Servant of God Pierangelo Capuzzimati: example of faith and hope

On January 20, the Diocesan phase of the Beatification Process of the Servant of God Pierangelo Capuzzimati, a young Italian who, despite suffering from leukemia, lived every day with unwavering faith. On April 30, 2008, at age 17, he returned to the father’s house, leaving a testimony of delivery and strength.

This is remembered by the postulator of the cause, P. Cristian Catacchio, parish priest of the Church Madonna of trust de Taranto, city to southern Italy where Pierangelo was born on June 28, 1990. On April 26, 2018, the Holy See granted the Nihil obstat for the beginning of its cause of beatification and canonization.

“The story of Pierangelo is especially significant for new generations that often look for positive models to follow. His life reminds us that, even before the greatest difficulties, faith and hope can give us the strength to move forward, ”the priest tells ACI Press.

“An unimaginable inner peace”

He was raised in a serene atmosphere in the city of Faggiano, where he lived with his parents, Angelo and Giuseppina, and his little sister Sara. In the summer of 2004, he was diagnosed with leukemia.

“The disease took everyone by surprise and we felt a deep confusion. Only God knows his most intimate path. But we, with increasing astonishment, observe his always serene attitude, without complaints, without giving up or refer to his illness, ”says Fr. Cristian to Aci Press.

“His inner control and strength were sublime, his serenity baffled and gave the feeling to those around him that everything was normal. They surprised their speech and quiet, adult behavior, with an unimaginable inner peace, ”he says.

“Pierangelo loved life”

The Italian priest describes God’s servant as a young man “who loved life, absorbed his essence, he himself was full of life. He enjoyed every moment of his day, he knew how to rejoice even with the little things. ”

Submitted to two marrow transplants and numerous hospitalizations, Pierangelo dedicated much of his time to prayer, study and reading. “As he expanded his knowledge, he realized the immensity of the world inside and around us and drunk with the beauty in which we are immersed,” says Fr. Catacchio.

“With Franciscan spirit,” he continues, “he admired creation and each of his creatures, appreciating everything that usually goes unnoticed by our distracted and customary gaze.”

“I valued intelligence and human creativity. He marveled at the works of art and investigated his authors. At first, he was unconsciously happy to be part of the wonderful mystery of life, and then, with maturity, increasingly aware and sure of it, ”he said.

He lived his illness “with full confidence in God”

The Italian pastor remembers the words of Pope Francis during His encounter with faithful in Baku, Azerbaijan: ‘Faith is a golden thread that unites us to the Lord, the pure joy of being with him, of being one with him; It is the gift that is worth a lifetime, but that bear fruit only if we do our part ‘.

“I think Pigrangelo cling firmly to this golden thread. Before the disease, he surely requested faith through prayer, the frequency of the sacraments, the knowledge of the life and thought of the saints and witnesses of faith, ”he says.

He emphasizes that “this intense internal search allowed him to feel within himself the strong presence of God, shaping him, changing his way of thinking and giving him new thoughts and feelings.”

In addition, he affirms that “he felt a deep interest in the figure of the potatoes, both John Paul II and Benedict XVI, whom he could meet.”

“His prayer was undoubtedly a prayer of the heart. His friend Jesus was entrusted and let Jesus himself, inside him, prayed to the Father with Him. But prayer also implies a compromise of life and Pierangelo did not settle for a mediocre existence. ”

In this context, he emphasizes that “he lived fully his years, he turned his own body into a message, he put himself at the service of others by not weighing his illness, when he was serene, by resonating his spontaneous and luminous laugh and when providing support Moral to some of his school classmates, who did not hide his trust in God, ”says the priest.

“I don’t understand it, but I think”

Fr. Catacchio remembers a phrase that the young Pigengelo said: ‘From the first moment, I have seen this experience of illness as a gift of the Lord … I do not understand it, but I believe’. “Only faith can inspire a adolescent so burning words,” reiterates the priest.

He emphasizes that he was “only a boy who should have been living his first exits with friends, his first loves, his youth unconcern. Instead, long periods were spent at the hospital or at home. From 2004 to 2008, his social life was minimal. ”

“After transplantation, the recovery was long, as its immune system was very weakened. To stay healthy and prevent infections, in addition to medicines, it had to follow many precautions. Pierangelo received two transplants, and for anyone it would have been difficult to stay calm and positive. But he succeeded, ”recalls the postulator of the cause of beatification.

It also indicates that Pigengelo “immersed itself” in the history of the Church: “Pierangelo had an incredible capacity for analysis and a vast culture, the result of increasingly demanding readings: from Greek and Latin classic authors to San Agustín, Santo Tomás and San Francisco, through contemporary writers. These books became their daily food, their irreplaceable companions in endless days of convalescence. ”

“He lived almost in anonymity, and yet many experienced their faith. After his death, each person shared the fragment of life he had lived with him, between the hospital and the school. A unified image with a conductive thread was revealed: a great faith, ”says the priest.

Next steps after the diocesan phase

The postulator of the cause specifies that the closure of the diocesan phase in the beatification process “is a fundamental step in the path that leads to the declaration of holiness of a person.”

It means that the Church, at the local level (diocese), “has concluded research on life, virtues and possible miracles attributed to this person,” explains Fr. Catacchio.

In practice, he adds, “this means that all testimonies have been collected: family, friends, acquaintances and any person who has been related to Pierangelo have contributed their testimony about their life, their actions and their reputation.”

In addition, he remarks that “all the documents available, such as letters, newspapers, newspaper articles, etc., to rebuild the existential route of Pierangelo,” have been examined. In short, “its fame of holiness has been evaluated, verifying if it enjoys a solid recognition of holiness among the people.”

He points out that all the documentation collected is sent to Rome, specifically to the congregation for the causes of the saints. “There, the process is reviewed again by theologians and historians. If necessary, more research or testimonies can be requested. If the congregation recognizes the heroic virtues of the person and the authenticity of a miracle, the Pope can authorize beatification. ”

Therefore, he affirms that the diocesan closure “is an important, but not definitive step” in the beatification process. “It is a sign that local research has given a positive result and that the road to the altars can continue,” he says.