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Dearly beloved,
"The Lord is good, and his love is everlasting."
It is with great joy that we share with you the news that the Holy Father, accepting the opinion of the cardinals gathered in assembly on May 17, has decreed that Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini will be venerated as a saint in the Church. The canonization ceremony will take place on a date to be established by the consistory to be convened by Pope Francis. We know how much migrants, refugees, seafarers and all people involved in human mobility are dear to the Holy Father's heart. Many times he has pointed out to the Church and society the duty to welcome them, protect them, promote their living conditions and value their contribution to common coexistence. In proclaiming John Baptist Scalabrini a saint, Pope Francis wants to indicate to the Church the model of a bishop who not only gave himself completely to the good of his people, but also extended his heart to the sisters and brothers whom life had taken far from home.
As we thank the Holy Father for this gift and rejoice that our Founder is recognized as a model to be imitated, we feel even more empowered to keep alive the charism he passed on to us and to dedicate ourselves to the service of fraternity, where people are not driven out of their country by violence and war, are not discarded because they are redundant to the system, but are appreciated and valued in their uniqueness and diversity. Each community is invited to communicate to migrants that in Scalabrini they have a father and a patron to whom they can turn in difficulties so that he may plead the protection of God who turns his gaze of predilection on the little ones and the marginalized.
Together with the communities, let us first prepare our spirit for the great canonization event, in order to be worthy of the grace the Lord has given us and to be docile instruments towards the communion of those who are scattered.
In communion of faith and charism,
Fr. Leonir Chiarello, cs
superior general