Ruini: "Don Andrea Santoro to be saint"

[dandy777]

Ruini: «Don Andrea Santoro sarà santo»

[b]Celebra il cardinale Ruini, presenti Pera, Casini, Prodi, Rutelli. Uno striscione: «Don Andrea resterai sempre nei nostri cuori» [/b]


[b]ROMA[/b] - Don Andrea Santoro sarà santo. Lo ha annunciato il cardinale Camillo Ruini nell'omelia pronunciata ai solenni funerali del sacerdote ucciso da un fanatico islamico in Turchia. Due lunghi applausi in basilica hanno accolto la notizia nella basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano gremita da migliaia di fedeli. «Rispetteremo pienamente - ha detto il porporato - nel processo di beatificazione e canonizzazione che ho in animo di aprire, tutte le leggi e i tempi della Chiesa, ma fin da adesso sono interiormente persuaso che nel sacrificio di don Andrea ricorrono tutti gli elementi costitutivi del martirio cristiano».

Per il cardinale, don Andrea è da considerarsi martire. La parola martirio nel lungo testo dell'omelia fa capolino in più passi. «Quello di don Andrea - ha affermato il vicario del papa a Roma - era un tipico coraggio cristiano, quel tipico coraggio di cui i martiri hanno dato prova, attraverso i secoli, in innumerevoli occasioni. Un coraggio che ha la sua radice nell'unione con Gesù Cristo, nella forza che viene da lui, in maniera tanto misteriosa quanto vera e concreta».

[url="http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/10/don_andrea.shtml"]Source - Il Corriere della Sera[/url]

Don't worry ... here's the translation:

Ruini: «Don Andrea Santoro will be saint»

[b]Mass celebrated by Cardinal Ruini, present Pera, Casini, Prodi, Rutelli. A banner saying: «Don Andrea will always be in our hearts»[/b]

[b]ROME[/b] - Don Andrea Santoro will be saint. This was claimed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini during the homily of the solemn funeral of the priest murdered by an Islamic fanatic in Turkey. Two long applauses in the crowded basilica of St. John in Laterano have welcomed such news.
«We totally respect such a decision - in the process of beatification and canonisation that I have in mind to open, all the laws and times of the Church, but from this instance I am intrinstically persuaded that the sacrifice of Don Andrea has all the elements that constitute a Christian martyrdom».

According to the cardinal, Don Andrea is to be considered a martyr. The word martyr has featured in most of his homily. «Don Andrea was adorned with the typical Christian courage, that kind of courage shown by various martyrs throughout the centuries. It is that courage that is rooted in the union with Jesus Christ, in the strength that comes from Him, in such a mysterious way yet much true and concrete».


Hope that the text I translated is understandable.


[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/9.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/7.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/8.jpg[/img]

Cardinal Ruini and Don Andrea's mother

[dandy777]

[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache/2006/02_Febbraio/funerale/1/5.jpg[/img]

Edited February 11, 2006 by dandy777

[jezic]

was he saintly in his life before this?

[dandy777]

I didn't know him. However, yesterday there was a reportage on Italian TV. There was a journalist who went to Turkey to interview the Catholic faithful there. They said that they suffer a lot of persecution by the Muslims and that most of the churchesd had to close down, not just those catholic but also non-catholics.

In fact, all the christians of the area (protestants and orthodox alike) loved Don Andrea and used to spend a lot of time with him and listen to his teachings. He did a lot of work with Muslims too and respected all their traditions and uses.

He used to play the guitar and was very lively. Basically he was a crowd puller and all the youths loved him. Obviously all this wasn't considered good by those staunch Muslims who wanted to preserve their faith as he drew many Muslims to conversion.

Many Catholic schools had to close down as well and houses were attacked. They threw stones at the windows.

Then the reportage showed the funeral and the people who were close to him in his mother country. Surprisingly enough, there was a young woman (apparently he was her spiritual director when still in Italy) who said that he loved Muslims as he always used to say "let's keep a window open to the Middle East".

That is all I know.

[jswranch]

Here is a pic of the martyr.

www.romaone.it/immagini/ Notizie/02/papa160.jpg