by Don Bruno Capparoni, Director of the Pious Union

LLast August 21, a two-hour WizzAir flight took me from Rome directly to Iasi, in north-eastern Romania, 400 km from Bucharest. I accompanied Don Umberto Brugnoni, superior general of the Guanellians, for the inauguration of the Casa Sfântul Alois Guanella, the most recently opened of all the Guanellian works for the disabled. At the airport, we were welcomed by Father Alphonse Bakthiswalagan, director of the Casa and well known to readers of The Holy Crusade for the articles and interviews where he illustrated the beginnings and development of Iași's work.

After a short walk we arrive at the new House, a functional and harmonious building. It stands next to the Casa Sfântul Iosif of the Guanellian nuns, a nursing home for the elderly, also very beautiful and well-kept. Nearby, just across the road, there is also the Casa Providenței, the first Guanellian work in Romania, which now welcomes girls in training. In short, we find ourselves in a fairly large “neighborhood” that arose in the name of Don Guanella.

There are less than two days left until the inauguration and preparations for the celebration are in full swing. Led by Father Bakthiswalagan, a group of young seminarians are arranging the spaces of the new building, preparing the outdoor area where the celebration of the Holy Mass will take place and then the celebration. We also notice some young Italians, who are doing civil service in Iași. The Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence, as good Guanellian sisters, are offering their help with a feminine touch. The first impression that our congregations make on Romanian soil is excellent!

Friday, August 23rd is the day of the inauguration. Before the start time, many friends of Opera Don Guanella begin to flock in. I try to exchange greetings and impressions, but the Romanian language is really difficult for an Italian and unfortunately I have to limit myself to smiles and handshakes... 

With Don Umberto I visit the House, which rises for two floors with bright and functional spaces. The ground floor is intended to accommodate guests with severe disabilities and there are located the medical and physiotherapy service facilities, as well as the kitchen and laundry. On the first floor there is a greater availability of living spaces, intended for less severely disabled people, capable of movement and interaction. The second floor is actually the attic, a large and comfortably habitable attic but not yet completed, which will be used for the life of the religious community of the House and the young Romanians who will undertake the path of the Guanellian vocation.

But let's get back to the party. Shortly before 10.30:2019 the most illustrious guests arrive. They are the three Catholic bishops of Iași, Monsignor Iosif Păuleț, titular of the diocese since 1994, with his auxiliary Monsignor Petru Sescu and with the bishop emeritus Monsignor Petru Gherghel, who welcomed the Guanellians to Romania in XNUMX. There are the civil authorities of the city and the workers led by the architect George Heresh. The Guanellian priests Gedeon Ntambo, Arockianathan Sebasthiyan and Jean-Pierre Bokafo arrived from Bucharest for the celebration, accompanied by some disabled people from the Guanellian House located in the capital. About twenty diocesan priests also participate, expressing the local Church's appreciation for the Opera Don Guanella. Finally, there is a large crowd of friends who demonstrate great closeness to the Opera that is about to be born.

The Holy Mass is concelebrated by the three bishops and all the priests present; a choir leads and supports the liturgical singing involving all those present. In the homily (see the text on these pages) Bishop Păuleț illustrates the Christian meaning of the journey of charity that is about to begin in this House; he recalls that here acts of love for Christ will be made, as the Gospel just proclaimed says: "Whatever you did to one of the least of these my brothers, you did to me", then with a simple and touching image he states that this House "will bring a smile to the face of God". At the end, after the words of the superior general, I also make a brief intervention to testify to the generosity of the Associates of the Pious Union and of all those who have made such a beautiful Work possible: the applause that closes is convinced and above all deserved!

At the end of the celebration, the bishops sprinkle the building with holy water, to implore God's protection over the entire House. Then there is refreshment, which allows everyone a moment of serene sharing and allows me to gather some information on the religious and social context of Romania. Talking with Monsignor Iosif Păuleț, I manage to grasp the spirit of the Catholic community, which in truth is made up of a small minority, 4% of the population, which however demonstrates a strong identity and courageous action in a society where the Orthodox confession is almost exclusively. Then a social worker illustrates to me the still complex situation of the disabled in Romania, but also the steps forward that the Government is taking to address their needs. I exchange a few words with some of those present and I sense that Romanians are a cordial, industrious and ingenious people. Overall, it seems to me that here the Guanellian charitable works are planted on good ground and give hope for good growth.

In the following days, living with the Romanian Guanellians and visiting some places around Iași, my positive impressions are confirmed. It seems to me that Romania, laboriously but decisively, is advancing on the road of attention to the social needs of the poor. I sense that the “ground” of the Catholic Church can be fertile with religious vocations. Visiting the Orthodox monasteries, I can sense the appreciation for the charitable works of the Catholics by these Christian brothers.

I return to Italy with positive feelings and seeds of hope to share with the readers of The Holy Crusade and the Associates of the Pious Union, in the certainty that the Guanellian works in Romania will still be able to count on their generous support.