“From the chronicles of the International Theatine Novitiate, Naples 2020”
Anniversary of the Transit to Heaven
from the Venerable Vicente María Morelli CR
On the day we celebrate the illustrious Bishop, venerable Teatino Vicente Maria Morelli, the community of Saint Paul the Greater in Naples, we begin the day with the Holy Mass in which we remember Ours, asking Provident God to soon give us grace of a miracle that allows progress in the beatification process of Venerable Morelli.
At 9:15 am, Father Vice-teacher, Aleksander Iwaszczonek, CR, together with the three novices, left the Sacrosanct House of San Pablo, having as a pilgrimage destination the city of Otranto in southern Italy, where The mortal remains of so famous Bishop Teatino rest.
Around the ninth hour we arrived in Otranto, the target city of our pilgrimage, where just by seeing the Romanesque-style cathedral, our hearts were exalted, remembering, as we had seen in the novitiate lessons, that at least three Bishops sat in that chair. Theatines, including the Venerable Morelli, who stands out for his distinguished, charitable and reforming act.
The highlight of the day was when in front of the Venerable’s tomb we raised a Prayer to God, we presented an offering of flowers and candles. At this time we experience union with our Ancient Parents who enjoy the Glory of God.
Being in the city of Otranto, we could not not visit the street that bears the name of the greatest writer of Theatine spirituality, the Venerable Lorenzo Scupolli, and the house that saw him born and grow for this world.
While the sun was setting, we arrived at Sternatia, where we realized that Mass was about to begin in honor of the Patron Saint of the place, but we were surprised to see that a decorous monument had been prepared with a painting of Venerable Morelli, C.R. In a next moment, we introduce ourselves with Father Teatino Carlos Gómez, CR, who was in that place to celebrate the Eucharist and this in turn introduced us to the Parish priest to whom we shared our desire to raise a prayer in the place where the church is guarded. heart and viscera of the Holy Bishop Teatino, so he kindly led us in front of the tombstone that indicates the presence of the mortal remains of such a jealous Pastor.
At the end of the prayer, which insistently asked for the grace of a miracle so that Venerable Morelli could soon be beatified, we went back to Sternatia Square, where the parishioners were waiting, and after being introduced by the Parish priest as the Monsignor Morelli’s family, and to the small speech of Father Aleksander Iwaszczonek, CR, we bid farewell to such a welcoming congregation, who with gestures and words expressed their devotion to the Venerable, keeping alive his reputation for holiness for more than 200 years.
To end the seasons of our pilgrimage, we stopped in the city of Lecce, where we could see the majestic Theatine Church of Saint Irene, an icon of the Baroque of Lecce, where although there is no longer a Theatine community today, the name of the glorious Order continues to resonate on the lips of the city’s inhabitants, being the cloister host to important cultural events and preserving the name of the Theatine Cloister. A few meters from the imposing Teatine Church, we find the Morelli Palace, a happy house that saw the birth of Vicente María Morelli. In this way we complete our pilgrimage that spanned from grave to cradle, his complete walk through this world that many have witnessed as a Saint.
At dusk we resumed our way back to the Sacred House of Saint Paul the Greater, full of joy for having walked where so many great Theatines, such as the Venerable Lorenzo Scupoli and Vicente María Morelli, lived their lives in Holiness, living the Theatine charism. in unimaginable ways, which led them to obtain a reputation for holiness among the brothers of community and grace before God.
Therefore, for us novices, having had this experience of the Theatine life, meeting the Great Theatines, helps us to experience the spirituality of the Clergy Regular, but above all it is an invitation to embrace it motivated by the strength and decision with which Our Saints, Blessed and Venerable took it; as it was taken from the Rule of Life of the Apostles by our honorable Father Juan Pedro Carafa and San Cayetano.
Roberto Alvarado López, theatine novice
