the poor, marginalized and disabled, those of him, so to speak, who the society of the time considered to be waste and not people. I read with great joy the newspaper which arrives punctually and which gives me so much serenity. I would like to be a bird to be able to fly to Rome, to St. Peter's Square, for this important celebration but, unfortunately, a series of difficulties do not allow me to realize this desire. I will definitely pray! With this offering I would also like flowers and candles to be offered to Saint Luigi Guanella on the day of his canonization. Peace and good to all! Sincerely
Giuseppina Antidormi – Canada

Dear and affectionate Mrs Giuseppina,
It was truly a consolation to read his letter and feel this choral participation in the singular joy of seeing our Founder proclaimed a saint. Benedict XVI proclaimed Don Guanella as a prophet of charity, defender of the poor, witness of God's love for people wounded in life, he indicated him to the universal Church as an authentic model of holiness, a holiness made of great love in small daily things; it is an example of holiness possible for everyone.
A seed of this possible holiness is also present in Canada, the nuns of Don Guanella, in fact, carry out charitable action in Vancouver, therefore, his joy could also have a home-made flavour. Don Guanella had no distinction and said to his nuns leaving for the United States: "The whole world is your homeland", every man, every woman from every continent is a brother and sister. May our prayer help everyone to feel attentive and effective brothers in serving those in need.

Saint Joseph faithful companion in life

Reverend Director,
I have been devoted to Saint Joseph for many years! I have four children, today I am also a great-grandmother and throughout my life, in difficult moments, accidents, illnesses, adversities I have always turned with faith to the Lord, confidently trusting in the intercession of Saint Joseph. I was granted and today I have the joy of having a united family. I particularly thank you for the assiduity with which you send me the magazine, first in Morocco and now in France where I currently live. I am sending my offering for the initiatives of the Pious Union and I also thank you for the good wishes on my name day. A cordial greeting to you and to the collaborators of the Pia Unione.
Pizzitola Easter
Castelnau Le Lez, France

Esteemed and dear Mrs Pasqua,
even his letter is a touch of internationality and testimony that the intercession of Saint Joseph has no boundaries, he understands every language, above all he knows that of the needy and the suffering. With her, through the intercession of Saint Joseph, I praise God and thank him for the consolations and joys that she and her family enjoy, above all, the comfort - so rare in our times - of family harmony, of affection and respect between different generations.
May God fill your life and that of your loved ones with much physical and spiritual well-being.

The magazine of San Giuseppe
gushing source
of hope

I have been receiving and reading The Holy Crusade for many years, always obtaining a sense of peace and hope from it. My life has been full of pain and suffering, from the death of my husband many years ago, to cancer, to work problems and more, but I have made it this far, raised my daughter, who graduated and married. I have a wonderful nephew, who is the reward of everything and is also the only reason that still makes me love life and want to live it near him and for him.
In my darkest moments I asked Saint Joseph for help and in some way, even incomprehensible, he must have helped and supported me if I got this far.
But now everything seems to be collapsing because my daughter, who has always lived next to me, will move and I will no longer be able to have my little Daniele near me, laugh and cry, suffer and rejoice with him and for him. It would take too long to explain why this separation is so painful: they are delicate and thorny family stories, which would only bore, for which I blame my mother-in-law and my son-in-law, perhaps mistakenly.
I would like everything to be resolved for the best for my daughter and her family, for my son-in-law's mother and for me. There can be many solutions different from this one which can satisfy everyone and perhaps be the beginning of new and more peaceful relationships.
I prayed a lot to Saint Joseph: he knows what I need, but my prayers were not enough.
Now I ask you to pray for me to Saint Joseph: he knows what to do. Help me. My husband Dionisi Daniele, deceased, my daughter Alice, my nephew Daniele and I are already under the protection of Saint Joseph, now I would like my son-in-law Canzio Venturi to also be a member of the Pious Union.
Thank you for your time and patience, I hope for your prayers.
Patrizia Bucci - Rimini

A shared degree
with the poor

Dear Director, I am a member of the Pious Union of the transit of San Giuseppe. With much gratitude I would like to thank my protector Saint Joseph who always listens to my prayers and continually supports and guides my two children in difficulties.
On October 19th my daughter graduates in Medicine and instead of making wedding favors she would like to donate an offering to San Guseppe, I would like to know how to do it.
Thank you.
Francesca - Catanzaro

Dearest Mrs Francesca,
what a beautiful joy to read your letter; with you I thank God for the intercession of Saint Joseph and I pray that you may continue to smile on the path of his long life. The confetti to celebrate your daughter's graduation are also noble; I pray that the effort of her studies will always be at the service of the physical and spiritual well-being of the sick.
I instinctively suggest the joy of a lunch for the poor on the day of Don Guanella's canonization.
In the next issue of our magazine you will read about the initiative to be able to give a lunch to all the poor people who live in the shadow of the charity of the Don Guanella Opera, particularly in poor countries.
I calculated that a nice lunch (which will include dinner and also the next day's meals) can be offered with 3 euros.
If you want to join this initiative: «A lunch so that no one is alone» see it. (see art. page 21)
It would seem to me like a graduation with "fireworks" with the bright eyes of the poor deprived of everything, but rich in a grateful smile.

Saint Joseph...
and his body?

Dear Director,
the priest said in the homily of the Holy Mass on the feast of the Virgin Mary Assumption into heaven: «The only ones who are in Heaven with their body are Jesus and the Most Holy Mary».
I have always been convinced that in heaven, body and soul, there are three of us with Saint Joseph. It should be kept in mind that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that documents or attests to Mary's immaculate conception, much less that speaks of her assumption into heaven. Only the dogmas of our faith attest to this, and if you don't believe in these, you are not a Christian.
Therefore I firmly believe that over time it will be recognized that Saint Joseph is also in heaven with his body becoming like that of Christ as we saw him act after the Resurrection. The story of the Redemption begins with two characters inextricably linked: the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, her legitimate husband. By divine revelation, he agrees to be united to his wife even if she is carrying a child of whom he is not the father...
Saint Joseph is present at the birth of Jesus, he is his protector and savior from certain death, if he does not organize and lead Mary and Jesus to Egypt. He ensures their life in that foreign country by being their valid support. So it is when he returns to Nazareth where he not only protects and supports but also teaches a trade to Jesus who will be self-sufficient with his mother until the beginning of his public life as Messiah.
When Saint Joseph heroically and holyly carried out his earthly mission as father of Jesus and protector of the Holy Family, he was taken body and soul to heaven. Therefore there is no mention in the Gospel of the death of Saint Joseph and the Most Holy Mary for the simple fact that they have never experienced earthly death as we understand it. The same goes for the evangelical silence on the tomb of the Madonna because she was never buried. And the Gospel is also silent on the burial of Saint Joseph because it never happened.
If Saint Joseph were buried in the ground, the very stones would cry out: he is here! But these are silent because Saint Joseph is in heaven body and soul.
We know of the perfection of God that does not break a unity created by Him, and does not create divisions and disparities of value from one to another. Therefore the Holy Family in heaven is not disunity: they are not two plus one; equally all three are there with body and soul.
The Church in its divine wisdom knows of the greatness and holiness of Saint Joseph and among all its great saints has elected him its Protector. There is therefore nothing against faith in thinking about his Assumption into Heaven. I believe this, and a priest told me that this is a personal devotion, but it is not a sin.
Gianbusto of Nomadelfia

Dear friend,
she lives in a small town, where the name itself says «fraternity is law» and, therefore, where love and sharing are the driving force of everything. it is natural to think that Jesus reserved for his "earthly" father what he reserved for his mother, Mary. Just as she was assumed with that body that gave flesh to Jesus, so Saint Joseph, who nourished and instructed that body to live the life of men, should enjoy the same fate as Mary, his lovely wife.
This supposition is not new, already Saint Bernardino of Siena (1444) in his preaching said: «One must piously believe, but not assure, that Jesus honored his Most Holy Mother and his putative Father with equal privilege. As she made the most holy Mary ascend to heaven glorious in body and soul, so on the day of her resurrection, she also united Saint Joseph with her in glory. Just as the Holy Family, formed by Christ, the Virgin Mary and Joseph, lived a hard-working and loving life together, so it is right that now in the glory of heaven, they reign together with body and soul." Alongside San Bernardino there were also other saints who supported this belief.
It is not a dogma of faith, and no one can prevent us from cultivating this belief that the "earthly trinity" can live alongside the Holy Trinity with their glorified flesh.
Best wishes and continue to live the "nomadelphia" as a model of Christian life.

A corner of Sicily in the USA

Dear Director, we are Pasquale and Anna, originally from Partanna, in the province of Trapani and we have been residents for more than 40 years in New York, USA
Last March 27, in collaboration with relatives and friends, we set up the altar and the table of San Giuseppe in our house. Together with the offer collected from those who participated, I am sending some photos of the traditional initiative, where you can see the commitment and care of skilled "Sicilian" hands in forming the bread into different shapes and shapes. You may notice some particular symbols of Saint Joseph: the saw and the hammer; the sandals and the palm tree. Then there is the symbol of the monstrance with the SS. Sacramento, two doves and the initials JMG, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 110 people were present at the blessing of the table, including adults and children, and the dishes we had prepared for this occasion were enough for everyone.
Pasquale and Anna Fasitta
New York, USA

Complaint about a poor postal service

Reverend Don Mario, I am writing to you to complain about the irregular sending of the magazine "La Santa Crociata", a magazine which I care a lot about, finding the same cultural level and high-ranking contents. I believe it is the most important magazine when compared with other magazines in the Campania region where I live, where the circulation of Catholic newspapers, on a monthly basis, represents a consolidated reality.
Antonietta

60 years of marriage

Associated with the Pia Unione for many years, Gina and Giorgio from Decimomannu (Cagliari) celebrated their 60th year of marriage this year. They wanted to send us a souvenir photo of themselves.
May Saint Joseph grant them and their large family serenity and joy.

A double and great joy

Dear Don Mario, as you know, my little girl, Camilla, was born and is well. I thank the Pious Union for the prayers that have continuously been made for this birth and for my situation.
The news gave me great joy that my wedding dress that I had sent to the Pia Unione was given to the inmates of the Milan prison who will receive financial income from it for their work.
I still have many worries about our family future related to economic situations, but the joy that comes from the life of faith encourages us not to lose hope.
Much gratitude again,
Louise

Dearest,
to the joy of the birth of a new life, there is your beautiful gesture of generosity with the hand of Providence that guided us to the prison cooperative of San Vittore and to Milan. Someone will wear your splendid wedding dress and the guardian angels of your family will praise God and rejoice for this beautiful gesture that honors you.

An edifying memory

Dear Director,
I am one of the three children of Mr. Elia Milano, a long-time member of the Pia Unione del Transito di San Giuseppe. Unfortunately, last March 1st my beloved father passed away. The Lord called him to himself at the end of a long and painful illness. A subtle disease with disabling effects, which forced him to live a good part of his last two years sitting in an armchair and with increasingly limited motor autonomy.
In his hometown of Lamezia Terme he was, for several decades, the highly esteemed Prior of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, which was entrusted with the care of the cult of the ancient Church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, located in the heart of the historic centre. In this capacity, he worked, beyond all measure, to make that Sacred Building ever more dignified: the restoration of the side chapels (one of which is dedicated to the glorious Saint Joseph), the creation in marble of the main conciliar altar and of the floor of the central nave, the internal and external restoration of the Church, are some of the initiatives he promoted and tenaciously supported until the end. He then spent particular zeal in taking care of the main holidays of 8 December and 19 March, preceded by special novenaries of preparation. A man of daily prayer, whenever possible, he managed to involve mother and us her children in the recitation of the Holy Rosary. In thanking the Lord for the gift of his existence and for the authentic and luminous testimony of Christian faith and practice, generously and continuously offered, I ask you to kindly enter dad's name in the register of the Suffrages Union and to continue to send the magazine to my mother, at the address indicated in the letter.
With senses of esteem and cordiality,
adv. Arturo Milano (by e-mail)

Most esteemed and clear lawyer, I thank you for your kind and dear letter which testifies that in the world alongside so many crafty people there are many people who know how to live civil values ​​with dignity and with their heads held high, accompanied by faith in God the Father of mercy.
We must hope and pray for the goodness of God who continues to sow noble creatures with great and generous feelings in the furrows of our history. I am sending you by post your father's membership card for Perpetual Suffrage and I assure you of my prayers for your father Elia and also for his family.

A hand always ready to help

Reverend Father Carrera,
I am an elderly guest of the Villa Celeste retirement home, I recently turned 89, and this is one of the many graces that our great Saint wanted to give me.
I was so worried about a very dear young friend who was suffering from pancreatic cancer. There was little hope for a recovery but neither I nor his family gave up because everything is possible with God. We entrusted ourselves to the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph, we prayed a lot with all our hearts and we were heard. .
On the day dedicated to the Madonna of Loreto, I received the happy news from Bologna, where my friend Angela was hospitalized, that the surgery had gone well and that she was on the way to recovery. Thank you Holy Virgin, thank you St. Joseph; you have already cured my son who also had cancer and is now well.
I will never stop thanking you and talking about your wonders with those close to me, the sick and the elderly, who are often discouraged and perhaps curse, but the Lord sees and forgives.
Dear Father Mario, I struggle to write but I had to do this. I thank you for “La Santa Crociata” which has become a friend for me that I have punctually received and consoled me for 35 years. I greet you cordially, very affectionately.
Floriana Paolucci, Rosora (AN)

Eyes and ears attentive to needs

Dear Director,
For some years I have been a member of the Pious Union and I receive the Holy Crusade in honor of Saint Joseph and I pray to him assiduously. However, I must say that in the past I have never been devoted to this great Saint until, by chance, I learned of the pious practice of the Holy Mantle from a prayer booklet of a friend of mine. I began to recite it with devotion for a particular intention of mine. After a few years I began to get answers to my prayers and since then I have chosen St. Joseph as my particular advocate with God.
I also became aware of the novena prayer in honor of the Saint and with this prayer I invoked him on two other occasions: for a health problem of mine and for my daughter to obtain a transfer given that working in Rome caused major problems for her family, also having two small children. Only three days after the beginning of the prayer did the news of the transfer arrive. Now I am praying to St. Joseph to ensure that my son returns to God and rejoins the sacraments.
I am very sure - without presumption - that dear Saint Joseph will grant me this time too, both because the cause is just and because he is a magnificent intercessor with God. Pray for my intentions. Thank you, bless me.
Tufano Maria – Nola, Naples

An applause to God, to Saint Joseph and to the spouses

Dear Director,
I have been your member and subscriber since November 22, 1996. I always read with pleasure the monthly magazine that you send me. I am writing to inform you that on August 26th, God willing, my wife Regina and I will celebrate our 60 years of marriage, here in Decimomannu, where I, a railway worker, was transferred in 1948 from Gorizia due to the loss of the territories of Venice Giulia. I feel comfortable here, here we gave birth to our four children, and now I have ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and two more are on the way. Nothing special, we are an elderly couple, I will be 85 next July, while my dear Regina (Gina) will be 79 in August. I ask you to remember us two elderly people by praying that Saint Joseph, Don Guanella, who will be proclaimed a Saint on October 23, and Blessed Chiara assist us from heaven. Unfortunately, we no longer leave home because the various ailments of old age limit our movements. Luckily we have our parish a stone's throw from home.
Giorgio Talmassons – Decimomannu, Cagliari

A song of praise with an invitation to pray

Dear editorial staff, I would like to bring to the attention of readers my testimony regarding the greatness, goodness and infinite mercy of God through the exalted figure of the great Saint Joseph. In all the difficult trials of my life, as well as moments of suffering, turning to the sure and powerful intercession of Saint Joseph has always given me loving comfort and providential help. Every time everything seemed to be lost and I believed that there was nothing left to do, and when that terrible feeling of helplessness still pervaded me, inexplicably God's help became concrete and profitable through the intercession of Saint Joseph .
Every time I have turned to the Saint, asking for grace and protection, I have always been heard, even though I am a sinner and my faith, at times, gets shaken like a reed in the wind.
The advice I want to give to all readers, especially to those who are in difficult conditions or experience moments of physical, moral or spiritual suffering, is to resort to prayer, as a powerful and effective tool to commune with God and receive peace. and serenity; asking, in this regard, for the help of Saint Joseph.
Turn to him, helping you especially with the prayer of the "Sacred Mantle" and you will be heard in your requests. Saint Joseph shows no preference among men; of great or little faith, righteous or sinners, his holiness and magnificence always surpasses human limits and frailties. Thanking you in advance, I express my warmest wishes for the continuous evolution and diffusion of your magazine.
Vincenzo Franciosa -
Francavilla Fontana, Brindisi

Light and comfort always win

After the death of my father, so devoted to St. Joseph and a subscriber to the magazine, who I think was already in heaven with the Saints, I continued this traditional family devotion, sure of always having Someone to turn to. I have had many tragedies and difficulties, personal and family, but also many joys and many graces from the Lord, always deferring to his divine will. Lately I was worried about my son-in-law, who, although graduated, couldn't find a job, despite his good will. After so many closed doors, discouragement took over his soul. What to do? Who should we turn to anymore? I then thought, with faith and hope, to begin the prayer of the Sacred Mantle. I had not yet finished the thirty days foreseen by this pious devotion when my son-in-law was called for several interviews with good possibilities for a job. I take this opportunity to thank Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary and Jesus for a grace received a few years ago, for which I had not yet thanked, for a situation that could have upset my life and my entire family. I am sending a modest offering, a small gift that is intended as a sign of my devotion to Saint Joseph. Thank you and pray for us.
SP

Sharing in the worship of Saint Joseph

Dearest Director, I am a young mother, with great gratitude I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to my dearest "friend and protector" Saint Joseph who supported me in somewhat difficult moments, also granting me three special graces. Every day I turn to him because I still need his help so much for my young family and many friends. As I continue to pray, I spread devotion to this great Saint and protector with conviction. I would like to publish these few lines of mine so that many people know that St. Joseph is powerful, he makes us wait but he does not abandon us. Thank you!
ZM

Don Guanella and Conforti are waiting for October 23rd

Dear Director,
I learned with great joy that on October 23rd Don Guanella will be proclaimed a saint together with Mons. Conforti, because I am close to both of them.
Monsignor Conforti because I am from Parma, my mother received Confirmation from Him and has always considered herself one of his miracle workers, because during an operation carried out at home (it was 1947), without anesthesia, she held a leather glove in her hands Monsignor Conforti who had given her a nun and everything went well.
I am linked to Don Guanella because my maternal grandparents came from Campodolcino to set up distilleries in the Po Valley, one of which was in Parma and my great-grandmother was a Bianchi relative of Don Luigi's mother.
My entire family has always been linked to the Guanellian family and was registered with the "Pious Union of Transit". First my grandmother Purchasepace Vener Maria, my mother Vener Nidi Rosa, my sister Nidi Mazzoli Irma, all deceased, but assisted by Saint Joseph and now I am registered with my husband: Valenti Maria and Marco.
After the consistory meeting on February 21st I went to speak with the Bishop of Parma Monsignor Enrico Solmi and I learned that he knew little about Don Guanella. So I got him a copy of a biography of the saint by Mario Sgarbossa, and the brochures of the Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart of Como. He was very happy, therefore, I am asking you to send the Holy Crusade both to him and to the Carmelite nuns, because many of them, even if there are only 17 of them, are originally from Lecco and Como and know the works of Don Guanella.
Sorry for the chatter and thanks for everything.
Maria Nidi Valenti

Dearest Mary,
nothing but chatter, it is a great joy to hear his news and also to enjoy the relationship with Don Guanella. It is said that male children take a lot from their mothers and so Don Guanella's sanctity is the fruit of divine grace and also of the DNA of his ancestor Maria Bianchi, Don Luigi's mother.
It will be my duty to send the Bishop our magazine which, already from the April issue, contains an insert on Don Guanella and splendid photos of his homeland. I thank you for the good news, I wish you all the best and for the intercession of Saint Guanella and Msgr. May God bless you and give you joy in living.

Good news as encouragement

Dearest Don Carrera, as promised to beloved Saint Joseph, I bear witness to your help.
Since April 2009, my fiancé and I have been unemployed. Except for a few days of work and dozens of applications and CVs sent, nothing happened. At the beginning of 2010 I prayed the Holy Mantle and the Novena to the beloved Saint, but still nothing happened. On the contrary! The situation seemed to get worse, with even darker and sadder moments such as the death of my father-in-law to whom my boyfriend was very close. Then, when we least expected it, last February 3rd a phone call arrived from the municipality of Cagliari (where we live) and the good news that my boyfriend had been hired for a year! I can't describe our happiness to you! Furthermore, after routine medical visits, he started working on February 19th, just one month before the feast of St. Joseph! We would like to heartily thank the Lord and the Madonna for this grace and Saint Joseph who never forgets his children. As a sign of thanks, with the first salary, we intend to give a small offering for a day's bread. If possible I would like this letter to be published to give hope to many people who find themselves in the same situation as us. I greet you cordially and remember you in my prayers.
Angelica Comunale

Get used to reading the magazine

Reverend Don Mario,
I received your letter of thanks for my offer, and I would like to let you know that your invitation to read "The Holy Crusade" has been punctually answered for more than five years, following the tragic loss of my sister who was a subscriber and of whom I kept my promise, bringing the magazine to my address. I will tell you more, I cut out each time the particular prayer that is reported there, and many of them were proposed on the occasion of retreat meetings with our Archbishop. I am the head of the school office of the diocese of Campobasso/Bojano for everything concerning religious teachers appointed by the diocesan and for those within the school (nursery and primary) who are available and suitable to impart such teaching. Furthermore, I also read the side translations on each page, because I love languages, and I also provide very useful indications on how to carry out a concise translation, which does not betray the entirety of the article to which it refers. Probably, for next Christmas I will use some of the images from the magazine to accompany some of my poems, clearly indicating their origin: they are very significant both on an artistic level and in the message they carry.
In my maternal home, my grandmother celebrated the feast of Saint Joseph every year with the traditional table, where guests of honor were three poor people - a child, a woman and a man - representing the Holy Family. And punctually, on February 17th, under the direction of my mother, the month of Saint Joseph began, followed by the month of May, by that of the Sacred Heart, then of the Precious Blood and, in October, again for Mary and in November for the dead . Many people participated, mostly from the neighborhood, and these experiences are part of my personal training story. I am convinced that Saint Joseph, as befits his humility and the silence that characterized his life, should be better known. A few years ago, following Radio Maria, I listened to the presentation of a book on Saint Joseph, written by a doctor, Dr. Donna: attracted by the poetic nature of the text, I bought it immediately and literally devoured it. I then gave away about twenty copies: to priests and people who bear the name of this Saint, on the occasion of the name day, but also to those who are not called Giuseppe, like my parish priest at the time and the Bishop's vicar.    
Linetta Mazzilli

Monument to the patron saint of workers

Dear Don Mario Carrera, I have been a member of the Pious Union for about ten years, I read and gladly receive your magazine. I am writing to thank Saint Joseph for the grace received last May. I went to a medical check-up, pushed by my wife, because of my high heart rate even though I wasn't feeling any pain. The doctors kept me for four days for tests and a coronary examination which was followed by surgery, which went very well, for the application of three bypasses. I obviously entrusted myself to S. Giuseppe and the post-operative and necessary rehabilitation also went very well. I wanted to inform you that next May 1st marks the 10th anniversary of the monument to St. Joseph that I created in 2001 and which your newspaper reported on page. 14 of the October 2001 issue. Now next to this I will have a column created with the dedication that I was unable to place ten years ago: "Dedicated to Saint Joseph who watches over the world of work". I will be happy to send you a color photo of the event. While I thank St. Joseph, I ask you for prayers for a friend who recently passed away and for another dear friend of mine who went to the clinic for the flu vaccine two years ago and the following day he fell into a coma and is still there today, lying on the bed, motionless. I would like us to pray to alleviate this suffering for him, his wife and his family.
Letter signed

Gentlemen,    
I had the opportunity to be a guest of your facility [...] from 24/08/2010 to 08/09/2010 for an advanced lung cancer.
For twenty-five years my profession (I work for a company that markets products for analysis laboratories) has constantly brought me into contact with Italian healthcare, experiencing its slow and constant decline in many aspects day after day.
Inefficiency, degradation, opportunism, indifference, superficiality, arrogance, careerism are just some of the adjectives that I feel like using to describe what I have experienced in recent years every time I set foot in a public laboratory or had to deal with the administration hospital.
The illness that struck me so subtly and suddenly at just fifty-one years of age offered me the chance to experience a different type of healthcare.
In the department where I was hospitalized I found qualified medical staff, always ready and willing to give exhaustive and polite answers to patients and relatives of any class and cultural background. The nursing staff, although clearly understaffed, did their utmost at all hours to alleviate the inconveniences of the disease, always with courtesy and a smile. The nursing students, with the enthusiasm and strength of young people, brought a wind of serenity to all of us sick people every day. The services offered by the auxiliary staff made the hospitalization more similar to a hotel stay than to a hospital stay.
And finally a superlative general efficiency (I underwent a skull MRI at 18.30pm!). All this makes me happy and hopeful not only because Italian healthcare can function differently, but above all because all of Italy can be better.
Faced with the collapse of public life in recent days, knowing that there are people like all of you gives great moral and spiritual strength to those like me who have been affected by the disease.
But not only!
Without any rhetoric, I would like to affirm and agree that you are the best part of this country. You are the Italy that all of us citizens would like and deserve to have, despite the empty rhetoric that we are forced to hear every day from the politicians on duty. I don't know if I will be able to defeat the evil that has struck me, but I am sure that with you our country, starting with healthcare, can be better.
Thank you again for everything you are and what you do.
With gratitude     

Letter from Ernesto Lorenzetti to the doctors of the Oncology Centre

This letter was written by Ernesto, another young Guanellian cooperator after a very challenging experience in a Roman hospital, where alongside painful cases of poor healthcare, there is also a secret fabric of good relationships.
Ernesto lived his Christian life with commitment, he motivated his faith in Jesus with a thesis on the anthropological vision of Don Guanella.
Ernesto was called to enter the Kingdom of the righteous in recent months and looks down on us to help us live our experience of faith with trust and serenity.
God never abandons anyone.