It was a special blessing for the Sons of Divine Providence
Community of Montalban, in the Philippines. The Apostolic Nuncio of the
Philippines, His Excellency Most Rev. Gabriele Giordano CACCIA, D.D. chose to
celebrate the Cena Domini with us.
Accompanied by Msgr. Gabriel VIOLA and the religious sisters
of St. Paul, members of the Apostolic Nunciature community, they arrived in our
compound around 4pm. Short and joyful visit in the Cottolengo, greetings of the
Cottolengo boys, visit in the Novitiate and visit in the Seminary. Then started
the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in Coena Domini with the washing of feet
of 12 of our Cottolengino boys.
In his homily, our Papal visitor stretched the point on the
heart of the Good Thursday’s celebration, the infinite love of God: “He loved
his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” So, the Nuncio saw in that
love, the real meaning of the presence of the Sons of Divine Providence in this
place, working with these special boys, “these our friends” as he called them.
In the society today, many people choose to love and be with
people who are lovable, beautiful, handsome, rich, good looking. No one like to
be with marginalized, abandoned, people of the fringes or with any physical or
mental disability. It asks for great love to be with them, serve them the way
we do and show them how loved they are by God. Their presence in this compound
is what make especially beautiful this place and an oasis of peace and love.
To the young men and women in formation, our seminarians and
novices, the Nuncio exhorted to see in these boys a blessing, a special grace
from God. After these words, he washed with great love their feet.
After the Holy Eucharist celebration and the transfer of the
Body of Christ to the prepared chapel of Adoration, we had a family dinner with
our host and the functional boys of the Cottolengo.
It was a great and special Maundy Thursday of
blessing for our Community. The last and first time that a Papal Nuncio visited
the Montalban Community was back March 18, 2000 for the blessing and inauguration
of the Cottolengo, and that was His Excellency Most Rev. Antonio FRANCO, D.D.
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