Nazareth, 7th October 2010. Today was a particularly joyful day for the life of the Franciscan province of the Custody of the Holy Land. All the friars in the Basilica of the Annunciation were close to their beloved Fr. Antonino Milazzo who, gladdened also by the presence of his two brothers from Sicily, pronounced the Solemn Profession of the evangelical counsels in the hands of the Father Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa. Fr. Antonino, who currently lives in the students’ residence of St. Saviour, attends the 3rd year of theology, was born in Palermo thirty-one years ago and put on the Franciscan habit for the first time in August 2004. As he is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts, his artistic background and his taste have made him the point of reference for many significant projects, not only in the seminary, such as, for example, the installation of the impressive 19th century crucifix which today dominates the presbytery of the church of St. Saviour in Jerusalem.
The choice of the Basilica of the Annunciation on this very special day in the life of Fr. Antonino and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary is particularly happy. Paul VI proclaimed the Virgin Mary Mother of the Church when he celebrated the close of Vatican Council II. The Virgin Mary offers us much evidence of humility and faith, perseverance and strength in all the pages of the Gospel and St. Augustine, speaking of Her who, like a verdant olive tree in the house of God had in herself the splendour of all the virtues, presents her as the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Nazareth is a Marian Sanctuary par excellence but it is also eminently Trinitarian.
Fr. Antonino, in choosing this very significant place in the marvellous story of the love of God for His people, has wanted to recall the deep love that St. Francis had for the Virgin Mary, Poor Mother of Jesus, towards whom many traces of Franciscan spirituality converge. The Blessed Cardinal Newman also highlighted this in a fitting expression, recalling that Mary is not only the great model of contemplative life, but she is also a model of active life, of that life which, at the same time, is a life of penitence and prudence, if we abandon ourselves to her in all fidelity.
The Father Custos recalled how this definitive choice may seem, according to the logics of the world, a folly<. to="" believer="" truly="" that="" god="" calls="" us="" personally="" entrust="" ourselves="" him="" blindly="" and="" let="" decide="" the="" ways="" time="" give="" our="" lives="" plenitude.="" continuing="" he="" recalled="" how="" years="" ago="" in="" same="" place="" a="" young="" woman="" committed="" an="" even="" greater="" folly:="" she="" believed="" could="" do="" something="" new="" needed="" her="" it="" pronounced="" here="" i="" am.="" mary="" then="" francis="" now="" antonino="" only="" follow="" other="" steps="" those="" of="" jesus="" father="" who="" sends="" his="" son="" so="" man="" can="" once="" again="" enjoy="" friendship.="" real="" folly="" is="" we="" are="" loved="" until="" end="" cross.="" touching="" on="" central="" point="" homily="" custos="" fr.="" today="" makes="" wisest="" choice="" one="" created="" for:="" understand="" amazement="" made="" with="" love="" for="" quite="" simply="" live="" this.="">
The witnesses of the solemn profession were Fr. Lino Cignelli, the spiritual reference of many religious in the Holy Land and Fr. Noel Muscat, master of the seminarians in Jerusalem.
The whole liturgy, in front of the Grotto of the Annunciation, had moments of deep emotion, with the climax coming when Fr. Antonino prostrated himself in the grotto between those stones which witnessed one of the greatest mysteries of our faith. In addition, the Holy Mass was animated by the brothers of the international students’ residence, who, according to the wishes o Fr. Antonino, to show the harmony and affection, the unity in diversity of the different geographical origins, which unites all the students, this Eucharist, performed songs in Spanish, Arabic and Italian to the flute and guitar.
SG
The choice of the Basilica of the Annunciation on this very special day in the life of Fr. Antonino and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary is particularly happy. Paul VI proclaimed the Virgin Mary Mother of the Church when he celebrated the close of Vatican Council II. The Virgin Mary offers us much evidence of humility and faith, perseverance and strength in all the pages of the Gospel and St. Augustine, speaking of Her who, like a verdant olive tree in the house of God had in herself the splendour of all the virtues, presents her as the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Nazareth is a Marian Sanctuary par excellence but it is also eminently Trinitarian.
Fr. Antonino, in choosing this very significant place in the marvellous story of the love of God for His people, has wanted to recall the deep love that St. Francis had for the Virgin Mary, Poor Mother of Jesus, towards whom many traces of Franciscan spirituality converge. The Blessed Cardinal Newman also highlighted this in a fitting expression, recalling that Mary is not only the great model of contemplative life, but she is also a model of active life, of that life which, at the same time, is a life of penitence and prudence, if we abandon ourselves to her in all fidelity.
The Father Custos recalled how this definitive choice may seem, according to the logics of the world, a folly<. to="" believer="" truly="" that="" god="" calls="" us="" personally="" entrust="" ourselves="" him="" blindly="" and="" let="" decide="" the="" ways="" time="" give="" our="" lives="" plenitude.="" continuing="" he="" recalled="" how="" years="" ago="" in="" same="" place="" a="" young="" woman="" committed="" an="" even="" greater="" folly:="" she="" believed="" could="" do="" something="" new="" needed="" her="" it="" pronounced="" here="" i="" am.="" mary="" then="" francis="" now="" antonino="" only="" follow="" other="" steps="" those="" of="" jesus="" father="" who="" sends="" his="" son="" so="" man="" can="" once="" again="" enjoy="" friendship.="" real="" folly="" is="" we="" are="" loved="" until="" end="" cross.="" touching="" on="" central="" point="" homily="" custos="" fr.="" today="" makes="" wisest="" choice="" one="" created="" for:="" understand="" amazement="" made="" with="" love="" for="" quite="" simply="" live="" this.="">
The witnesses of the solemn profession were Fr. Lino Cignelli, the spiritual reference of many religious in the Holy Land and Fr. Noel Muscat, master of the seminarians in Jerusalem.
The whole liturgy, in front of the Grotto of the Annunciation, had moments of deep emotion, with the climax coming when Fr. Antonino prostrated himself in the grotto between those stones which witnessed one of the greatest mysteries of our faith. In addition, the Holy Mass was animated by the brothers of the international students’ residence, who, according to the wishes o Fr. Antonino, to show the harmony and affection, the unity in diversity of the different geographical origins, which unites all the students, this Eucharist, performed songs in Spanish, Arabic and Italian to the flute and guitar.
SG