Sì, lo voglio. With these words, Yes, I desire it, Padre Giuseppe della Croce, better known to you as Fr. Joe Barbieri, repeated his desire to live the life of a consecrated religious as he made his Perpetual Profession as a vowed member of the Congregation  of the Passion of Jesus  on September 12, 2009 in the Passionist Monastery in Manduria, Italy.

Supported by the Provincial, Padre Antonio Curto, c.p., brother Passionist  priests and brothers, Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, Sisters from many convents, parish members, family  and  friends from  Canada, Italy  and the United States, Fr. Joe was asked at the beginning of the Liturgy,  “What do you want from God and the Church?”  His answer, “I want a consecrated life in the Lord, lived in fraternal charity dedicated to service of the church.”

In the beautiful parish church of the Sacred Heart, a choir from the city of Novoli sang the parts of the liturgy, the celebrant, Fr. Antonio, celebrated the Liturgy, gave a homily in which he talked about consecrated life, Fr. Joe in particular and his journey to them, and the great blessing they were about to witness.   After the homily, Fr. Joe was questioned on each of the vows, to which he answered, Sì, lo voglio.   The particular charism of the Passionists and the fourth vow that they take, is to keep alive the memory of the Passion of Christ in word and in deed, as they live their life of poverty, chastity and obedience in light of the Passion of Christ.  As Fr. Joe prostrated himself before God, the Altar, and his Provincial, the choir sang the Litany of Saints, and the gathered congregation prayed that God would bless Fr. Joe and the fire of the Holy Spirit would purify his love.

Fr. Joe wrote out his vows and signed them in the presence of all, they were witnessed by his brother Maurizio, the Provincial ( and another Passionist. )  Father Provincial accepted Padre Giuseppe into the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ.    After the solemn prayer calling down the Holy Spirit and the faithful adherence to the Word of God, Fr. Joe was presented with a Crucifix, held by his mother, as a sign of his profession.  He then shared the Sign of Peace with all his brother Passionists as he was told that now he belonged forever to the Congregation and everything would be shared among them.

As a witness to this most solemn event in the life of Fr. Joe, we were filled with a sense of awe and wonder.   It was not easy to follow everything as it was spoken in Italian, however the adage that “actions speak louder than words” was really true.   We may have not known each word spoken, but prayer is universal and we were all one, praying for Fr. Joe and by his actions knowing what he was saying.   It was truly a privilege that we will always treasure.

Scritto da Loretta Tarter per la rivista parrocchiale di St. Anne’s, Garden City, NY

Il nuovo numero di Paulus è dedicato a «Paolo il cosmopolita». “Cosmopolita” non solo perché uomo di tre culture, ma soprattutto perché uomo proiettato nei misteri dell’universo. Paolo Ricca ci spiega la tensione di Paolo, uomo ben radicato nel presente eppure proteso verso le realtà future, mentre Luciano Benoni Mazzoni approfondisce il rapporto tra Teilhard de Chardin e gli scritti paolini, da lui molto meditati per formulare una rivalutazione teologica della materia. Il dossier centrale è dedicato alla Lettera ai Colossesi.

Segnaliamo inoltre:

- l’ampio servizio di apertura dedicato ai rilievi sul sepolcro paolino e alla prima iconografia dell’Apostolo, con alcune foto inedite. Ricordiamo che a settembre sarà dedicata una giornata di studi al primo ritratto di san Paolo, emerso di recente nelle catacombe di Santa Tecla.

- il grande e irrequieto cantautore statunitense Johnny Cash fu un grande ammiratore dell’Apostolo, al quale dedicò perfino un libro.

- uno studio inedito sul Caravaggio: nella Conversione di Saulo della collezione Odescalchi campeggia al centro della tela un anziano armigero. Chi è? e perché, da soggetto della prima versione, scomparve nella seconda Conversione?

- i Pontefici che scelsero il nome di Paolo: santi, mecenati, guerrieri, intellettuali… fino a Giovanni Paolo II, che definì san Paolo “primo modello di ogni visita pastorale”

Ricordiamo inoltre i consueti articoli di approfondimento sull’Anno Sacerdotale, la rubrica Collaboratrici di Paolo dedicata al rapporto privilegiato dell’Apostolo con le donne, la rubrica di approfondimento sui Padri della Chiesa; e naturalmente Filosofia, Ecumenismo, Catechesi, Psicologia, Iconografia e tanto altro.