SOMMARIO

2 Saluto del Presidente

3 L’editoriale

4 La cronaca dell'ASPUST

5 Interview with Fr. Walter Senner O.P. on St. Thomas Aquinas

8 Mercoledì delle Ceneri

10 J.M. BUCKLEY, O.S.P.P.E. - The life of St. Thomas Aquinas

11 F. FERONE - Con umiltà e fervore: lettera a San Tommaso

13 M. SPOETH, O.S.B. - Whether the death of our Lord occurred on the eve of the
Passover

17 T. MALIKOV - Unread chapters of Islamic philosophy

20 M. VIZIOLI - Addiction & Interreligious Dialogue

21 S. TOI - Riflessione personale sul dialogo interreligioso

23 C. GIAMPIETRO - La storia di Dudu

25 F. D’ANTINO - Casa Italia

27 Rev. N. CALLAGHAN - Law & Coffee

28 M. SORONEVYCH - Tesori dell’Angelicum

31 Laus Sancti Martini

33 Sleeping in classroom or a poetry-essay to awakened mind

35 E.A. PALOPOLI - A Christmas carol and a redeemed soul

39 L. SAPIENZA - “San Giuseppe ha lo sguardo così dolce, ma… io preferisco

mangiargli la barba!”

40 Suor T.T.T. NGUYEN, O.P. - Cultura Vietnamita: La torta e il piatto di riso del
Giovedì Santo

42 R. CONGIA - Vignetta: Gli esami

la Parola 2/2015 | 1
 SALUTO DEL PRESIDENTE
dolce legno, dolci chiodi...

Carissimi,

Il nostro itinerario quaresimale avanza, e ci

avviciniamo alla storia della nostra vita cristiana,
la Risurrezione del Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo.
Vivendo giorno per giorno la nostra quotidianità,
in modo particolare ci accompagna la “Via
Crucis”, un esercizio di pietà molto amato dai
cristiani. Esso ripercorre l'ultimo tratto del
cammino fatto da Gesù durante la sua vita
terrena, dalla condanna fino alla crocifissione,
morte e sepoltura.

I primi cristiani, e ora sempre più numerosi

pellegrini, si recavano a Gerusalemme per
ripercorrere la via dolorosa di Gesù.
Nell'impossibilità di recarsi nella Giudea, si
introdusse in Occidente l'usanza di commemorare
la Passione del Redentore ripercorrendone i
diversi momenti e soffermandosi dinanzi alle varie
rappresentazioni (14 “stazioni”).

Partecipando alla “Via Crucis”, ogni cristiano si unisce alla Passione di Cristo e, restando sotto la
sua Croce come la Madre e il Discepolo, accoglie le ultime parole di Gesù e il dono della sua vita
per la salvezza del mondo.

Vi auguro che il santo cammino della fede Vi rafforzi, e dia pace e gioia ai Vostri cuori...

Frà Natanaele, OSPPE

la Parola 2/2015 | 2
 L’EDITORIALE

Foto di Magda Lekiashvili

Dear mates, Cari amici,

In these early days of arriving spring, with its warm sun Il secondo numero del periodico “la Parola” fornisce
and awakening nature, we have prepared the second nuovi spunti di riflessione in questo periodo di
issue of our journal, which particularly coincides with Quaresima, in cui urge tornare a Dio con tutto il cuore.
the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas. The present
issue differs quite a bit from the first one, since it has a Desidero ringraziare chi ha dato il suo prezioso
more literary air and personal character. Our first issue contributo, e mi auguro che tanti ancora si rendano
was full of theological and religious reflections, with disponibili a partecipare in futuro.
matters that we students are used to reading or
studying. It also shows how important it is to link Dopo il lancio del sito web dell’ASPUST, stiamo
knowledge and acts, in other words, the realisation of pensando di creare un blog dedicato interamente al
your knowledge directly in your daily life, or nostro giornale, dove ci sarà la possibilità di interagire
interiorising all that you study and encounter by con commenti e suggerire la pubblicazione di post.
bridging intentions, pulses and rhythms of your soul Sarà una sorta di agorà virtuale, un’opportunità in più
with the circumstances and happenings of this life. Not per dialogare.
an easy task at all, nor are the lives of poor and
humble editors easy. We try to involve new contributors In questi giorni ho meditato molto sulla frase riportata
each time, which is quite a fatiguing thing. “Oh, all’inizio del libretto “Custodisci il cuore”, che Papa
wonderful, I will certainly write!” says your companion Francesco ha fatto distribuire in Piazza S. Pietro dopo
enthusiastically after hearing your proposal. After one l’Angelus di domenica 22 febbraio: “Noi dobbiamo
week the same person is still smiling while seeing you diventare cristiani coraggiosi”. Il coraggio di un
in the coffee bar and claims that he is reflecting on his cristiano è innanzitutto nella capacità di essere saldo,
future writing and another week later he already tries di farsi riconoscere nell’affermazione della propria
not to greet you because the unpleasant question may identità, non celandola ad alcuno, anche nei momenti
come up. At the end of the day there are no writings più tragici quali persecuzioni e torture. Esempi di
and the journal needs to be filled with something… coraggio sono offerti dalle migliaia di cristiani trucidati
People often lack courage and harmony in their lives to in Nigeria o in altri luoghi di terrorismo. Il coraggio è
organise their days, keep promises and at least make andare incontro agli altri nelle periferie estreme per
small sacrifices. It is easy to give up, but not easy at all essere testimoni credibili di vita cristiana autentica.
to keep up the battle. Yet it is through the pain that we
learn. The pain and hope is the mud of our spiritual life Claudia Giampietro
from which we shape ourselves. Let us hope that our
old-young la Parola will painfully-but-successfully pave
its way into becoming a more serious and really
functioning platform of our University, not just of
students and for students, but for the rest as well.
la Parola 2/2015 | 3
Teymur Malikov
 LA CRONACA DELL’ASPUST - 2015

20 gennaio
Quarto Consiglio ordinario dell’ASPUST. Discussione del programma per la festa di
San Tommaso, della pubblicazione del secondo numero di "la Parola", della lotteria
di beneficenza e altro.

17 febbraio
Quinto Consiglio ordinario dell’ASPUST dopo la sessione degli esami. Discussione
degli aspetti logistici del programma per la festa di San Tommaso, della lotteria di
beneficenza, della rivista "la Parola", del torneo universitario di calcio e
approvazione del budget delle spese.

20 febbraio
Inizio della vendita dei biglietti per la lotteria di beneficenza. I premi stabiliti: 1.
tablet, 2. orologio, 3. biografia di San Tommaso, 4. un buono per il bar.

27 febbraio
Prove generali dello spettacolo per la festa di San Tommaso.

Lenten meditations

Especially in this holy time, I beseech you brothers and sisters, let us strive to live in all
purity, in this time when a definite and brief number of days has been prepared, that
human weakness may not lose hope.

– St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Christe, palma bellatorum, hoc in municipium

introduc me post solutum militare cingulum,
fac consortem donativi beatorum civium:
Praebe vires inexhausto laboranti praelio,
nec quietem post procinctum deneges emerito,
Teque merear potiri sine fine praemio.

– Sanctus Petrus Damianus

la Parola 2/2015 | 4
INTERVIEW WITH FR. WALTER SENNER O.P. ON ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

Preferring reading St. Thomas to a sports event

Father Walter Senner has been teaching in Angelicum since 2006. He is also the director of the
Saint Thomas Aquinas Institute of PUST, editor in chief of the «Deutsche Thomas-
Ausgabe» (Latin-German commented edition of the «Summa theologiæ») and the «Quellen und
Forschungen zur Geschichte des Dominikanerordens», member of the editorial board of «Archa
verbi», member of the «International society for theological mediævistics», of the «Meister Eckhart
Gesellschaft», of the «Société internationale pour l'étude de la philosophie médiévale». In spite of
his busy schedule he didn’t hesitate to grant us this interesting interview, which is a fresh eye on
what we study every day.

Editorial staff - As we know, St. Thomas Aquinas

gained a remarkable recognition by the Catholic
world if not immediately then quite soon after his
death. And it was gradual. He was declared a saint
with the famous "Tot miraculis, quot articulis!" after
almost fifty years of his death. In the XVI century he
was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church and in the XIX
century he becomes a patron of all Catholic
educational establishments. But what about the
studies and recognition of Aquinas' place by
contemporary academia, particularly non-Catholic
and non-Christian circles? How would you clarify its
development?

Walter Senner - Far beyond Catholic circles Thomas

Aquinas is considered a "Classic" of philosophical thinking. That is to say we find in his works
central questions that are asked in different times and cultures clearly posed, explained, and
answered. Even if you don't agree with him in matters of faith, to read his works and to understand
his argumentations is a good school for your own thinking, taking into account the complexity of
problems and possible counter-arguments. In a historical perspective he is for exactly the same
reason the author most representative for the occidental High Middle Ages.

ES - His corpus of writings is extremely large. How should one start studying him?

WS - Just there where he recommended it: with the Summa Theologiae (see his general
prologue) - which gives you a systematic, didactical treatment of theology and philosophical
questions related to it. Compared with the "Quaestiones disputatae" the arguments are reduced in
number, but carefully chosen to illustrate the most important doubts. One should not dispense with
them and the answers to them, as here you can see how Thomas not only developed his own
ideas, but takes into account also other points of view.

ES - What most commonly draws the attention of scholars of St. Thomas while they do
research? And what are the most argued points in his works?

WS - This depends on your interests and consequently on your perspective. Many - more
systematically interested - admire his clarity, many - more historically minded - how he renders the
essential points of previous and contemporary theological and philosophical debates and
integrates them into his synthesis, particularly how he clarifies many enigmatic passages in works
of Aristotle. The question, whether a metaphysics of being - to be conceived as ontology or not? -
is necessary, is much discussed. In ethics you find in St. Thomas a clear doctrine of human dignity
and the principles necessary for asserting it.
la Parola 2/2015 | 5
ES - As a matter of fact, which neo-thomistic approach do you in fact find most successful?
Or in other words what kind of adaptation do we need for better understanding and
applying the Saint’s thoughts nowadays? Is there really any need for a kind of a "reform" of
Thomism?

WS - Thomas being a classic of thinking, it is just as necessary and sensible to "adapt" him as it
would be to repaint Michelangelo's Mona Lisa. Read the original and think it over! This does not
mean that all Neothomistic handbooks are just useless: Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange e.g. often
gives helpful explanations - but beware of oversimplifications and one-sidedness, which you do not
find in St. Thomas. A good help towards understanding Aquinas for students brought up in the
tradition of analytic philosophy are the works of Eleanor Stump, esp. “Aquinas” (London 2nd ed.
2005).

ES - We are living in a very juridical culture, when even throwing trash is regulated by law.
St. Thomas analyses philosophically the nature and the structure of law in his writings.
What would be a Thomistic comment on modern jurisprudence in general and how may it
be reviewed as a possibility to participate in the eternal law?

WS - Concerning law - a key term with Thomas - we in our time have the basic problem that
neither the divine foundation of law as implied in a meaningful order of creation nor an ultimate end
of the human being in a fulfilment transcending earthly life is accepted as basic for law by people –
perhaps not in terms of quantity, but rather in terms of influence - in western culture. Thomas would
have argued as the Thomistic German Bishop Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler did in the
"Reichstag", the German parliament, when the majority refused to integrate a catalogue of human
rights in the constitution of the "Reich" (the empire of William I): "Do not make laws that are
rebellious against God's laws and you will not experience that we are rebels against your laws" - a
legislation without basic values has no value. But as John Finnis shows, you can argue basic
human values and rights and found a Thomistic philosophy of law on these values and rights even
without theonomic arguments – only, this should not be mistaken as a reconstruction of Thomas'
own theology of law.

ES - St. Thomas mostly is known as a follower of Aristotle. But what about other
philosophical sources of his writings that are usually ignored while thinking or talking
about him? Is he ever defending Plato contrary to Aristotle?

WS - Aristotle indeed is the most important philosophical reference for St. Thomas. He had little
knowledge of Plato and it was not first hand, so he even attributed to "the Platonists" positions of
radical Aristotelians (e.g. in his Sermon "Attendite a falsis prophetis" just critically edited in the
Leonine). But he knew the Neoplatonic tradition handed down by the Fathers of the Church and
some works such as the "Liber de causis" quite well and he conceived a remarkable synthesis of
both - well described by Tomas Tyn's posthumously published "Analogia entis e partecipazione".
Thomas’ metaphysics is thus not purely Aristotelian, whereas his ethics is much indebted to the
Stagirite. His epistemology and psychology integrates findings by Arabic and Persian philosophers.
So what you can gather, sometimes from theological contexts, as Thomas' philosophy, is not
eclectic but a new original synthesis; therefore we can correctly speak of Thomistic philosophy.

ES - Some say that he had a mystical experience at the end of his life. However, some deny
this fact. What is your opinion on this matter? We know that you are also a specialist in
Meister Eckhart. What parallels could you draw between these two figures?

WS - The historical truth about the mystical visions ("Thomas You have written well about me ... "
and "All what I have written seems me like straw... ") we will know in heaven (hopefully). But as the
Italians say "Se non è vero è ben trovato" - they are characteristic for his mind. Thomas did not
care about honours and was not haughty about his science. He longed for truth, that truth that is
not only a logical relation, but first truth that will set us free (See his commentary on St. John 8:
la Parola 2/2015 | 6
32). Thomas was not only a great scholar but also a humble and pious friar, as his Eucharistic
hymns show, esp. "Adoro te devote" proved to be authentic by Robert Wielockx. In this Meister
Eckhart was much like him, but not only in this: he had a basically Thomistic training which you can
see at many points. By consequence his metaphysics was much indebted to this heritage -
oscillating between contradicting (not being, but intellect is first) and more radically positing it (God
is Being, beings <without God> are just nothing). You would not find in Eckhart the calm objectivity
of Thomas; he, even in his scholarly writings, is a fervent preacher. But he is as humble facing the
divine that does not suppress but surpasses reason.

ES - Can we say that the emphasis on reason in St. Thomas has opened a door for the
future rise of European rationalism, particularly for Rene Descartes?

WS - One can speak of Aquinas as an "intellectualist" giving priority to the intellect before will (In
order to love you first have to know), but I would not call him a "rationalist" i.e. someone giving
priority to theoretical constructions over empirical considerations (like Descartes or, even more,
Hegel). According to Thomas your thinking should fit reality, and he is not too sceptical that it can.
So, if we see scientific logical thinking taking into account and weighing alternative possibilities, as
is characteristic for modern occidental minds, Aquinas is important. If we emphasise more
systematic experimentation like in present day sciences of nature and technics, Albert the Great is
more a sort of forefather - but both are not contradictory.

ES - What was your own experience with St. Thomas Aquinas? How exactly were your
views evolving regarding the Saint? Whom do you consider to be your most important
teachers in your studies of the Saint?

WS - Since the age of eleven I preferred reading "De ente et essentia" to a sports event at school,
and I have been fascinated by St. Thomas Aquinas more and more, the more I learn about him. He
was one motivation for me to join the Dominicans (the others being their democratic structure and
the liturgy). At the Dominican house of studies in Germany I learned about St. Thomas especially
from Otto H. Pesch, Willehad P. Eckert, and Paulus Engelhardt, at Bonn and Cologne universities
from Prof.s Wolfgang Kluxen and Albert Zimmermann. I owe most to Prof. Fernand Van
Steenberghen at Louvain who guided my licence tesina and my doctoral thesis. In the Leonine
Commission for the critical edition of St. Thomas' works I came too late to experience working with
the two Dondaine brothers, but I learned much from fr. René A. Gauthier and even more from fr.
Louis J. Bataillon. Learning about his historical milieu I cannot but admire how objective he
remained even when he was attacked in unfair ways. I wish I would have more of this
"Gelassenheit" (composure, detachment). I see also that Thomas was a man of his time: he wrote
that the inferiority of women, which he assumed, mitigating Aristotle's misogyny, would end in
heaven only (S.th. Ia, q. 93, a. 4). He did not deduce from his basic anthropological insight that the
human being is lord of his own acts (St.th. IaIIae, q. 1, aa. 1 e.a.), that slavery is unconditionally
inhuman and should be abolished. These are limits of the horizon in 13th century. Thomas,
however, is not just completely caught up within such limits. To my joyful astonishment I read S.th.
Ia q. 102, a. 3. Aquinas here asks whether it was adequate that God placed the first man in Eden in
order that he should guard and cultivate it. Counter-arguments: in paradise there were no enemies,
so it did not to be guarded, and agriculture is hard labour, a consequence of sin - "sweating you
shall eat your bread". Answers: Man should guard paradise for and of himself, bewaring sin. And:
in the state of innocence agriculture is not hard work, but joy - just think of the hobby of a gardener
rejoicing in the blossoming of his flowers. Thomas as theologian of justice and peace - that would
be no surprise - but giving a sketch of an ecological theology preserving creation - there is more in
St. Thomas Aquinas than what I had thought and perhaps than what you have thought. Take and
read.

la Parola 2/2015 | 7
 MERCOLEDÌ DELLE CENERI
(sintesi da una registrazione)

Cappella Paolina

Mercoledì 18 febbraio 2015

Omelia di Mons. Guido Marini

Abbiamo oggi la grazia di iniziare, ancora una volta, il cammino della santa Quaresima, un
cammino che la Chiesa definisce, nella preghiera di questo tempo, “cammino di vera conversione”.
L’austero Rito delle Ceneri ne è segno altamente espressivo.

“Conversione” è una parola che conosciamo bene, ci è molto familiare: sia perché spesso la
usiamo riguardo alla nostra vita spirituale, sempre bisognosa di riforma; sia perché la proponiamo
alle persone che ci sono affidate, stimolandole al bene. Ma proprio perché ci è familiare, corriamo il
rischio di renderla banale, svuotandola della forza e della radicalità che essa porta con sé.

Desideriamo, pertanto, iniziare il “cammino delle vera conversione” ricordando che questo significa
anzitutto un itinerario di ritorno al Signore e, di conseguenza ai fratelli. Dobbiamo tornare al
Signore con un amore più grande; dobbiamo tornare ai fratelli con un amore più grande.

Quale sarà il segno che il nostro cammino quaresimale è stato un “cammino di vera conversione”?
Lo sarà il nostro cambiamento, la trasformazione della nostra vita. Arrivando a Pasqua potremo
dire di aver vissuto bene la Quaresima se saremo, almeno un poco, cambiati nella logica di amore
più grande riguardo al Signore e ai fratelli.

Ascoltando la parola del Signore, in questa giornata penitenziale del Mercoledì delle Ceneri, siamo
aiutati a custodire nel cuore alcuni elementi utili per il nostro cammino di conversione.

1. Abbiamo ascoltato: “Ritornate a me con tutto il cuore” (Gl 2, 12). Il ritorno a Dio non può essere
parziale, richiede totalità e integralità. Il cuore deve essere consegnato per intero all’Amore di Dio,
tutto il cuore deve divenire dimora dell’Amore di Dio.

Ognuno di noi avverte l’urgenza di questo “ritorno con tutto il cuore”, dal momento che ritroviamo in
noi un cuore diviso e, per questo motivo, profondamente malato. Tanti amori mondani vi abitano,
tanti affetti disordinati lo agitano. Abbiamo un cuore inquieto perché appesantito da ciò che non è
Dio e non in sintonia con la Sua volontà sulla nostra vita. Dice San Tommaso: “Per il fatto che
l’amore trasforma l’amante nell’amato, fa sì che l’amante penetri nell’intimità dell’amato e
viceversa, cosicché nulla di ciò che appartiene all’amato rimanga disgiunto dall’amante”.

Abbiamo davanti a noi un tempo favorevole per andare alla ricerca di ciò che abita il cuore e non
dovrebbe, al fine di sradicarlo con decisione. Il testo biblico citato usa la significativa espressione:
“Laceratevi il cuore”. E’ proprio questo che dobbiamo fare: lacerare il cuore, ferirlo, strappando via
quanto ancora gli impedisce di dichiararsi ed essere con verità proprietà del Signore.

San Francesco di Sales ha scritto: “Se mi accorgessi che nel mio cuore una sola sottilissima fibra
non vibrasse per Dio, subito me la strapperei”. Strappare: è questa l’azione da compiere e che, in
qualche modo, viene a identificare la penitenza quaresimale: i digiuni, i pianti e i lamenti di cui ci ha
parlato l’antico profeta. La penitenza, infatti, altro non è che il compimento di gesti, interiori ed
esteriori, in virtù dei quali mortifichiamo qualcosa di noi per affermare che Dio è al di sopra di tutto,
che il nostro cuore gli appartiene e che possiamo fare a meno di tutto ma non di Lui e del suo
amore.

2. Abbiamo anche ascoltato: “Perdonaci, Signore: abbiamo peccato”. Lo abbiamo ripetuto con il
ritornello del Salmo responsoriale e, in tal modo, abbiamo riaffermato con umile verità la nostra
miseria che anela alla misericordia di Dio.
la Parola 2/2015 | 8
La Quaresima è il tempo propizio per riconoscere che siamo peccatori e che abbiamo bisogno del
perdono del Signore. Come è bello avere la possibilità di cadere in ginocchio e di supplicare la
bontà del Cuore di Gesù! Come è affascinante il volto luminoso di Colui che è tutto Amore, sempre
pronto ad accoglierci fra le sue braccia!

Ma, per assaporare la meraviglia della misericordia divina, è necessario prima riconoscere fino in
fondo la propria povertà. Solo se si scende nell’abisso del proprio male, quel male che abita nelle
profondità del cuore e che si manifesta in pensieri, parole, opere e omissioni, diviene realissima e
consolante l’esperienza dell’abisso senza fine del perdono divino.

Non dovrebbe mancare, in questo tempo, una domanda rivolta a se stessi sulla frequenza riguardo
al sacramento della Confessione. E’ proprio in quel sacramento che impariamo a guardare con
umile verità la nostra vita, a riconoscere la miseria che vi abita, a gustare la dolcezza e la
tenerezza di quell’abbraccio e di quel bacio di riconciliazione che solo il Signore è capace di dare.
Non vi può essere storia di conversione e di santità senza l’assiduità con la Confessione
sacramentale.

3. Abbiamo inoltre ascoltato: “Ecco ora il momento favorevole, ecco ora il giorno della salvezza!” (2
Cor 6, 2). Il tempo che abbiamo a disposizione è una grazia grande per la nostra vita. Non
dobbiamo e non possiamo perdere tempo!

I quaranta giorni della Quaresima sembrano lunghi e, invece, passano tanto rapidamente. I giorni
della vita appaiono lunghi e, invece, hanno la caratteristica di un soffio che subito svanisce. Il
tempo non può essere perduto invano! Non è saggio rimandare a domani quello che possiamo e
dobbiamo compiere oggi.

Ora è il momento della conversione! Ora è il tempo della santità per la nostra vita! Perché
indugiare? Perché attardarci in tante inutili occupazioni e preoccupazioni non dedicando la vita a
ciò che davvero conta e per cui vale la pena vivere e morire?

Le giornate della vita fuggono veloci come il vento. E che cosa rimane di esse se non le abbiamo
riempite di amore, dell’amore di Dio e del prossimo? “Temo il Signore che passa”, affermava
sant’Agostino, pensando alla triste possibilità di mancare all’appuntamento con la grazia che Dio
offriva alla sua vita. Temiamola anche noi questa possibilità: significherebbe perdere
l’appuntamento con l’Amore che dà senso, gioia e pace alla nostra storia.

La pagina del vangelo, nella quale Gesù ci offre il triplice invito all’elemosina, al digiuno e alla
preghiera, si propone a noi anche come suggerimento di un preciso programma di vita. Ciascuno
di noi dovrebbe programmare con attenzione il proprio percorso quaresimale; non è bene viverlo
alla giornata. Facciamolo presto, subito! Non lasciamo passare questo tempo di grazia senza aver
formulato qualche impegno preciso, senza aver pensato una meta alta cui tendere.

Sì, nel nostro programma, redatto con sapiente concretezza, tendiamo verso l’alto, coltiviamo
grandi desideri, non accontentiamoci di mezze misure. Osiamo correre, anzi volare nella via della
conversione, in questo santo tempo della Quaresima. Non mancherà l’aiuto del Signore a
sostenere il nostro santo proposito.

la Parola 2/2015 | 9
THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

Joseph Maria BUCKLEY, O.S.P.P.E., Theology

This month we celebrate the feast of our problems, but his brothers came after him and
University's patron, St. Thomas Aquinas. And brought him back to the family home. There is
though at times we may study some of his the story that he escaped the next year
works, not everyone might be familiar with the climbing a rope down the wall, though the truth
man himself. So in celebration of his feast, I might be more that his family, seeing resolve,
would like to share a little about the life of this let him go.
great saint.
Thomas did not then stay long in Italy. Though
When and where St. Thomas was born can he might have spent a short time in Rome, he
not be said for certain but it seems likely that it was soon sent to Paris, where he became the
was around 1225 and probably in the family disciple of the Dominican master St. Albert the
castle at Roccasecca in southern Italy. He was Great. Thomas remained in Paris till 1248,
born into a noble when he left with
family for which the Albert the Great to
normal thing for the Cologne, since the
sons to do was to Dominicans wanted
become a soldier. to start a new house
However Thomas of studies there.
being the youngest Albert the Great had
was instead to enter been asked to be
the monastery and one of the teachers,
hopefully become and he chose to take
the abbot of the Thomas with him.
nearby Benedictine Thomas stayed
monastery of Monte there for the next
Cassino. To which few years, till Albert
end he entered as was asked to choose
an oblate at a young someone who could
age. be a teacher in
Paris. Albert chose
However these were Thomas, and hence
turbulent times in 1252, we find
politically and Thomas back in
around the age of 15 Paris and starting to
problems arose and teach.
he was transferred
to Naples to avoid It is now this part of
the troubles to the life of St.
continue his studies. It was there at Naples Thomas that we might be, or should be familiar
that Thomas met the Dominicans and in April with from our studies. The time when he wrote
of 1244 he received the habit. But this did not all his great works, that for our studies we still
go well with his family, who still wanted him to try as best as our abilities allow to read and
be the abbot of Monte Cassino. The friars tried comprehend. But hoping you know this history
to send him away to Bologna to avoid the enough, I would like to share for a moment
la Parola 2/2015 | 10
something else that should make St. Thomas CON UMILTA' E FERVORE:
important to us, his spirituality. There was a
beautiful statement that I read recently that
LETTERA A SAN TOMMASO
went something like this: it was not that St.
Thomas was a theologian that made him a
saint, but rather the way he practised theology
that made him both a great theologian and a
saint. Francesco FERONE,
Diritto Canonico
St. Thomas, as can be said of many of the
saints, was a man of contemplation and
prayer. But what makes Thomas stand out for
us, as students, is that for Thomas his prayer
was connected to his intellectual work. Jean-
Pierre Torrell O.P. who is known for his Caro San Tommaso,
scholarly works about Thomas, when
describing the characteristics of St. Thomas' tra qualche giorno la nostra Università farà
prayer, says that clearly the first trait is the memoria di te. La data del 7 marzo costituisce
linking of it with study. For him both prayer and un appuntamento immancabile per questa
study become the one act of contemplation of grande famiglia, un momento di profonda
God. In those times when study is heavy, condivisione e di testimonianza di quel
maybe not even that engaging, I try and find patrimonio di valori che forgia profondamente
encouragement in this. That by linking prayer l'identità dell'Ateneo che porta il tuo nome.
with study, I might become both a better
student and a better Christian. In questo momento mi trovo nella Sala delle
Colonne, il luogo simbolo, almeno per me, di
However this time of St. Thomas' writings, like quella che considero la mia casa, ed osservo i
all things, had to come to an end. And it did so miei compagni di università, alcuni intenti nello
very suddenly. On the feast of St. Nicholas in studio o nella stesura di un elaborato, altri con
1273, he had a vision, that had a profound lo sguardo divertito da un video su Facebook o
effect on him. After this time, Thomas never su YouTube.
wrote or dictated anything more. When asked
by his assistant Reginald of Piperno, he simply Sono qui dall'alba, ripasso gli ultimi argomenti
replied “I cannot do any more. Everything I di un esame che devo sostenere tra un'ora
have written seems to me as straw in circa e, in un momento di pausa dalla lettura
comparison with what I have seen.” Thomas dei sacri canoni, ho pensato di condividere con
did not live much longer after this. It seems te alcuni pensieri.
Thomas, who had been accustomed to good
health most his life, became increasingly ill. Non temere, dottore Angelico, non voglio
On 7th March the following year when on the parlare con te di filosofia o di teologia, non
way to the 2nd council of Lyons, he passed potrei mai tenere testa ad un uomo colto come
away in the abbey of Fossanova. Thus ended te.
the life of this great Theologian and Saint,
whose feast we now celebrate this month. Una volta mi è capitato di leggere una tua
biografia, e ciò che mi ha colpito, oltre alla tua
fede adamantina nonché allo smisurato amore
che avevi per Cristo Gesù e che hai cantato in
The image: The temptation of Saint Thomas preghiere meravigliose, è stato constatare
Aquinas by Diego Velázquez, 1632. quanto lo studio abbia plasmato la tua identità.
Ne ho avuto la conferma più di un anno fa,
quando, curiosando per le librerie di Roma, mi
sono imbattuto in un brevissimo scritto
attribuito a te. L'ho scoperto sfogliando una
piccola antologia dal titolo "L'arte di studiare".
In questo testo, ad uno studente che ti
domandava dei consigli su come trarre profitto
la Parola 2/2015 | 11
dallo studio, rispondevi, tra l'altro, di "... non mancano campioni di santità, e potrei
conservare una coscienza pura; non mancare farne a centinaia di nomi, a partire dal Santo
di dedicarsi alla preghiera; amare la propria Padre Domenico per finire con il tuo, passando
stanza; mostrarsi amabili con tutti; non per quello del tuo maestro, Alberto Magno; per
interessarsi dei fatti degli altri ... non non parlare delle straordinarie figure femminili,
immischiarsi in nessun modo dei discorsi e dei come quella di Caterina da Siena, o ancora di
fatti del mondo ... fuggire soprattutto le volti molto più vicini a noi come il Beato
chiacchiere, non smettere di seguire le orme Piergiorgio Frassati e la stessa Madre Tincani.
delle persone sante e buone". Tuttavia, senza nulla togliere loro, credo che
uno studente può trovare persone sante e
In queste poche righe, Maestro Tommaso, hai buone anche dall'altra parte della cattedra, o
mirabilmente delineato il profilo del vero addirittura tra i volti dei suoi compagni di
studente. Tre passaggi mi hanno colpito in studio. Sarà che sono stato fortunato, ma i
modo particolare: la coscienza pura, la tanti docenti che mi hanno guidato in questi
dedizione alla preghiera e l'esempio delle anni e i molti compagni di studio con i quali ho
persone sante e buone. affrontato e sto tuttora affrontando il mio
percorso di studi costituiscono per me un
Mi piace intendere l'invito a conservare una punto di riferimento. Con la loro quotidiana
coscienza pura come un'esortazione ad testimonianza hanno arricchito la mia persona
affrontare i propri studi con retta intenzione. Ti di valori inestimabili, come l'umanità, il rispetto
confido, caro Santo, che mi capita spesso di per l'altro, la solidarietà, la responsabilità nel
esaminare la mia coscienza in proposito, di compiere ogni giorno il proprio dovere.
chiedermi con quale spirito sto affrontando il
percorso formativo che ho scelto, se divorato Mi fermo qui, dottore Angelico, non voglio
dalla brama di potere e di successo o piuttosto abusare della tua pazienza e, ad ogni modo,
animato dalla vera speranza che, come l'ora dell'esame si avvicina.
direbbe Agostino d'Ippona, ha due figli, lo
sdegno e il coraggio: lo sdegno per le cose Voglio concludere confidandoti un auspicio che
che non vanno e il coraggio per cambiarle. mi porto dentro: quello che, a prescindere dal
percorso che ciascuno di noi segue in questo
Qual è il senso del mio essere qui? Sto Ateneo, tutti possiamo riscoprire giorno dopo
studiando per prepararmi con serietà e giorno la bellezza dello studio. La mia viva
responsabilità a prestare un servizio alla speranza è che, in un mondo che tende a
Chiesa? Sono animato dal desiderio di soffocare i valori dello spirito, si possa
contribuire alla edificazione di una pace che recuperare il gusto dell'apprendimento,
sia fondata sulla giustizia e sulla verità? Spero l'ardore di scoprire ed imparare cose nuove, la
vivamente di sì. Diversamente, sarei soltanto felicità che può trasmettere la lettura di un
un fariseo. testo. Possa ciascuno di noi, per riprendere
ancora una volta le parole della Tincani, "porsi
Mi ha colpito, in modo particolare, l'invito a non allo studio con umiltà e fervore, sapendo che
trascurare la preghiera. Una volta mi è capitato ogni piccola verità conquistata è un passo
di leggere un testo di Luigia Tincani, vissuta verso la Verità Suprema. Sentire che la
molti secoli dopo di te ma innamorata come te scienza è un cammino nascosto in cui si cela
del carisma domenicano. Lei diceva, se non Dio".
ricordo male, che lo studio ben fatto diventa
esso stesso preghiera. Quanto aveva ragione!
Quando è fatto con amore, con passione, con
dedizione, lo studio diventa un'esperienza
unica di continua lode a Dio, un cammino che
conduce l'anima ad assaporare qualcosa di
molto prezioso.

Non voglio rubarti altro tempo, mio caro

Maestro, solo due parole sul terzo punto:
l'imitazione dell'esempio delle persone sante e
buone. Certamente nell'Ordo praedicatorum
la Parola 2/2015 | 12
WHETHER THE DEATH OF OUR Objection 2: Though the Gospel according to
John seems to place the death of our Lord on
LORD OCCURRED ON THE EVE the eve of the Passover, it can be interpreted
OF THE PASSOVER in another way than the literal sense. Literally,
John says that the enemies of Christ take Him
to Pilate on the morning of His crucifixion: “And
they didn’t enter into the praetorium, that they
Maximus SPOETH, might not be contaminated, but might eat the
O.S.B., Philosophy Pascha.”4 This obviously implies that it was the
very day before the Passover. The death of
Christ takes place on that eve, which would be
the eve of the Passover, the same time when
the lambs were being killed in the temple.
However, all these coincidences of events
would have great theological significance,
pointing to Jesus as the true lamb. Therefore,
to convey this meaning of his, the author must
It seems not:
have invented this construction of the story.
Therefore, it must not have really happened
Objection 1: The Synoptic Gospels describe
that way, and Christ must not have really died
the Last Supper of Jesus as occurring on the on the eve of the Passover.
eve of the Passover. For Matthew says, “On
the first day of Unleavened Bread, the On the Contrary, Josephus says: "Nor was it
disciples approach Jesus saying, ‘Where do lawful for us to journey either on the Sabbath-
you want us to prepare for you to eat the day, or on a festival day."5
Pascha?’”1 Now the first day of Unleavened
Bread means the eve of the Passover, as it is I answer that, there are several difficulties with
said in Ex. 12:18: “On the first month, the 14th considering the Last Supper to have taken
day of the month, in the evening, you shall eat place on the eve of the Passover, from without
unleavened bread.” Moreover, Mark even and within the very Synoptic Gospels
more clearly says, “And the first day of themselves. The first difficulty is that if the Last
Unleavened Bread, when they were Supper took place on the eve of the Passover,
immolating the Pascha, his disciples say to it would imply that the Crucifixion took place on
him: ‘Where do you want us to go and prepare, the very day of Pascha, which, as all the
that we may eat the Pascha?’”2 Luke also, in feasts, was also considered a Sabbath,6 and
introducing the Last Supper, says, “But the day the same obligations applied to them, as
of Unleavened Bread came, in which it was Josephus mentions above. This would have
necessary that the Pascha be killed.”3 Thus, it been unthinkable to the Jews for several
seems clear that the Last Supper took place reasons. One, it was not permitted for bodies
on the eve of the Passover. But since Christ to remain on the cross on such a day. Two, it
was put to death the next day, it follows that was not permitted for Jews to travel more than
His death did not occur on the eve of the two thousand cubits on such a day, whereas
Passover, but rather on the day itself of much travel is described on that day in all four
Passover. gospels.

1 Matt 26: 17
2 Mark 14: 12
3 Luke 22: 7
4 John 18: 28
5 JOSEPHUS: Antiquities of the Jews XIII 8: 4
6 Cf. Lev 23: 32
la Parola 2/2015 | 13
A second difficulty with presuming that the Last Pascha. And the chief priests and scribes were
Supper took place on the eve of the Passover, seeking how they would kill him; but they
is that it would imply that there were two feared the people. But Satan entered into
Sabbath rests back-to-back, namely the day of Judas… And they rejoiced and promised to
the death of our Lord, and the day after. For all give him money. And he promised and sought
four Gospels agree that the day after the death an opportunity, that he may hand him over to
of our Lord was also a Sabbath. Several them without the crowd.”8 In other words, it
incongruities would come from the supposition could be that their principal concern was the
that there were two Sabbaths. One, it would be crowds normally present on such a feast day –
discordant with the contrast in behaviour of the a concern which was dispensed with once
disciples on the two days, who were making Judas promised to hand Christ over to them
haste to prepare the body of Christ before the secretly, and that they had no concern
arrival of the Sabbath, in order to keep the whatsoever with transgressing their religious
commandment of rest. They would be doing law.
this on a Sabbath itself, namely on the day of
the Passover. Two, it would give no time for But fourth, as Josephus says, the Jews were
the women to purchase aromatic spices, since "not obliged to go before any judge on the
Luke says that just as the Sabbath was Sabbath-day, nor on the day of the preparation
ending, “very early, they came to the tomb, to it, after the ninth hour."9 Now since the feast
carrying the aromatic spices, which they had days had the value of a Sabbath, it would
prepared.”7 Since they were coming to the seem that this custom would have also applied
tomb just as the Sabbath was ending, they to the feast of Passover. But if the Last Supper
obviously did not buy and prepare the spices took place on the eve of the Passover, then
that very morning. Yet if the day before were the Jews themselves would have broken this
also a Sabbath, which it would be if it were the custom three times: in holding a trial for Jesus
Passover day, they could not buy and prepare before Annas and then again before Caiphas
the spices on that day either. They would have after the ninth hour on the day of preparation
had to buy and prepare them the day before, (the eve of the Passover), and then again on
before sunset on the day of the Last Supper, the next morning before Pilate. It would have
even before Christ was apprehended, which been inconsistent of them, then, to plead to
would make no sense. Pilate himself for Jesus’s death on the grounds
of their law. If, on the other hand, the trial of
A third difficulty is more direct evidence within our Lord took place on the day of preparation
the Synoptic gospels themselves. For Matthew f o r t h e P a s s o v e r, t h e n t h e r e i s n o
says, “they made counsel, to seize Jesus by inconsistency. For the gospels specify that
deceit, and kill him; but they were saying, ‘not Christ was brought to Pilate before the ninth
on the feast day, lest there be a tumult among hour.
the people.’” Now the feast day obviously
means either the eve of the Passover, or the These reasons lead us to judge that the death
day of the Passover. If the Last Supper was on of our Lord must have taken place on the eve
the eve of the Passover, then according to all of the Passover, and not on the day itself of
accounts, they would have seized Jesus on Passover.
the eve of the Passover, and killed Him on the
Now, despite all these arguments, the Synoptic
day of the Passover, which is exactly what
Gospels still speak of Jesus’s Last Supper as
they did not want to do according to the
happening on the eve of a Passover. Yet, it is
Synoptic Gospels themselves. The Gospel of
not only the Synoptic Gospels. Even the
Luke might seem to resolve this difficulty, at
Gospel of John seems to say this. For it begins
least in part: “And the feast day of Unleavened
the description of the Last Supper this way:
Bread was approaching, which is called

7 Luke 24: 1
8 Luke 22: 1
9 JOSEPHUS, The Antiquities of the Jews XVI 6: 2
la Parola 2/2015 | 14
“Before the feast day of Pascha, Jesus, appreciation of the various ways in which
knowing that his hour has come, that he might historical truth can be expressed, for example
pass over from this world to the Father, since in different orders depending on the focus,
he had loved his own, who were in the world, different expressions, etc.14 However, they
he loved them to the end.”10 And a little later, would by no means relinquish the obviously
when our Lord says to Judas, “What you are intended meaning of the author, even in its
doing, do quickly,”11 the disciples interpret it as smallest details. This mystery, therefore, must
a command to buy the things which are have required of them a particular humility of
necessary for the feast day, seeming to imply mind to accept. However, for us, there is
that the feast day is imminent. Thus, each of something we are more aware of than the
the gospels either says, or seems to imply, that theologians of the middle ages were, namely
the Last Supper of the Lord took place on the the complexity of the actual historical
eve of the Passover, the eve when the Paschal background. For example, we now know that
Lambs were to be killed. Yet, at the same time, there were several different lunar or solar
it is significant that all the Synoptic Gospels calendars in use in the first century, even
note that the next day, the day of Christ’s among different groups within Judaism.15
C r u c i fi x i o n , w a s a l s o “ T h e D a y o f Therefore, we now have two easy ways to
Preparation”.12 Certainly, “Day of Preparation” eliminate the mysteriousness in the texts. The
can simply mean the eve of a Sabbath; but it first is to simply admit the possibility of the
can also mean the eve of the Passover. Of literal truth of both sides of the paradox, given
course, all four gospels agree that this our increased historical knowledge. The
particular Day of Preparation was the eve of second is to take the general theological
the Sabbath, but St. John’s Gospel adds: “for it message as if it is the only intended meaning
was the great day of that Sabbath,”13 implying of the author of the text, assuming that the
that this Sabbath was both the weekly day of historical details are just contradictory and
rest, and the day of the Passover. Therefore, it incidental to the meaning. Strangely, this
seems likely that on that year, the great second way is usually taken today, though we
Passover day coincided with the Sabbath – often have less scientific reason to do so.
that is, on the day following the death of our Though the mystery is more easily resolved by
Lord. At the same time, in some sense there us today, we seem less interested in finding a
seems to have been a Passover that took solution to it - and are more prone to simply
place the day before, as the Synoptic Gospels dismiss it as inconsequential. Indeed, we’re
so clearly say. not comfortable with mysteries.

The mystery we are dealing with here is not a Therefore, I would like to suggest neither the
new discovery. For it was certainly known to first nor the second way which is now open to
the early Church, to the Fathers, and to the us today – not being too eager to undo the
medieval theologians, habituated as they were mystery, nor daring to dismiss it, but rather just
to consign much of Scripture to memory. They taking what we are given – and deepening the
always attempt to reconcile the accounts, mystery by probing a little deeper into the very
however, since they regard the Holy Spirit as words of the gospels, to see where they lead
the principal author of the text, written also us. For we believe it is the Spirit of Christ who
through the full agency of the human author – inspired all four evangelists, the same Christ
and therefore as without error in its literal who went through His Passover, who died,
sense. Certainly they had a very nuanced was raised, and is present in His Church.

10 John 13: 1
11 John 13: 27
12 Matt 27: 62, Mk 15: 42, Lk 23: 54
13 John 19: 31
14 cf. AUGUSTINE: Harmony of the Gospels
15Felix Just, S.J.: The Death of Jesus in Mark vs John, http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Jesus-
Death.htm
la Parola 2/2015 | 15
If there seem to be two Passover days being had been fulfilled, in order that the Scripture
described in the gospels, perhaps a key to might be fulfilled, said: ‘I thirst.’ A vessel had
their harmonization can be found in the very been put there full of sour wine; therefore,
Passover of Jesus which He celebrated. The putting the sponge full of sour wine around
Synoptic Gospels indirectly mention some hyssop, they offered it to his mouth. Therefore,
curious omissions in the first Passover (the when he had received the sour wine, Jesus
Last Supper), which only the Gospel of John said: ‘It is fulfilled!’ And when he inclined his
completes in the other Passover (the Death of head, he handed over his spirit.”20
our Lord). That is, in the Synoptic Gospels,
though bread and wine are mentioned at the A retaining of the details of the Gospels,
Last Supper, no lamb is mentioned as being therefore, reveals in their harmonization a
immolated for this Last Supper. In fact, it is the unity of the Passover of our Lord which
Gospel of John that clearly testifies of Christ embraces His liturgical action at the Last
as the true Lamb of God,16 and moreover that Supper and His passion and death on the
He was being killed on the other Passover. A cross.
second curious ommission is that, in the
Let us recall, moreover, that the very actions
Synoptic Gospels, Jesus leaves the Passover
which Jesus performed on that night, he
meal incomplete. Traditionally, in the Jewish
commanded His disciples to do, in His
Passover, four cups of red wine were received,
memory: “Do this”.21 It is not only the words,
which was supposed to remind one of the
but the very action. Therefore, we conclude
blood of the paschal lamb that was sacrificed
that the Liturgy of all ages must also be part of
that evening. The third of these cups, called
this picture which is now opening up to us, and
the Cup of Blessing, was to be received after
also the continuing passion of our Lord, which
the main meal was finished. Now it is this cup
St. Paul refers to when he says, “I make up in
which Jesus gave to His disciples, saying,
my flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of
“This chalice is the new covenant in my blood,
Christ, for the sake of His body, the Church.”22
which is poured out for you.”17 Yet there was
– the Liturgy and Passion which are already
also supposed to be a fourth cup, which was
substantially contained and consummated in
preceded by hymns. However, they did not
that one Passover of our Lord.
receive this cup. Indeed, regarding this cup
Christ says, “But I say to you: I will not drink Reply to Objection 1: Though the Synoptic
again from this product of the vine until that Gospels say that Christ’s Last Supper took
day, which I shall drink it with you new in the place on the eve of the Passover, it does not
kingdom of my Father. And having said the follow that this must be taken only in its
hymn, they departed to the mount of Olivet.”18 simplistic sense as the 14th day of the month of
They departed after the hymn and before the Nisan. Even in a literal sense, there is still no
fourth cup. Then all three Synoptic Gospels, impossibility of the Passover being celebrated
and only they, recount a cup being mentioned by some on this day, and by some on the next
again by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: day, given what we now know about the non-
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass uniformity of the calendars at the time. And in
me by; yet not as I will, but as you.”19 Finally, it a spiritual sense their words are also true as
is only the Gospel of John which then records applied to Christ, even if the Jewish Passover
the following words of Christ on the cross: took place the next day: the night of the Last
“After this, Jesus knowing that now all things

16 Jn 1: 35-37
17 Lk 22: 20, Cf. I Cor. 10: 16, 20
18 Matt 26: 29
19 Matt 26: 39
20 Jn 19: 28
21 “Hoc facite in meam commemorationem.” – words of consecration in the Roman Rite.
22 Col 1: 24
la Parola 2/2015 | 16
Supper was His Passover, the evening when UNREAD CHAPTERS OF ISLAMIC
the lamb had to be killed, the evening, that is,
when he mystically offered His body and blood
PHILOSOPHY
to His disciples under the separate forms of
bread and wine, a sacrifice to the Father for
their redemption.
Teymur MALIKOV,
Reply to Objection 2: The presentation of the Philosophy
Passover as being on the eve of Christ’s death
is too intricately wound into historical details of
the Gospel according to John, to be merely
intended as a “theological explanation” of the
significance of Christ’s death. Moreover, this
artificial construction would not be necessary,
since this same significance is expressed in It is almost an established convention that
many ways in the Synoptic Gospels. Again, the people in the West who are taking a
three Synoptic Gospels do not claim to be as philosophy programme, while doing a general
intimately familiar with the details of the death course on medieval thought, study just one
of Christ as the Gospel of John does. For Luke period of Islamic philosophy, namely its
says, “it seemed good to me also, having classical epoch. Usually, in voluminous
followed all things closely for some time past, editions of the history of philosophy, the
to write an orderly account for you,”23 whereas Islamic period contains about a dozen pages
John’s Gospel says, after describing the with the names of Avicenna, Ghazali and
piercing of Christ’s heart, “He who saw it has Averroes and that’s about it. It is a pity that the
born witness – his testimony is true, and he following centuries of Islamic intellectualism
knows that he tells the truth – that you also are known only to a narrow group of
may believe.”24 Finally, the position that if a specialists. However, the growing importance
text is saying something theological, it of Islamic studies urges us to have a more
therefore must not be taken as history, is complete picture of the later development of
actually based on an absurd premise: that Muslim thought in order to see better the
theology comes from us – that meaning is a peculiarities which are still shaping its
human invention, which we impose on the contemporary conditions. The importance of
facts. The truth is rather that God acts in such a study flows from the fact that if we
history, giving it a divine meaning, which is consider the whole Oriental world together with
nevertheless sufficiently veiled from us, so that the Far East, Islam, with all its cultural and
we may not easily claim it and then dismiss it mental aspects, is the closest and most
as our own work, but rather discover it in recognisable culture for the Western world,
humility and thus find Him. sharing as it does two most important
elements, namely its representation of
Abrahamic tradition and integrated Greek
intellectualism and culture. But at the same
time, it is often the most misunderstood
religion by westerners, especially in regard to
different political and social events. In this
short and inquiring essay we will try to give a
very brief outline of major aspects of later
Islamic philosophy, which is at the same time
traditional and pre-modern. The important
thing to see is that in Islam the dynamism of
intellect is very different from the western one,
because it reminds one more of a space where
there is a gradual and vertical elevation, rather

23 Luke 1: 3
24 John 19: 35
la Parola 2/2015 | 17
than a chronological line divided into a scheme it remained unfinished. Suhrawardī was
of ancient-medieval-modern times - something insisting that this was impossible because for
inapplicable to the intellectual life of Islam. It is this intellectual attempt one needs to look at
a growth from formal and logical metaphysics the works of ancient Persian sages who were
towards a pure divine metaphysics. And let us guided by Allah. He praises and gives honour
see exactly how it was happening. to Aristotle quite a bit, but he believed that for
a deeper knowledge one needed to go beyond
It would be useful to start by mentioning the peripatetic perspective, which has its own
Averroes (d. 1198), since he symbolises the limits, and discover the Light, moving towards
conclusion of the Muslim peripatetic the sacred East. The alternative to the rational
movement, and also since there is such a discourse or be it the process of abstraction
prevalent belief that his funeral was the end of becomes an intellectual intuition. For this he
Islamic philosophy as well - which is partially formulates a symbolic language to give
true, but only for western Islam. Interestingly, expression to his wisdom. In his metaphysics
he became much more popular in Europe and he is elaborating in a very detailed way the
his thoughts were exploited both by Christians grand hierarchy of archangelic cosmos,
and secular thinkers of Europe in a more showing different levels of lights that constitute
intensive way than by Muslims. Although he it, in which all creation is a successive outflow
made attempts to rehabilitate and revive from the original Supreme Light of Lights (Nur
philosophy within Islam, his thoughts, al-Anwar). The human soul which is deprived
particularly on epistemological matters, of a from its original source of pre-existence in this
twofold way of reaching knowledge, didn’t get given world should seek its felicity by
wide recognition and were not considered to detaching itself from tenebrous body and
be really fruitful by Muslims themselves. As a worldly matters and get access into the world
matter of fact, here we can compare of immaterial lights. These metaphysical
Christianity and Islam in their relation to notions are coinciding very much with the
Aristotle. Although from the 13th century, quintessence of ayat of light in the Noble
Aristotelian thought was gaining dominance in Quran. The blend of the ancient Persian
the Christian world, replacing Augustinian and wisdom with Islamic philosophy by a Muslim
Platonic wisdom, in Islam however, parallel to thinker didn't create a serious problem since it
the death of Averroes, with the theology’s and is supported by the Islamic notion of the unity
Sufism’s critique of Aristotelian rationalism, of religions. "And for every nation there is a
something very important started to arise in messenger. And when their messenger
Eastern Islam, especially with the doctrinal cometh (on the Day of Judgment) it will be
Sufism of ibn al-ʿArabī and the philosophy of judged between them fairly, and they will not
illumination of Suhrawardī - and it is still be wronged" [10:47].
continuing nowadays. Nevertheless, even from
the dawn of Islamic philosophical thought, it Starting from 13th century the other remarkable
was never in pure Aristotelian form, but always phenomenon in post-classical Islamic thought
had a strong Neoplatonic accent, the greatest is the intellectual activity of ibn al-ʿArabī, one
master of which was Avicenna. "Platonized of the monumental figures of Sufism, in whose
Aristotle” was a mental guarantee for centuries works the conflict between Sunni theological
to avoid the logical formalisation of religious Kalam and “Hellenistic” philosophers was
philosophy enriching it with spiritual and removed and a pure Islamic metaphysics was
mystical odour. The culmination point of this expressed in a systematic form. On the other
attitude to philosophy manifests itself in the hand, after the 13th century the other crucial
magnum opus (Philosophy of Illumination) of process - the integration of Sufi metaphysics,
Suhrawardī (1155-1191), known also as in particular the ideas of the already mentioned
Shaykh al-ʿIshraq (The Master of illumination), ibn al-ʿArabī, into Shi’ite thought took place by
which represents a revival of ancient Persian gradual attempts of several generations of
wisdom, the founders of which he considered scholars. But before that there was a
to be Hermes, Plato and Zoroaster. The systematisation of Shi’ite doctrines within its
unification of Plato and Zoroaster later was theology or kalam which was always very
also carried out by a Greek scholar named philosophical and mystical in comparison to its
Plethon. The motifs of sacred Oriental wisdom Sunni equivalent. And the most methodological
are already found in the works of Avicenna but effort of the mentioned integration was done
la Parola 2/2015 | 18
by Sayyid Haydar al-Amuli (1320-1385) who Imams out of twelve are the poles of the same
speaks about two kinds of monotheism: chain.
theological exoteric, which declares that there
is one “this" God, and ontological esoteric, Islam as a religion itself is an integral teaching
which reveals that there is a Unity of being. At which unites many aspects of human life, from
the same time he disagreed on certain points daily issues, laws and political questions, to
with ibn Arabi since he believed that Imam Ali sciences and spirituality. And it is also this
(peace upon him) is the seal of the universal characteristic that was quite a determining
walāya and that the seal of Muḥammadan power in the unfolding philosophical movement
walāya is Imam Mahdi (may Allah fasten his until it reached the Safavid renaissance, which
appearance). However, ibn al-ʿArabī believed gave birth to Mulla Sadra’s school of
that Jesus Christ (peace upon him) was the transcendental theosophy, a fundamentally
seal of the universal walāya. Walāya in the synthesizing and culminating point of Islamic
Shi’ite vision is the esoteric prophecy and the thought, a school which is still a dominating
charism of divine friendship. Metaphysically, one in Shi’ite world. Mulla Sadra
Shiism is a current that is concentrated on the (1571/72-1640/41) masterly brought together
idea that after the death of the Prophet (peace all previous currents of philosophy, theology
upon him) although the great prophetic cycle is and esoterism. Till nowadays in all works
finished for all times, nonetheless a new post- produced by philosophical Shi’ite
prophetic cycle of his succession, namely consciousness we can see the clear line of his
walāya or imamat is starting, which is influence. Mulla Sadra initiated a revolution in
preserving the integrity of religion, its exterior the traditional metaphysics of essences,
and interior nature (with a special accent on replacing it with the metaphysics of existence,
the latter through which the inner spiritual where the priority is given to existence over
dimension of religion is preserved without essence. The philosopher was saying that
which religion becomes extremely juridical) there are no stable essences - each of them is
and at the same time manifesting once more moving according to the intensity of its act of
its eschatological drama; according to the existence - in this way promoting for the first
majority of Shi’ite Muslims who are followers of time in the history of philosophy the concept of
the Twelve Imams (peace upon them), it trans-substantial or infra-substantial motion.
finishes with Twelfth Imam Mahdi or Hidden Matter, according to him, is experiencing
Imam whose return together with the prophet numerous stages of transformation. There is
Jesus close to the last days of sacred history also an idea of spiritual matter, which makes
is being expected. Imam is a widely used term Mulla Sadra simultaneously different both from
and has several meanings and in Twelver materialists and spiritualists. He is a
Shi'ism it primarily refers to the twelve philosopher-metamorphose and his teaching is
descendants, both political and spiritual in absolute accordance with imamite Shi’ism,
successors of the Prophet, infallible where the expectation of the Twelfth Hidden
interpreters and absolute authorities over Imam will be the arrival of the Perfect Human
Muslims. For Shi’ite Muslims the Prophet and through a grandiose cosmology, ie. the fall of
his Imams are Face of God before people, the Soul into the abyss of abysses and its slow
first creature from divine light, who are ascendance till the human form, which is a
internally of the same nature. These concepts point of arrival to the edge of Malakut
show how Shi’ite Islam overlaps with many (transphysical spiritual world). All later
aspects of Christology showing its legitimate philosophical schools in Iran of the Safavid
succession with the spirit of previous period and later through the Qajar period until
revelations. Due to this metaphysical content now, such as the schools of Isfahan, Tehran,
the synthesis of Shiism with Sufi teachings is a and of Khorasan and present day Qum were
very natural happening, since they believe, and are continuing the ideas inspired by Mulla
and it is also partially accepted by Sunni sufis, Sadra. This school is the greatest gift that
that Sufism or tasawwuf has its roots in the Muslim culture has ever given to the world,
words and preachings of the holy Imams. It is when human thought became extremely
an undeniable fact that, except for the tariqah integrated or unified, and spiritualized, and the
of Naqshbandiyya, all other sufi orders trace sciences preserved their sacred nature
back their golden chain of succession to Imam reflecting the fundamental idea of the unity of
Ali (peace upon him). And moreover, the eight life.
la Parola 2/2015 | 19
This was a very short look at late traditional lost and let down by religion, and disheartened
Islamic philosophy, which still needs to be by the never-ending arguments between
studied and understood. We were able to different faiths. Various forms of Christianity
mention only several the most valuable events seemed to despise each other, and had little to
and names. For further reading we say about other religions that sounded
recommend Henry Corbin’s "The history of encouraging. Everyone I listened to was
Islamic Philosophy", which is available in convinced that they were right and everyone
several languages, and which we widely used else was wrong, and they were shocked if you
while writing this essay. didn’t see it their way.

My path hit a dead end of its own and I

reached out for help. I prayed to God that He
ADDICTION & INTERRELIGIOUS enter my life and make the difference I couldn’t
DIALOGUE make on my own. Within 6 months the
unthinkable happened. I got the help I reached
out for. I found a community of men and
‘Blitch’ (Marco) VIZIOLI,
women like myself with the same struggles I
Theology
had been wrestling with. Not only had they
been dealing with addiction, but they too had
struggled with God. None of our beliefs,
convictions, arguments, or opinions had been
able to keep us clean on our own, but together
we were able to agree that an encounter with
God (however we might understand Him)
could transform our lives. It was informal, yet
For over 20 years I have been blessed with honest. It was unconventional, yet effective.
the opportunity to work with thousands of men
and women from many faith backgrounds. This was my entry into an early form of
While we differed in our creeds, religious interreligious dialogue. I felt a pull to return to
cultures, scriptures, doctrines, and concepts of the Catholic faith that I was raised in. I
the Divine we all held one thing in common. surrendered my self-will and was led back to
We all held that only the power of God could the Church of my youth. Yet others in my
transform a fatal condition known as community surrendered as well and were led
alcoholism/ drug addiction. This wasn’t an to completely separate faiths. For some it was
easy thing to admit, nor was it a fun also a return to the belief system they were
conversation to have in the beginning for many raised in, and for others it was a new religion
of us. Almost everyone I worked with came entirely. How could this be? Why wouldn’t God
into recovery with anger, pain, and resentment lead us all to the same religion if we were
regarding the religion they were raised in. For willing to surrender to His will authentically? So
many of us, religion had been somewhat of a far, I have not been able to answer that with
dead-end, and if God existed He was certainly any satisfaction. I can only speak for the
not interested in the likes of us. results. Over the last 20 years I have engaged
in conversations with fellow Christians, devout
Two decades ago I was a 19-year old, angry Jews, and converts to Buddhism. There are
young man in a world of pain. Throughout my also those who have grown in their spiritual
life I had tried to reach toward God, learn lives without an organized religion. While we
about religion, and gave ministers plenty of do not always agree on certain ideas, or
occasions to transform my life. I had been a doctrinal points of view, we have experienced
liar, a thief, and a problem for most of my a remarkable unity in spiritual principles. We
childhood. My teen years were spent in an have seen a power far greater than ourselves
alcoholic haze and drug addled labyrinth. I completely transform the lives of men and
grew ever more depressed and cynical about women who had previously abandoned all
life, as well as my place in it and while I still hope. We have learned from each other
knew that God existed, I didn’t believe I was profound truths that we were able to take back
capable of having a relationship with Him. I felt to our own religious systems and offer
contributions in those communities. While few
la Parola 2/2015 | 20
people engaged in serious interreligious RIFLESSIONE PERSONALE SUL
dialogue would assert that all religions say the
same thing, we have discovered that there is
DIALOGO INTERRELIGIOSO
enough that we hold in common at the level of
principle. When we lead our conversations
from those ideas that we have in common we
become able to make a difference in the world. Shigenori TOI, Filosofia
My personal work has been to aid those who
still suffer anger and resentment with
organized religious systems and lead them to
healing. For addicts and alcoholics this healing
is vital to recovery. In fact I have found it vital
to living a life of possibility, mission and
spiritual development for everyone.
In questo mondo esistono varie religioni,
confessioni, insomma, considerando anche le
My vision is a collaborative effort of religious scuole, che si ispirano a una religione, c'è
leaders to create a rehabilitation facility that is un’infinità di credo diversi; ognuno propone
staffed by people of varying faiths and open to strade per emanciparsi dalle sofferenze che si
anyone of any, or no faith at all. This is a provano nella vita, per raggiungere la pace e
mission that I have given my life to. The la salvezza. Questo è un dato di fatto e, nel
principles we share are our guides to progress, mondo odierno, una religione non deve essere
and the intention of this collaboration is to negata in modo assoluto dall’esterno, in
make a difference for alcoholics and addicts quanto mira alla salvezza degli uomini.
that can transform the course of their lives on
spiritual as well as practical levels. I feel that Oggi il dialogo interreligioso interessa sempre
this will have a positive impact not only on our più la gente, proprio perché ormai siamo in un
collective spiritual identities, but also on our periodo in cui una religione non si può
ability to become leaders in the communities permettere di pretendere di avere una dottrina
that are most important to us. assolutamente giusta in un atteggiamento di
esclusione degli altri credo. Penso che, da un
Whether our area of interest lay in the world of canto, sia necessario che ogni fedele delle
addiction recovery, the political sphere, or diverse religioni affermi l’autenticità della
more local levels, the urgency of propria dottrina, in modo da credere nella
compassionate cooperation has never been salvezza praticandola, ma dall’altro debba
greater. By learning more about eachother’s essere ben cosciente che ci sono delle
faith traditions, studying their wisdom, insights persone che praticano un’altra fede per essere
and disciplines, and focusing on the underlying salvate in modo diverso. Anzi, io dubito
spiritual truths that we have in common, I am profondamente che una dottrina che è in
certain new advancements are ahead for conflitto o esclude gli altri si possa chiamare
people of interreligious dialogue. una “vera” religione.

Allora qual è il vero dialogo interreligioso?

Penso che non sia sufficiente, per esempio, la
“tolleranza religiosa” proposta dal filosofo
britannico John Locke, secondo la quale una
religione deve essere tollerata fin quando essa
non causa nessun danno alle altre. Mi sembra
che presenti soltanto un atteggiamento
negativo nei confronti degli altri credo. Io vorrei
piuttosto mettere in risalto un aspetto più attivo
di tale dialogo, ossia fare delle concessioni
reciproche condividendo lo scopo di mandare
avanti il cammino verso la salvezza che ogni
religione propone, oppure in un termine più
generale, verso la pace nel mondo. Proprio
per questo motivo ogni religione e ogni
la Parola 2/2015 | 21
credente devono sviluppare coscientemente la essere espressione di una quotidianità in cui il
comprensione degli insegnamenti e della confronto e la crescita spirituale di ognuno, pur
cultura delle altre religioni, abbandonando un nella diversità, si arricchisce di spazi di vita e
modo di porsi autoritario, per cui si ritiene di di studio in cui scoprirsi, narrarsi e rispettarsi.
credere nell'unica fede giusta. Infatti, è indispensabile lo sforzo personale
quotidiano di rendersi più aperto verso gli altri
Ora vorrei presentarvi la prospettiva di tipi di insegnamenti, nella progressiva
Tenrikyo [1], la religione in cui io stesso credo. convinzione della necessità del dialogo
interreligioso e della comprensione degli altri
“Io sono il Creatore, Dio vero e reale. Io ho credo. Secondo me, senza l’apertura
predestinato questa Dimora. Ora Mi rivelo al cosciente di ognuno, il dialogo interreligioso,
mondo, in persona, al fine di salvare tutta attuato solo da chi ha funzioni rappresentative
l’umanità. Vi chiedo di lasciarMi Miki [2] come ed organizzative, senza il coinvolgimento dei
Mio Tempio Vivente”. Questa è la prima fedeli, non godrebbe di grande sviluppo.
rivelazione ricevuta da Tenrikyo. Il Dio di
Tenrikyo, essendo il Creatore e il Protettore del Credo, infine, che la nostra casa, l’Angelicum,
mondo e dell’umanità, si assume il carattere di ci offra un ottimo ambiente per il dialogo
vero genitore dell’umanità e infatti noi lo interreligioso in tal senso. La nostra università,
chiamiamo “Dio Genitore”. Dio Genitore creò il infatti, accoglie gli studenti anche di varie fedi
mondo e gli esseri umani volendo condividere non cristiane, per esempio islamici, buddisti di
con loro la gioia nello Yoki-gurasi, la Vita di varie scuole, e anch’io, se non mi avessero
Gioia, vale a dire una vita in cui tutti gli esseri offerto questa grande accoglienza, non avrei
umani vivano nella gioia, aiutandosi potuto studiare qui. Grazie a questo ambiente,
vicendevolmente in questo mondo. È la Vita di noi ci troviamo tutti vicini in un’unità così
Gioia, dunque, il motivo per cui Dio Genitore stretta, in cui sono convinto che possiamo
fece la creazione e lo scopo dell’esistenza sviluppare la reciproca comprensione e
umana. Tuttavia, la Vita di Gioia non è da contribuire alla realizzazione della salvezza.
realizzare solo tra i fedeli di Tenrikyo, ma col
resto dell’umanità proprio perché tutti noi Grazie mille per la vostra lettura paziente.
siamo ugualmente figli di Dio Genitore e
ognuno va coinvolto nella salvezza, senza [1] Tenrikyo: una religione nata nel 1838 in Giappone
nessuna eccezione. È chiaro, pertanto, che quando Dio Genitore si rivelò attraverso Miki
Dio Genitore preferisce l’armonia ai conflitti tra NAKAYAMA
“fratelli e sorelle” e questo discorso è [2] Miki: Miki NAKAYAMA, la fondatrice del Tenrikyo
certamente valido anche nelle relazioni
interreligiose. Il concetto di “armonia”, infatti, è
stato utilizzato come una parola chiave anche
da Papa Francesco in occasione di un
convegno interreligioso tenutosi lo scorso
novembre.

Dunque, per creare questa armonia tra noi,

ripeto, bisogna fare delle concessioni
reciproche sia a livello organizzativo sia a
livello personale.

È certamente vero che è necessario

partecipare e contribuire in qualche modo al
dialogo interreligioso, usufruendo degli eventi
in merito, come convegni organizzati a tale
scopo. Eventi del genere, però, non
dovrebbero interessare solo coloro che hanno
responsabilità di guida e di supporto alla
condivisione delle diverse religioni. Questi
incontri organizzati secondo scopi di pace, per
essere fruttuosi e generare armonia, devono
la Parola 2/2015 | 22
“LA STORIA DI DUDU” era cordelista sapeva realizzare anche le
immagini in copertina con questa tecnica.

Dudu era un ragazzo sfortunato, cresciuto

Claudia
senza genitori; non aveva idea di chi fosse suo
GIAMPIETRO, Diritto padre, mentre sua madre, una ventenne piena
Canonico di tatuaggi e piercing, l’aveva lasciato appena
nato al Morro con una donna anziana che
aveva pagato perché se ne occupasse, visto
che lei lavorava in città e non aveva tempo.
Un racconto tratto dal libro “Vite che si Ricordava le sue telefonate e le sue rare visite
raccontano al Morro da Conceição”, di Claudia nei primi anni; lui non aveva alcuna voglia di
Giampietro sentirla o vederla e lei si amareggiava per
questo, come se ne avesse il diritto. L’ultima
volta che andò a trovarlo era incinta, ma non
Ciascuno segue il proprio cammino, trovando
mandò mai l’altro figlio a vivere lì con lui e da
spesso in una vita difficile più spine che fiori. allora non ebbe più sue notizie.
Non serve lamentarsi, dato che nascere,
vivere e morire costituiscono la nostra eredità Molti bambini di quel quartiere erano
naturale. Era questa l’essenza del pensiero del tormentati e senza futuro, nati quasi per errore
grande poeta del sertão Patativa do Assaré, e non desiderati da nessuno, passavano la
che aveva ispirato tanti artisti con i suoi versi. giornata seduti nella piazza principale a
Eduardo, un ragazzo diciottenne del Morro da fumare colla, o approfittavano dell’assenza del
Conceição che tutti chiamavano Dudu, custode del Santuario per intrufolarsi e creare
osservava con attenzione la moltitudine di confusione, magari rubando i soldi delle
piccoli libri colorati disposti con ordine dietro il offerte. Lui li conosceva tutti perché come loro
vetro della bacheca; visti così sembravano stava sempre in mezzo alla strada, correndo
solo un mucchio di carta riciclata, in formato scalzo e in mutande. Certe sere arrivavano i
tascabile e con un disegno estremamente ragazzi più grandi che si erano fatti i soldi
semplice in copertina, venduti a prezzi facendo gli spacciatori. Vestivano bene,
stracciati. In realtà si trattava di un piccolo avevano macchine di lusso con impianti stereo
tesoro di cui molti ignoravano l’esistenza. da favola e fumavano maconha, che
Anche lui, fino a pochi anni prima, li avrebbe puntualmente offrivano anche a loro; facevano
archiviati sotto la categoria “bobagens”, ovvero qualche giro in piazza, a volte cacciavano fuori
scemenze, e non sarebbe mai andato fino al il revolver per regolare i conti con qualcuno
centro di Recife, per la precisione nel Museu che non pagava e, se ne decidevano la morte,
de Arte Popular situato nel Pátio de São il giorno dopo facevano ritrovare il suo
Pedro, per farsi raccontare, seppur cadavere in bella mostra, magari con una
gratuitamente, la storia del viaggio incredibile pallottola in testa. Andavano lì per reclutare i
di quei libri, arrivati in Brasile nelle valigie dei bambini per qualche lavoro sporco, visto che
colonizzatori portoghesi durante il XVI secolo. erano praticamente insospettabili.
I brasiliani si erano innamorati della literatura Dudu si era salvato da quel brutto giro. Un
de cordel, chiamata così perché gli opuscoli giorno era entrato nel Centro de apoio Divino
erano venduti in strada, appesi ad una corda, Amor per chiedere un pacco di pasta e aveva
e se n’erano serviti per narrare fatti realmente incontrato una giovane suora che prima di
accaduti, duelli, biografie di personaggi illustri, dargli da mangiare aveva voluto parlargli; si
inventare litigi o storie assurde, fare satira, con era interessata alla sua vita, cosa che nessuno
una voce tipicamente popolare. I semplici aveva mai fatto prima d’allora. Dal suo
disegni in copertina erano realizzati con la sguardo trasparivano un grande amore e
xilogravura, una tecnica secondo la quale si un’infinita dolcezza, che lui non pensava di
incideva il modello su una tavoletta poter leggere negli occhi di nessun essere
preferibilmente in legno di cedro, vi si passava umano. Quel dialogo era andato avanti per
sopra una mano d’inchiostro nero e questa giorni, fatto di tanti incontri che avevano
diventava una matrice che serviva per suscitato nuove speranze nel suo giovane
imprimere quel disegno sulla carta; a volte chi cuore. Quando lei gli aveva spiegato che
la Parola 2/2015 | 23
poteva cambiare, scoprire i suoi interessi e andava a prendere in parrocchia due volte al
determinare la sua identità, lui aveva provato mese.
per la prima volta fame di qualcosa di diverso:
un’esistenza vera. Doveva solo lasciarsi Aveva letto storie di personaggi della
formare e questo non avrebbe significato tradizione popolare quali Lampião e Maria
nessuna imposizione, avrebbe appreso quanto Bonita, Luiz Gonzaga, Mestre Vitalino, ma
gli interessava per esprimersi e raccontarsi. anche di campioni dello sport come Ayrton
Non era mai andato a scuola e decise di Senna, Ronaldo. Aveva pianto dopo aver
cominciare a frequentare i corsi di conosciuto la tragedia delle Torri Gemelle e la
alfabetizzazione che malvagità di Bin Laden e
seguivano il metodo di dei suoi seguaci: “In
Paulo Freire, un qualità di poeta e
famoso pedagogista reporter nordestino,
nato proprio a Recife, brasiliano/ in questo
che negli anni cordel mi accingo a
Cinquanta aveva narrare/ la terribile
rivoluzionato la storia storia scaturita dal
dell’istruzione, fanatismo più crudele/
restituendo finalmente che in un atto di
visibilità all’oppresso. terrorismo/ ha
sconvolto il mondo
Dalle “parole intero” [1].
generatrici” si era
aperto uno sguardo più Aveva gioito davanti al
ampio, un vocabolario miracoloso salvataggio
che si faceva via via dei minatori cileni,
più complesso e Dudu avvenuto nel 2010, pur
aveva compreso di non avendo potuto
e s s e r e assistere al cruciale
fondamentalmente momento riportato dai
curioso e bisognoso di telegiornali di tutto il
confrontarsi con gli mondo: “Erano
altri; aveva imparato a trentatré minatori/
non sottovalutarsi e a intrappolati in una
credere nelle sue miniera in Cile./ Furono
capacità. Ora, grazie al salvati tutti/ e in piena
potere che la lettura e salute” [2].
la scrittura gli avevano conferito, poteva
raccontare la sua storia e sognava di essere il Gli sembrava di vedere quegli uomini risalire in
nuovo Leandro Gomes de Barros, il poeta di superficie uno per volta dentro una grande
literatura de cordel che aveva lasciato a capsula e subito dopo riabbracciare i loro
quindici anni la Fazenda Melancia nello Stato famigliari in lacrime; era come se nascessero
di Paraíba e la sua condizione di analfabeta di nuovo. Quante cose stava imparando e
per imparare a leggere e scrivere e vivere un quante avventure lo aspettavano. Forse,
giorno a Recife, mantenendosi con quanto dopotutto, la vita poteva riservargli delle
guadagnava dalla vendita dei suoi folhetos. sorprese; dopo aver conosciuto il dolore delle
spine avrebbe saputo dare il giusto valore alla
Non possedeva un televisore in casa ed era più bella rosa che potesse cogliere: la
solo servendosi di quei mezzi che poteva conoscenza, che gli apriva orizzonti e spazi
avere informazioni sul resto del mondo. Aveva fino ad allora inesplorati.
collezionato un centinaio di livros de cordel,
che teneva nascosti sotto il letto per paura che Con la stessa delicatezza con cui l’uomo
Nádia, l’anziana donna con cui aveva sempre mosse i primi passi sulla luna, Eduardo
vissuto, li prendesse e li scambiasse per s’incamminava verso la sua liberazione.
ottenere qualche pacchetto di sigarette, come
aveva sempre fatto con gli alimenti che lui
la Parola 2/2015 | 24
[1] “Como poeta repórter/Nordestino, brasileiro/ scoperto che i loro volti erano e sono sempre
Descrevo neste cordel/Um lamentável roteiro/Do gli stessi ma, a seconda degli anni, c’è chi
mais cruel fanatismo/Num ato de terrorismo/Que passa dal secondo piano all’ultimo, dal terzo al
abalou o mundo inteiro”. primo e chi dal quarto piano, dopo un’assenza
[2] “Eram trinta e três mineiros/Presos na mina di qualche mese, si ritrova sul pianerottolo
chilena/Foram todos resgatados/Com sua saúde senza sapere dove andare, tanto è veloce il
plena”. giro di giostra! Insomma, chi al di sopra, chi al
di sotto e chi in attesa. Cambiano piano, ma
sono sempre loro. Inoltre, soprattutto in questi
ultimi tempi, ho notato che anche le
CASA ITALIA manifestazioni di simpatia e antipatia si
Storia di una riunione di condominio alternano frequentemente: un giorno si vede
uscire dall’ascensore il tizio del secondo piano
a braccetto con quello terzo e il giorno dopo
vedi quello del terzo piano che, sobillato da
quello del quarto, se la prende con quello del
Francesco secondo piano, l’amico del giorno prima; non
solo, ancora il giorno dopo, si vede uscire
D’ANTINO, Diritto
quello del secondo, il ripudiato, di nuovo con
Canonico
quello del terzo, il ripudiante, che aspettano
quello del quarto piano, il terzo incomodo, per
dirgliene quattro… e potrei continuare ancora
e ancora, ma se metto di mezzo anche quello
del quinto e del primo piano rischio di
Dalla mia nascita risiedo in un palazzo nel diventare pazzo al solo pensiero di
centro di Roma, in via 2 giugno al civico 1946. raccontarlo. Altra cosa davvero strana, seppur
Gli abitanti del quartiere lo chiamano “Casa l’unica che li accomuna, è il colore delle loro
Italia”. Sinceramente non conosco la macchine: blu, rigorosamente! Quanta
motivazione di questo appellativo: si narra che curiosità, quasi me ne vergogno! Ancor di più
derivi dal nome del primo inquilino, un certo se vi confesso che ero stanco di essere solo
Italo; ma credo si tratti solo di una leggenda! È un osservatore, volevo sapere di più, andare
uno stabile molto bello e sono sicuro che in oltre il saluto conviviale, volevo entrare in
passato deve esserlo stato ancor di più, relazione con loro, conoscere le loro idee.
almeno secondo i racconti di mia nonna. Oggi, Inaspettatamente, arriva la mia occasione.
purtroppo, è alquanto malmesso, eppure il suo Una sera, sento mio padre tornare borbottante
fascino rimane ancora intatto e sarebbe dall’ennesima riunione di condomino: «non ci
sufficiente solo un piccolo restauro, ma capisco nulla, nulla!», ripeteva tenendo tra le
sembra che proprio a nessuno interessi. Mio mani diversi fogli di carta. «Che succede?», gli
nonno comprò questa casa tra la fine dell’anno domandai e sentii mia madre rispondere dalla
1947 e l’inizio del 1948, ora non ricordo bene, cucina: «Nulla di grave, non ti preoccupare,
forse tra dicembre e gennaio; tuttavia, conosco saranno i nuovi regolamenti condominiali!».
il giorno in cui vi entrò per la prima volta, ed Mia madre non si sbagliava affatto e mio padre
evidentemente per lui fu un giorno davvero annuì sommessamente, esclamando: «sono
speciale: era il 1 gennaio 1948. Noi viviamo al stanco di queste riunioni!». A questo punto,
piano terra e ai piani superiori abitano altri quasi inconsciamente, dissi loro: «Ormai ho
condomini. Un giorno chiesi a mio padre se trent’anni, posso andare io alla prossima
anche loro comprarono gli appartamenti ai riunione?». Loro, perplessi, si guardarono e
tempi del nonno, ma la sua risposta non fu quasi all’unisono risposero: «Va bene!». Ero
molto chiara e così ne lascio a voi impaziente, attendevo con ansia la lettera di
l’interpretazione: “Caro mio, sembra che convocazione per la riunione di condominio,
neanche loro sappiano chi gli comprò casa, quando finalmente arrivò. Ordine del giorno:
persino la portiera non sa nulla. Perché dovrei tinteggiatura facciata del palazzo, varie ed
saperlo io? Vai a studiare!”. Da quel momento eventuali. Arrivò il giorno dell’assemblea, e
presi ad osservare i miei coinquilini con grande neanche era iniziata che i toni erano già alle
curiosità e ogni giorno che passava mi stelle: chi strillava, chi imprecava, chi
accorgevo di tante stranezze; mi spiego: ho mangiava mortadella, forse per l’ora tarda, e
la Parola 2/2015 | 25
chi sembrava scaldarsi per un incontro di tenere tanto. Ero entusiasta, li avrei potuti
pugilato! Inutile a dirsi, nessuno si era accorto aiutare, consigliare, presi coraggio mi alzai in
di me, dunque, decisi di sedermi. Ad un certo piedi e ... quello del quinto piano: «Bene, è
punto, sentii una voce fievole ma autorevole, chiaro che oggi non possiamo decidere.
era l’amministrare del condominio; un uomo Lasciamolo così, facciamo giusto un
anziano e visibilmente stanco. A detta di mio ritocchino». Ma come, il parere del giovane per
padre, questo pover’uomo fu costretto a il colore giovane…ci riprovai, mi alzai in piedi e
perseverare nel suo lavoro dai famosi inquilini … quello del quarto piano mi guardò e disse:
che, non trovando un sostituto alla scadenza «Su, lasci stare, lei è giovane. Che ne sa di
del suo mandato, lo pregarono di rimanere queste cose, si sieda…ascolti, ascolti!». “Si
ancora per qualche tempo. L’amministratore, sieda? Non capisco…e il tanto desiderato
dunque, parlò: «Calmi, per favore! Stiamo parere dei giovani?!?!?!”. Ok, decisi di
calmi e procediamo con l’ordine del giorno». Si calmarmi e mi proposi di tentare almeno di
alzò in piedi quello del quinto piano e consigliare l’azienda giovane di Marco per il
cominciò: «Signori, siamo qui riuniti per piccolo lavoro di ritocco. Partì il giro per la
decidere il nuovo colore della facciata di casa scelta della ditta. In questo caso furono,
Italia. Il mondo cambia, il mondo è dei giovani, stranamente, tutti d’accordo per quella
scegliamo un colore per questo nuovo mondo dell’inquilino del secondo piano. Ma come? E
dei giovani, per i giovani, che piaccia ai giovani la ditta giovane? Non fui d’accordo, questa
e magari diamo l’opportunità a un’azienda volta decisi d’impormi e dissi: «E no, Signori …
giovane di fare il lavoro giovane... eh, a questa scelta mi oppongo…si era detto che il
scusate…volevo dire di tinteggiatura! Sono lavoro sarebbe stato affidato a un’azienda
sicuro che tutti noi siamo d’accordo, tutti noi giovane e, con tutto il rispetto, l’inquilino del
teniamo ai giovani!». Non avevo mai sentito secondo piano sono anni che fa, o meglio non
così tante volte ripetere la parola «giovani» e fa, i soliti ritocchi!!!». Ero sicuro di averli
con quanto entusiasmo… pensai: “ci devono scossi, quando l’inquilino del quarto piano si
proprio tenere ai giovani!”. Mi ripresi dal conto alzò e mi disse: «Infatti, caro! Noi siamo
della parola “giovani” (scusate la ripetizione), coerenti, badi bene, non abbiamo detto
mi guardai intorno e, accidenti, mi accorsi che azienda di giovani ma azienda giovane e per
ero l’unico giovane! Mi dissi: «Bene, tranquillo, sua informazione quella dell’inquilino del
sicuramente ascolteranno il mio parere, secondo piano è giovanissima…anzi, è una
valuteranno seriamente le mie proposte e, neonata…pensi che la società è stata
perché no, magari le accetteranno…non costituita poco prima della riunione di
potevo mancare; inoltre, potrei proporgli condominio e glielo possiamo garantire io,
l’azienda di Marco, è giovane, ha un’azienda l’inquilino del primo e dell’ultimo piano, perché
giovane…è proprio quello che cercano! Ok, ne siamo soci!». Dopo queste ultime parole,
adesso pensa bene al colore giusto e aspetta firmarono frettolosamente il verbale e via di
il tuo turno». Terminato il discorso introduttivo corsa a casa. Io rimasi ancora un po’ nella sala
dell’inquilino del quinto piano, l’amministrare della riunione di condominio, allibito, e tra me
cominciò a raccogliere i pareri. Il primo suggerì e me pensai: «Che disastro, come si può
il Rosso e, neanche arrivato alla prima “s” amministrare in questo modo…per fortuna si
della parola, cominciarono le accuse e gli tratta solo di un condominio, di casa Italia e
strilli: «Rosso mai … Piuttosto Rosa (gridò non di un Paese intero…altrimenti, sai che
quello con la mortadella in bocca)». Il secondo confusione!». Il giorno dopo, mentre salivo le
azzardò il Nero e di nuovo: «Il nero mai … non scale, la portiera mi fermò e mi consegnò una
esiste … piuttosto marrone (disse un altro busta. Sopra c’era scritto «Condominio Casa
mentre agitava una bottiglia di spumante)». Si Italia», la aprii e dentro vi trovai la seguente
arrivò al terzo che propose il Verde e ancora: unica comunicazione: “Si avvisa che è
«Che follia…mai…piuttosto bianco (strepitò un cambiato l’amministratore di condominio” …
altro mentre sventolava insolite bandierine)». Chissà che succederà alla prossima riunione!?
E poi un altro che consigliò i colori
dell’arcobaleno e…ancora: «Mai e poi mai… Ogni riferimento a fatti, eventi, cose e persone
cose da pazzi!» e cominciarono ad azzuffarsi. è puramente casuale!!!
Ecco, finalmente toccò a me, il giovane che
avrebbe potuto proporre il colore dei giovani,
per un mondo di giovani a cui loro sembravano
la Parola 2/2015 | 26
LAW & COFFEE bar over theirs. And, harder still, how could I
make that case in a biblical, mystical and
poetic way.

Rev. Nicholas E. Coffee beans, it is said, were first discovered

CALLAGHAN, Canon by monks in Ethiopia, where they chewed
Law them for energy while fasting and keeping vigil:
that sounds spiritual. And who could doubt that
milk, the food of shepherds and prophets, the
food of Abel and the wild, rather than of Cain
and civilisation, is in the same camp? The
main things the bar sells would seem to be
This past semester at the Angelicum, Fr. Paul more on the side of spirit than law.
Murray's course on "Aquinas at Prayer: the
Bible, Mysticism and Poetry" was extremely Sugar, so much of which gets poured in the
popular, especially with first cycle students. coffee we drink, does balance things out a bit.
So great was the sign-up for the class that it Sugar is biblical (Jer. 6:20) and, in its crystal
was moved to the second largest classroom at form, gives us the sweetness and refinement
the University, the Aula Minor, or Aula San of civilisation. Sadly, it is also a sign of its
Raimondo - named after the patron saint of cruelty, exploitation and waste: think of the
canon lawyers. This displaced a much smaller horror of slave ships on the middle passage,
class for two hours every Wednesday morning. Napoleon's Polish legion sent to die of yellow
fever in Haiti, and, at vastly lesser order of evil,
All in all, that sounds like good news. But it the endless debates in Brussels over
was not so for the members of that smaller imaginary beets.
class, including me. The Aula San Raimondo,
as you might guess, is normally used by These images, however, are superficial
second and third year canon law students in products of history. Like any good mystic, we
second cycle. Besides its beauty and history, it must look beyond them to deeper realities.
is notable for its unique location - directly Though Elijah fled to the lawless wilderness of
across the corridor from the University's coffee Carmel, he did so after denouncing the lawless
bar. Ordinarily, this gives students in that room tyranny of Ahab and Jezebel and doing so in
almost a minute to buy their coffee and step reference to the laws of Israel. Cain was a
out of the way before students from elsewhere criminal because the law of nature was
on the campus can get there. This is especially present in his heart before he took up his knife.
valuable at the 9:15 AM break, when the space And back at the beginning, God spoke and
in front of the bar can resemble a rugby scrum made rules for all material existence, down to
by 9:18. the smallest particles, that are so consistent
that even the most determined atheist is forced
One of the things most first year Canon Law to call them laws of physics.
students, in much more distant classrooms,
look forward to is having that privileged access That admission is so damaging to materialists
to reasonably-priced caffeine. After two because law is a direct sign of intelligence and
semesters of studying General Norms, it order. Thus Bach could compose his Coffee
seems a merited reward to drink one's caffè Cantata because of the fundamental laws of
lungo in peace while the students of lower harmony that distinguish music from noise.
cycles and lesser subjects scramble for theirs. Indeed, to ignore the role of law in all of life is
The last few months of Wednesday mornings, rather like watching a dance without hearing
contemplating a cheerful and chattering the music the dancers are following.
phalanx of young spirituality students, buzzing Whenever monks in Ethiopia first used coffee
from the latest lecture and blissfully unaware to keep a vigil, they were acting to fulfil a part
that they were standing between me and a of their common life: something regulated, as it
vitally needed stimulant, has given me time to is in every religious community, by law. On the
consider the question of how I might prove the civil level, law is the unseen force that allows
greater justice of our claim to primacy at the paper and metal we carry in our pockets to be
transformed into nutrition and chemical
la Parola 2/2015 | 27
stimulation. Without that hidden music the I realize that these arguments may not
University could not exist and none of us could convince everyone of the correctness of the
be revived and fed. Sala San Raimondo's placement and it's use
by the Canon Law faculty most mornings. I
What better way to give concrete expression to look forward to a response, in legal terms, in
these biblical, mystical, and poetic facts than the pages of a later edition of La Parola.
by letting the law students get their coffee
first?

TESORI DELL’ANGELICUM
Passeggiata fra le mura e le opere d’arte
custodite dall’università

Marianna
SORONEVYCH,
Scienze Sociali

Quando entrai la prima volta all’Università

rimasi affascinata dalla maestosità della sua
Chiesa, dalle sue mura medievali, dal cortile e
dal giardino impreziositi da alberi di agrumi.

Qualcuno l’ha definita “un’oasi nel centro di essere passati per la frenesia di Roma.
Roma”. Questa sensazione mi accompagna L’interesse per la ricchezza artistica della
ogni giorno, quando attraverso di corsa il nostra Università può essere in parte saziata
chiostro per arrivare in tempo alla lezione, dall’album “Santi Domenico e Sisto”, in
quando salgo le strette scale dietro la distribuzione presso la libreria e la segreteria
chiesetta, nelle aule sui piani alti, per seguire il generale. Invita a vivere l’Angelicum e vederlo
sapere e la saggezza dei professori, come un monumento, una casa, un’opera
accompagnata dal riflesso dei tetti di Roma. d’arte.
Sarei meravigliata se qualcuno non provasse Come affermato dall’ex-rettore dell’Università,
le stesse sensazioni, entrando in facoltà dopo padre Francesco Compagnoni OP, abbiamo la
fortuna di vivere su questo privilegiato colle di
Roma e dobbiamo preservare con cura tale
monumento perché i nostri contemporanei e le
generazioni future possano trarne giovamento.

Ogni giorno abbiamo l’occasione unica di poter

ammirare meravigliose opere d’arte, accanto
alle quali spesso passiamo incuranti. Questo
pensiero mi ha portato ad approfondire la
conoscenza dei tesori storici, artistici e
religiosi, custoditi dall’università di San
Tommaso.

la Parola 2/2015 | 28
Le preziose opere d’arte dell’università,
affreschi e sculture, stanno in disparte,
quasi a non voler disturbare gli studenti,
immersi nella riflessione sulla teologia, la
filosofia o i processi sociali.

Le fondamenta dell’università sono radicate

nelle rovine dell’antica civiltà, come ogni
cosa nel centro di Roma. Nel giardino o
negli angoli nascosti troviamo frammenti di
vecchi marmi, ombre delle costruzioni di un
tempo. Il convento dei Santi Domenico e
Sisto a Magnanapoli delle monache
domenicane, dal 1932 è sede
dell’Università Pontificia “Angelicum”

Entrati nel cortile, ci colpisce la chiesa di

San Domenico, con la sua elegante scalinata. rilievo raffigura il cane con la fiaccola apparso
Le rampe abbracciano una terrazza barocca. in sogno alla beata Giovanna d’Aza, madre di
Lo sguardo scivola su due colonne che San Domenico. La visione simboleggia il santo
sorreggono il timpano spezzato. Sopra, il che avrebbe infiammato il mondo con la sua
predicazione. Oggi il cane con la fiaccola è
il simbolo dell’ordine dei Domenicani.

Nella parte superiore della facciata, le due

nicchie ospitano San Pietro da Verona e
San Tommaso d’Aquino, che reca in mano
un ponderoso libro, simbolo della sua
opera di teologo e filosofo.

Il chiostro ci accoglie con l’ombra degli

alberi di mandarino e una bella fontana al
centro. Il refettorio – dove le monache
consumavano in passato i loro pasti - in
parte ha conservato la sua funzione
durante le feste dell’Università. Eleganti
colonne marmoree sorreggono una serie
di arcate che tagliano longitudinalmente la
sala. Avete indovinato
quale locale intendo?
Sì, è la sala delle
colonne, usata nei giorni
feriali come sala di
lettura, meno
impegnativa della
biblioteca.

Il capitolo è una bella

sala rettangolare posta
al primo piano,
adiacente alla parte
superiore della Chiesa e
con essa comunicante.
Contiene opere d’arte di
grande importanza
storica e artistica per la
comunità domenicana,
la Parola 2/2015 | 29
che ha vissuto o vive nel monastero. Vi invito Il giardino fiancheggia il lato meridionale del
ad ammirare i suoi soffitti e cassettoni. In monastero e dona agli studenti tranquillità, un
particolare l’immagine della Vergine, l’antico fresco rifugio in mezzo al verde e un tocco di
crocefisso del XIII secolo, proveniente sole con gli agrumi, alla portata di tutti.
dall’antico monastero di San Sisto, il trittico di
Sant’Aurea e altri tesori.

Lenten meditations

Teniamo fissi gli occhi sul sangue di Cristo, per comprendere quanto sia prezioso davanti a Dio
suo Padre: fu versato per la nostra salvezza e portò al mondo intero la grazia della penitenza.

– San Clemente di Roma

God wanted all his beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and he confirmed this desire by
his own almighty will.

– St. Clement of Rome

The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to
act, it ceases to exist.

- Pope St. Gregory the Great

As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus' thirst… 'Repent and believe' Jesus tells us.
What are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus
thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor - He knows your weakness. He wants only your
love, wants only the chance to love you.

- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

la Parola 2/2015 | 30
 LAUS SANCTI MARTINI

by Br Maximus Spoeth, O.S.B.

There was a boy named Martin

A son of pagan mother and pagan father
Who learned of Christ from his schoolmates
And from that moment believed in Him.

A soldier’s son, he too carried a sword,

But he was already a soldier of Christ
For on a cold night he cut his cloak in half
And clothed a beggar, who was Christ in disguise.

What he desired from his childhood

Wonderful to tell, he fulfilled
Armed with faith, he began to do the works of Christ
And greater works than these he began to do

We read that in the midst of a land of darkness

He went about his way, healing the sick and raising the dead,
Yes, and single-handedly pulling down temples of superstition and grinding altars to dust
While the people in darkness could not apprehend him.

And his sons he advised to copy the Word by hand

While the old men were to labour at the leisure of prayer
How many of his blessed sons labored with axe and pen by day,
And from illuminated words sang hymns, during the ages we now call dark!

But don’t “we” know many things, now, that “they” did not?
Surely they were unaware of quarks and black holes
They did not know that the earth moves
How could any of their faith be fundamentally trusted?

We can now divide the atom

And the limbs of a baby
We can now produce twice the amount of cloaks in half the time
And clothe the whole world four times over.

What was once fiction has become science fact

By the power of our reason and will.
Have we not made our own pleasant dreams come true,
And finally conquered religious superstition?

Our forefathers by the power of their own hands

Utterly destroyed the temples of obscurantism,
As old women looked helplessly on – yes, the temple of St. Martin.
The sun was bright with terror, as heads were lopped off one by one.
They advised a road to be built, right over the old tomb:
Rue de Halles, intersecting in a grid with Rue Descartes.
A new way of life, a new network of exchange,
Rue de Robespierre to the train station! To the school, Rue de l’Egalité!

la Parola 2/2015 | 31
 If you want to know about religion, ask Diderot.
Or about history, visit the Louvre.
You can learn about society in the People’s Republic,
Or to learn whatever you want, just ask Google.

But a good man, not so long ago,

With a house on the corner of Rue Descartes and Rue de Halles,
Asked an old lady what she knew of the past,
About an age 60 years before, which everybody had long since forgotten.

“It was 12 feet to the right,” she insisted, pointing at something only she could see.
“How could they have missed their target?” the man silently wondered to himself.
But he believed the old woman, this good man.
And after converting feet to meters, he went into his chamber and began to dig.

And he dug until he reached stone, the tomb of the saint,

And uncovered for himself the precious relics.
The shutters were closed to the world outside.
How distant it all sounded at that second – the trotting of horses and the commotion of worldly
people?

He considered for a moment all the labor of his life,

His home, this city, the way of life we know so well.
“You cannot overturn a whole city”, he thought, “and even if you could, you should not.”
But as he felt the cool stone he knew, with certainty, that he would begin with his own home.

And thus we arrived, we pilgrims, from one end of the world,

After walking through the byways of the city of Tours,
Into the sanctuary of St. Martin, we descended the steps,
To find Holy Mass about to begin.

We kneeled in that place, and prayed to Almighty God,

All of us, united, for we were not the only ones.
And the plaques of thanksgiving – how many there are!
In French, Latin, German, Polish, from young and old, near and far!

How wonderful God is in His saints,

And how awesome are His works.
St. Martin defend us,
And be our father now and forever!

la Parola 2/2015 | 32
SLEEPING IN CLASSROOM OR A POETRY-ESSAY TO AWAKENED MIND

by anonymous reader

that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come.
- MACBETH, Shakespeare

To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.

- Lao Tzu

I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you
Which shall be the darkness of God. As, in a theatre,
The lights are extinguished, for the scene to be changed
With a hollow rumble of wings, with a movement of darkness on darkness,
And we know that the hills and the trees, the distant panorama
And the bold imposing facade are all being rolled away—
Or as, when an underground train, in the tube, stops too long between stations
And the conversation rises and slowly fades into silence
And you see behind every face the mental emptiness deepen
Leaving only the growing terror of nothing to think about;
- EAST COKER, T.S. Elliot

The Sun moves into the healing and forgiving waters of Pisces on February 18. This new solar
phase is a time when compassion, empathy and forgiveness cleanse the soul. Our hearts are more
open and our defenses are down. We tend to feel more sensitive during this time as Pisces is a
mutable Water sign and often compared to a psychic sponge.
- A local astrologer

For known reasons I thought it would be more looking like Heraclitus pouring out copious
expedient to attempt from my side to protect tears or like a desperate Orpheus with his
my anonymity, but for the sake of truth and courageous attempt to retrieve his wife from
with comprehension of the complete the underworld and his wonderful lyre placed
responsibility that it may require I find it on the skies far away from wicked hands.
necessary that my letter be published and What I try to give in a written form is extremely
presented to the people’s judgement, no difficult to formulate with simple human
matter how severe it may be. At least, the language and I may be deceived by the
Truth doesn’t need any protection. This would whispers of evil daemons who may try to put
cause as much fear as the moment that the wrong words in wrong places, till we finish with
head of the Cheshire Cat would be brought to a mishmash of weird thoughts. However, I’m
the guillotine of the butcher. Yet, thinking over deeply convinced of one thing - my pure and
it repeatedly, I was pacing on the floor all night good intention to share the Truth which is
long thinking of how one can excuse himself in already here, but just needs to be unveiled.
writing this. Where exactly may my action take Yes, this is the most precise principle on which
a safe and peaceful refuge? It is not that I’m I would like to joyfully rely and produce the rest
playing Medea who wants to be helpful in of my letter. It never stops bothering my mind
stealing the Golden Fleece and then chops her what a wise man once uttered “neither cast ye
brother into pieces in order to reach her your pearls before swine”. But at the same
desires. Nor do I have any intentions to imitate time a true sage should not be sad because of
art which itself is an imitation and sometimes the world and its opinions. And a true gnostic
has serious, dishonorable and ugly ambitions has full privilege to remain nameless for the
to take a monopoly over life. All my concern is sake of not being a person who pretends that
rather about being pitifully misunderstood and he knows something, but to be an impersonal
la Parola 2/2015 | 33
voice of the oracle of wise counsel. What I would dare to bother a terribly, terribly old,
write is absolutely not me or mine, nothing is suffering and pining mankind with any
left of my own clothes and foot traces… I will thoughts?! Are there any surprises left in our
simply narrate what was given to me as a gift. chapiteau?! It is not that I’m trying to deny the
Because it was not a long time ago that I fell historical reality of the Holocaust, for which
into a deep scholastic sleep during one of the one will have to pay. But nothing horrible is
evening lectures which turned out to be a very going to happen if one says that God is dead.
unusual experience for my soul, not for my At least, here with lay judges around. But no,
body at all, since it was not corresponding to my argument is not about the Jewish question,
any of my feelings; rather it was a certain bills or atheism. I simply wanted to enjoy the
detachment from my fleshly existence, and the unbelievable lightness of being and provide my
deeper layers of Reality were revealed to humble charity of an intellectual treasure…
me… what a glorious journey towards Because the universal mercy would never
unknown! The wisdom that was given me was abandon the asking hand and crying poverty of
like fresh water from a divine pond and I your souls waiting to be opened when you will
satisfied my thirst like a camel, which has been fall into sleep… and my eyes closed, in spite of
vainly looking for water in the middle of a the dictate of the will to get some intellectual
desert. Or I was a Narcissus, the son of river, good from the accidental process of note
who was attracted to the pool, on the surface taking, and I slowly started to get drawn into
of which he saw himself without knowing my eternal consciousness, like a Buddha
himself and became drawn into himself, going sitting under a tree with closed eyes but so
back to the waters of the beginning, prima awake at the same time. All the ropes and
substantia. Probatur quod prima substantia est chains of my ego were destroyed and I lost my
substantia, quia dicit Aristoteles 'Prima miserable identity, replaced by immediate
substantia est quae proprie et principaliter et knowledge given in clear and self-evident
maxime dicitur substantia', ergo prima propositions, although this term is so limiting,
substantia est substantia... and I found myself where dolphins were human beings and
in the darkness of inner light, and I was led on human beings were dolphins, smell was odour
a heavenly chariot to the subtle instances of a and odour was colour, waters were flowers,
black universe where I read all black letters flowers were birds and birds were clouds,
written on black tablets... Frankly speaking, I where the shiny posture of Virginia Woolf was
must admit that this would be absolutely manifesting calmly and enjoying the stream of
impossible without Kant, one of the most consciousness over Albion and meanwhile the
boring yet sincere philosophers of poor and powerful Aufheben dialectics of continental
abandoned mankind, after whom something Hegel were majestically marching through their
really has changed in all the lecture halls of all spiral, dissolving all terrible and harsh
universities. Yes, the teachers became contradictions of life, moving the avant-garde
noumena, undisclosed thing in itself, so that of historically determined slaves towards the
this high position of delivering a lecture trumpets of a victorious future where the
became split from young learners, and its absolute sun of equality will never fade… My
phenomenological appearance extremely chariot finally arrived at the gates of Truth
limited to our small consumerist worlds, where no propositions were left by the
causing nothing but a sleep, as it happened to magnanimous triumph of the greatly important
me on Fat Tuesday. It seems ironic, but the and deeply empty silence of pure existence
great pessimist and the little pastor were quite filing each moment of the eternal Now. Under
right about official side of academic institutes. I the Tabernacle of the union of love, Above and
know that this sounds like a blasphemy, but I Below became supra-identical… But behold! I
promised on my honour not to hide the truth already revealed too much… But what else
once it was revealed to me. I would never can I do, if even each bush is speaking about
leave a good hope that my noble readers will it… The air was fresh and rich with invigorating
yet accept that what I write is not even one iota ozone when I opened my eyes, it was raining,
harmful after all that the infidel ink of the falling drops of water were renovating the
Nietzsche’s pen disastrously spoiled in the picture of reality… There is no boredom in life
already disappointed mind of mankind, and for widely open eyes... Is someone tired of
now, in 2015, here in Rome, as Lord Byron post-modernism and citations? Is someone
calls it "the mother of dead empires", who listening? …
la Parola 2/2015 | 34
 “A CHRISTMAS CAROL AND A REDEEMED SOUL"

A Christmas skit written by Emilio Agostino PALOPOLI

Ebenezer Scrooge's Room. Lights partially

turned on when Scrooge makes his entrance.
He is mumbling something. EBENEZER SCROOGE

Money, Bread, Moolah, Smackeroos,

Spondulicks.
EBENEZER SCROOGE
Different names for the same stuff… Sinning to
Merry Christmas! Out upon Merry Christmas! get it,

What's Christmas time to you but a time for Sinning to spend it… Drinking, Gambling,
paying
Wenching
bills without money; a time for finding yourself
What more could a man wish to do…
a year older, and not an hour richer....
Besides, it's in manhood to lust for fleshly

pleasures.
Scrooge is approaching his desk, holding two
sacks of money. Lights are directed at his
desk. It is pitch-black all around. After a few
All of a sudden He hears a sound like a crash
steps, Scrooge takes a seat and puts the
of thunder. Before his eyes a woman pops up.
sacks down on the desk with a gloating look.
(Lights are also focused on this figure)

EBENEZER SCROOGE
EBENEZER SCROOGE (Startled)
Fortunately, I have a steady gain from my
Who are you? A ghost or what?
investments…

Human smuggling, drug peddling, pimping,

GUARDIAN ANGEL
embezzlement, to name but a few.
I am your Guardian Angel, Ebenezer.

I have come all the way down to earth to warn

He picks up one of the sacks, unties it, and a that you are going astray.
heap of coins is disgorged.
Take heed and mend your ways....

la Parola 2/2015 | 35
 enjoying money, /silver and gold

EBENEZER SCROOGE (fiercely recovered) But the end/that you/ are gonna face

What are you talking about? (holding a sack in Vanity of Vanities

his hand)
You are Looking Here, You are looking There
Don't you know with these I can also buy a
place in all in pursuit/of happiness

the grave before climbing the Golden you'll be happy/and/ without sorrow
Staircase?
Vanity of Vanities

If now/look in the mirror

GUARDIAN ANGEL
Yo-our face is serene
You're a fool, Ebenezer. Money is just
Surely/do not imagine
apparent good.
what a day/it'll be/ of all your vanity
It makes your pride swell and makes your will
go All Vanity/Just Vanity
towards something which is evil in reality. You Livin' all/with joy and simplicity/
should worry
Be-eing really good/if you can
about piling up treasure in Heaven where no
thief comes near and no moth destroys... All the rest is/Vanity

All Vanity/Just Vanity

This time Ebenezer Scrooge looks despondent Praise the Lord/with Humility/
as if he has grasped the message.
Give Him/All the Love/He deserves/

Nothing More/ You'll ever need/

GUARDIAN ANGEL
Tika/Teiratà/Taka/Teiratà
Listen carefully..
Tatì/Kiteira/Tatì/Kità/

Tika/Teira/tà/Tarì/titàka/
She points her finger towards a dark spot in
the room. All of a sudden that spot is lit up and Tikateira/Tatakà
discloses a chorus of angels who starts to
sing... If now/look in the mirror

Yo-our face is serene

FIRST CHORUS (VANITY OF VANITIES) Surely/Do not imagine

You are Looking Here, You are looking There what a day/it'll be/ of all your vanity

But when/death comes to your door All Vanity/Just Vanity

What will/remain/ of your desires? Livin' all/with joy and simplicity

Vanity of Vanities.. Be-eing really good/ If you can

You're happy with/all the pleasures of yours All the rest is/Vanity

All Vanity/Just vanity

la Parola 2/2015 | 36
Praise the Lord/with Humility EBENEZER SCROOGE

Give Him/All the Love/ He deserves How?

Nothing More/ You'll ever Need.

(CONTINUED) GUARDIAN ANGEL

Come closer, Ebenezer. Hold my Hand. Let's

go
This Time Ebenezer Scrooge is drawn as if in
death throes… The Guardian Angel picks up and
where she left off. (Lights off on the first
chorus. Just focused on Scrooge and His Pay Homage to Jesus, The Only One Who can
Guardian Angel) change

man's life and turn his heart of stone into one

of
GUARDIAN ANGEL
flesh...
Now you have understood you'd better lose
your In this way, eventually you'll grasp the real
meaning
earthly riches so as to be outwardly poor but
of Christmas.
inwardly rich. In Heaven we don't want you to

become a Gentleman of Three Ins: "In Jail,

Ebenezer Scrooge comes up to His Guardian
Indicted And In Danger Of Being Hanged In Angel, and all the room is lit up… There are
two choirs of angels at two sides and just one
Chains…” in the middle. They start singing.

EBENEZER SCROOGE (Visibly Dejected) SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS (J. LENNON)

(As if he had come to his senses) Better than (Solo Singer)
being
So This is Christmas, and What have you
A Gentleman of Three Outs: Without Money, done?
Without Wit and Without Manners. Another Year Over, A new one's just begun

And So This is Christmas, I hope you have fun

GUARDIAN ANGEL (Noticing Scrooge's The Near and The Dear Ones, The Old and
sadness) The
Come to think of it, You might still be a Young
Gentleman
(First Chorus)
of three Ins.
A very merry Christmas and a Happy New
This Time, However, Ingenious, Inspiring, Year
Intrepid... Let's hope it's a good one without any Fear

(Solo Singer + Back-up Second Chorus)

So This is Christmas (Chorus: War is over)

la Parola 2/2015 | 37
For Weak and For Strong (Chorus: If You want So This is Christmas (Chorus: War is Over)
it)
And What have you done? (Chorus: If you
The Rich and The Poor Ones (Chorus: War is want it)
Over)
Another Year over (Chorus: War is Over)
The World is so Young (Chorus: Now)
A New One's just begun (Chorus: Now)
And So Happy Christmas (Chorus: War is
Over) And So Happy Christmas (Chorus: War is
Over)
For Black and For White ( Chorus: If you want
it ) I Hope you have Fun (Chorus: If You want it)

For Yellow and For Red Ones (Chorus: War is The Near and The Dear Ones (Chorus: War is
Over) Over)

Let's Stop all the Fight (Chorus: Now) The Old and The Young (Chorus: Now)

(First Chorus) (First Chorus)

A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New A very merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Year
Let's Hope It's a Good One without any Fear
Let's Hope it's a Good One Without any Fear
(Second Chorus)
(Solo Singer + Back-up Second Chorus)
War Is Over, If You Want It, War Is Over
Now....

THE END

Presentation of all the cast with music in the background: George Solti’s. Rendition of Beethoven's
Ninth Symphony - “Ode to joy”.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Saint Augustine, City Of God, London: Penguin Books, 2003

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, London: Collins Classics, 2013

Professor G. Morris, Notes on Rational Psychology, Rome: Mater Ecclesiae, 2013

Adam Jacot De Boinod, The Wonder Of Whiffling, London: Penguin Books, 2009

la Parola 2/2015 | 38
 “San Giuseppe ha lo sguardo
così dolce, ma… io preferisco
mangiargli la barba!”

Ricetta di Laura SAPIENZA, Mater

Ecclesiae

La barba di S. Giuseppe

Prendere una pentola e versare l’acqua.

Quando bolle, aggiungere i capelli d’angelo e lasciar cuocere

secondo i minuti indicati.

Dopo averli scolati, adagiare su un piatto piano e lasciar

riposare per alcuni minuti, finché non assumono un aspetto
colloso (simile a un disco).

I capelli d’angelo Prendere una padella, friggere nell’olio i capelli d’angelo.

Asciugare con carta assorbente su entrambi i lati per togliere

l’olio in eccesso.

Disporre su un piatto piano, versare del miele caldo sui capelli d’angelo e aggiungere una
spolverata di cannella.

Il piatto è servito!

Buon appetito!

la Parola 2/2015 | 39
 CULTURA VIETNAMITA: LA TORTA E IL PIATTO DI RISO DEL GIOVEDÌ
SANTO

Suor Teresina NGUYEN Thi Tu Trinh, O.P., Diritto canonico

Come vuole la tradizione della Chiesa cattolica, anche in Vietnam il Giovedì Santo si celebra il
rituale della lavanda dei piedi. Questo rito liturgico è molto sentito dai fedeli ed è preparato con
grande cura.

In alcune diocesi, dopo la Messa, a ciascuno di coloro che

rappresentano i dodici apostoli si dona una torta (bánh dầy)
oppure un piatto di riso (đĩa xôi), da portare a casa e condividere
con tutta la famiglia. Tale gesto non proviene dal rito ufficiale della
Chiesa universale, ma dalla lunga tradizione che si osserva in
alcune diocesi del Vietnam del Nord.

La Pasqua nell’Antico Testamento è memoria della liberazione del

popolo d’Israele dalla schiavitù
d’Egitto. Durante questa festa, gli ebrei avevano l'abitudine di
mangiare agnello arrostito e pane azzimo. Gesù aveva mantenuto
questa tradizione e l’aveva celebrata dopo aver lavato i piedi dei
suoi discepoli. E oggi, quando ripetiamo quest’azione, possiamo
vederla così: il parroco rappresenta Gesù e i 12 fedeli sono gli
apostoli.

Per rappresentare l’Agnello Pasquale, in parrocchia si prepara

un agnello fatto di riso, poi lo si copre con la carta da forno e
alla carta si attacca un tipo di cotone che rievoca il pelo
d’agnello. Il pomeriggio del Giovedì Santo, l’agnello viene
adagiato su un tavolo dopo il rituale della lavanda dei piedi, e il
sacerdote accende un fuoco per bruciarlo.

Inoltre, si frigge un agnello, lo si divide per i 12 fedeli che hanno

rappresentato gli apostoli. Ognuno ha un piatto di riso con la
carne d’agnello fritta, che porta a casa per fare un po’ di festa. Coloro che rappresentano gli
apostoli il Giovedì Santo vivono questo momento con grande
gioia, dato che si tratta di un vero onore per la propria famiglia.
Di solito, queste 12 persone vengono scelte attentamente da chi
lavora in parrocchia, ovvero i referenti della regione che, dopo la
cerimonia, festeggiano insieme ai parenti.

Se in alcune parrocchie non hanno la possibilità di fare un

agnello di riso, possono sostituirlo con delle torte. Queste torte
sono realizzate con un tipo di riso colloso, disposto in un
cerchio, e poi si coprono con una foglia di banana. Subito dopo

la Parola 2/2015 | 40
la lavanda dei piedi, il sacerdote consegna una torta ad ogni “apostolo”. Questi la porta con gioia a
casa per condividerla con tutti i membri della sua famiglia.

Questa usanza si è mantenuta fino ad oggi per dimostrare che i cattolici vietnamiti onorano la
tradizione della Chiesa, e in particolare per riproporre il gesto di Gesù alla vigilia della Sua
passione.

Lenten meditations

Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten
toward the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning.

– St. Clement of Rome

Nessuno può conoscere se stesso, se non è tentato, né può essere coronato senza aver
vinto, né può vincere senza combattere; ma il combattimento suppone un nemico, una
prova.

– Sant’Agostino

Quando autem opportunius, dilectissimi, ad remedia divina decurrimus, quam cum ipsa
nobis sacramenta redemptionis nostrae temporum lege referuntur?

– Sanctus Leo Magnus

la Parola 2/2015 | 41
LA VIGNETTA: GLI ESAMI

Roberta CONGIA, Diritto Canonico

la Parola 2/2015 | 42