Hospitality
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19 June 1983
Livorno (Leghorn), Italy

My dear Friends in Jesus Christ,

My first words today must be words of appreciation and thanks to the Bishop of Livorno, Bishop Ablondi, who has kindly invited us all to rejoice with him in the celebration of the first Mass offered in this Church, dedicated to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Many of us have come from different countries, especially from that country beloved by St. Elizabeth Ann, and what we are experiencing here today is the hospitality of Bishop Ablondi and of the Diocese of Livorno. So let me, in the name of all of us who have come from dioceses near and far, offer to Bishop Ablondi, to his priests, to the people of the parish and to the people of the diocese, our thanks for the hospitality we are receiving from you this day.

Hospitality is one of the virtues singled out by both St. Peter and St. Paul as one which should distinguish a Christian community. "Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another," wrote St. Peter (I Pt 4:9), while St. Paul in the second reading of today's Mass exhorts the Christians in Rome to "contribute to the needs of the saints. Practice hospitality." (Rom 12:13).

When we read the biography of St. Elizabeth Ann and in particular the history of her relations with the bishops, priests and people of this diocese, it is a story of hospitality generously shown and of hospitality graciously received .

In 1803 it was the sensibility of the Filicchi family that prevailed on the authorities of Livorno to shorten the period of quarantine required by law to enable St. Elizabeth Ann and her sick husband to enter this city. It was hospitality that prompted the Filicchi family with marvelous delicacy to visit St. Elizabeth Ann and her husband daily. And it was in this city that the mortal remains of St. Elizabeth Ann's husband, William, received the hospitality of a final resting place after his death on 27 December 1803.

It was the hospitality of Livorno that enabled St. Elizabeth Ann to have that significant experience in the Sanctuary of Montenero, an experience which was to have a transforming effect on her life, and through her on the members of her Community in the United States, the Daughters of Charity who this year are celebrating the three hundred-fiftieth anniversary of their foundation. It was the hospitality of Our Lady at Montenero that showed her the fruit of her womb, really present in the Eucharist, which is at once "the source and the apex" of all charitable work.

It is touching to read how St. Elizabeth Ann reciprocated the hospitality she received here by the welcome she gave to Antonio Filicchi when he spent a year in the United States. From the flower of hospitality given and received, there grew up that garden of charitable works which delights us still today. As that garden grew, Livorno through the years continued to show hospitality to members of her own family, and to the new spiritual family which God was raising up through her.

The latest gesture in this series of being generous "in offering hospitality" is our celebration today. Seventeen years have passed since Bishop Emilio Guano announced his intention of making St. Elizabeth Ann feel more at home in this diocese and city by dedicating one of the parishes to her, and placing it under her special patronage. Bishop Ablondi has over the years enthusiastically supported that project of making St. Elizabeth Ann welcome in this city, while since 1968 Father Gino Franchi has watched the building of this church grow, and has watched, too, I am certain, the people of this parish grow in "grace before God and men." (Lk 2:52).

Today then we are celebrating hospitality, given and received by the spiritual family of St. Elizabeth Ann, who through their generosity have helped to make this church a permanent place for St. Elizabeth Ann in this city which must in heaven still hold a special place in her interest and in her affection.

Gathered in this church today we are a very diverse group of people. There is a diversity of nationalities among us and a diversity, too, of languages. St. Paul would express it in his own profound way and remind us, as we heard in the second reading, that "though many we are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us." (Rom 12:4-5). It is that diversity of gifts, that diversity of nationalities along with a consciousness of being one in Christ, that is the secret of the growth of that beautiful flower of hospitality whose fragrance we are enjoying today. It has been "planted by the Lord to show His glory." (Is 61:3). Let us, then, rejoice and be glad, for this is the day which the Lord has made.

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