THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

by Lucetta Scaraffia, Mons. Renato Boccardo

production Spoleto57 Festival dei 2Mondi and Archidiocesi Spoleto-Norcia

and the patronage of the Pontificio Collegio per la Promozione della Nuova Evangelizzazione

program

Mons. Rino Fisichella Wisdom

The pleasant, unique experience of the sermons at the Festival of Spoleto will be resumed again this year. The sermons in the church of San Domenico – a successful initiative that is now in its third year - have permitted a way of approaching strictly spiritual issues. At the beginning we started from the seven deadly sins, interpreted by the preachers as obstacles to the successful fulfillment of human beings, to then move on to the spiritual works of mercy, a set of forgotten suggestions that are instead precious for a genuine maintenance of human relationships.

Therefore this year - after exposing the vices and after indicating the way to improve our relationship with our neighbor in the perspective and in the light of Christian love - we come to a positive accomplishment: the preachers chosen will in fact present and propose the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (in Hebrew , ruah ha- kodesh). According to Christian tradition, they can be regarded as the means through which divine grace, sent to human beings mysteriously, helps women and men of all times and ages make progress and advance in their spiritual life . These are the seven gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord. Taken individually and together, the outcome is an increase of spiritual awareness for each person who receives and welcomes them with humility and love.

Then, since in the earliest Christian writings the Holy Spirit has been usually referred to as "the comforter" (in Greek, ho paràkletos), we can deduce that the growth of knowledge – intended as a form of awareness of the meaning of life, together with piety and humility, and in turn interpreted as fear of God – constitutes a gift of consolation for human beings. Indeed, the gift par excellence, the only one that can help us overcome the afflictions that life entails.

Thus, the sermons this year will help us discover these seven gifts and welcome them into our lives, keeping in mind that God’s intervention is never predictable and indeed always amazes us. Because, as Benedict XVI wrote, "where it barges in, the Holy Spirit always upsets the plans of men".

Born in Codogno (Lodi) on August 25, 1951. Ordained a priest for the diocese of Rome on March 13, 1976 and Auxiliary Bishop of Rome in 1998. In 1980, he received a doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he taught "Fundamental Theology" from 1981 to 2001. He is a visiting professor at several Italian and foreign universities. From 2002 to 2010 he was Rector of the Pontifical Lateran University. From 2008 to 2010 he was President of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Since June 30, 2010, he has been President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. He is also a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses. He is considered to be among the most influential Italian theologians at an international level. At the moment he is the author and curator of twenty-five books translated into several languages, and numerous articles for scientific and international journals. He has held conferences in several European countries (Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Hungary) and in Brazil, the Philippines, Turkey, India, Korea, Taiwan, Colombia. In 2005 he received the Gold Medal for Culture from the President of the Italian Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

Born in France in 1959, a Dominican of the Roman Congregation of St. Dominic. She got a degree in Psychology and Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the "Institut Catholique" in Paris, and then obtained her doctorate in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where she teaches Sacramentary and Spiritual Theology, as well as at the Institute of Theology of Consecrated Life. She collaborates with the Vatican Radio for various broadcasts of spirituality. She has written books on spiritual anthropology translated into several languages.

Cettina Militello is a Doctor of Philosophy (University of Palermo, 1968) and Theology (Pontificate Gregorian University, 1979). Former professor at the Theological Faculty of Sicily, she is extraordinary professor of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute (Rome). Currently she also teaches at the "Marianum" and "Teresianum". Former president of the Italian Society for Theological Research (SIRT), she is currently director of the Institute Costanza Scelfo for problems of lay men and women in the Church (Department of SIRT) and teaches "Woman and Christianity" at the Pontifical Theological Marianum Faculty. Her disciplinary interests are directed towards Mariology, ecclesiology (and connected topics: laity, religious life, ecumenism, issue of women) rapport ecclesiology-liturgy (and within this, the rapport between ecclesiology architecture and liturgy). Several books published, her own or curated by her. More than 250 scientific articles. Among recent publications: La Chiesa. Il corpo crismato, EDB, Bologna 2013 (reprint); Donne e teologia: bilancio di un secolo, EDB, Bologna 2004; La casa del popolo di Dio. Modelli ecclesiologici modelli architettonici, EDB, Bologna 2006; Il Vaticano II e l’interpretazione della donne, EDB, Bologna 2007, Volti e storie, Effata, Cantalupa (TO) 2009; Il sogno del Vaticano II, EDB, Bologna 2010; Virtù e Vizi, San Paolo, Cinisello B. 2012; Le opere di misericordia, San Paolo, Cinisello B. 2012.

Alessandro Barban was born in Ferrara. He studied at the University of Bologna and graduated from the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy in Contemporary History. He has been a Camaldolese monk since 1984. He was elected Prior General of the Camaldolese Congregation of the St. Benedict Order in 2011. Having concluded his theological studies first at the Pontifical University of St. Anselm and then at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he taught systematic theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum St. Anselm, where he was coordinator of the Master in Theology dogmatic-sacramentary. He was Prior of the Hermitage of Fonte Avellana from 1997-2011. Currently, he lives at the Sacred Hermitage of Camaldoli. He has published La fede pregata (Paoline 1997), and has curated with J. Wong, Come acqua di sorgente (EDB 2005), and Il Primato dell’amore (La Cittadella 2010). His last publication is Hetty Hillesum - Osare Dio, (Cittadella 2012).

Bishop Gualtiero Bassetti was born on April 7, 1942 in Popolano di Marradi in the province of Florence. After compulsory school he entered the Archiepiscopal Seminary of Florence for priesthood training, attending high school at first and then philosophical and theological studies. Ordained a presbyter on June 29, 1966 by Cardinal Ermenegildo Florit, he was immediately appointed vice parish priest at San Salvi. He then lent service at the Minor Seminary, starting from 1968, as an assistant and responsible for the vocational pastoral and, since 1972, as dean. In 1979, Cardinal Giovanni Benelli appointed him dean of the Major Seminary. In 1990 he became pro-vicar general of the Archdiocese of Florence and in 1992 vicar general. On July 3, 1994 he was elected Bishop of Massa Marittima-Piombino; received episcopal consecration on September 8 of the same year from the Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli. On November 21, 1998 he was transferred to the Episcopal seat of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro, where he entered on February 6, 1999. On July 16, 2009, the Holy Father Benedict XVI promoted him to the metropolitan Archiepiscopal seat of Perugia-Città della Pieve, where he made a solemn entry on October 4 of the same year. On June 29, 2010 he received the pallium in St. Peter´s Basilica in the Vatican. During the Assembly of the CEI in November 2009 he was elected vice president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. On October 5, 2012 he was elected president of the Umbrian Episcopal Conference. He is a member of the Congregation for Bishops and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of February 22, 2014.

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, in the order of Minor Capuchin Friars, was born in Colli del Tronto (AP) on July 22, 1934. Ordained a priest in 1958, he graduated in Theology at Fribourg, Switzerland, and in Classical Literature at the Catholic University of Milan. Former professor of History of Christian origins and Director of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, he was a member of the International Theological Commission from 1975 to 1981, and for twelve years, a member of the Catholic delegation for the dialogue with the Pentecostal Churches. In 1979 he left teaching to devote himself full time to the ministry of the Word. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II Preacher to the Papal Household in 1980 and confirmed in this position by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. In this role, each week in Advent and Lent, he articulates a reflection in the presence of the Pope, the cardinals, bishops, prelates and the general superiors of religious orders. He is called to speak in many countries around the world, often from brethren of other Christian denominations. He received an Honorary Degree in Law from the University of Notre Dame of South Bend (Indiana), in Communication Sciences from the University of Macerata and in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio). Besides the scientific books written as historian of Christian Origins, the Christology of the Fathers, Easter in the early Church and other topics, he has published numerous other books on spirituality, the result of his preaching at the Papal Household, translated into twenty languages. From 1994 to 2009, every Saturday evening on Rai Uno he held a feature section on the explanation of the Sunday Gospel "The reasons for hope". Since 2009, when not engaged in preaching to the Papal Household and in other parts of the world, he lives in the Eremo dell’Amore Misericordioso of Cittaducale (RI), lending his priestly service to a small community of cloistered nuns. On July 18, 2013 he was confirmed by Pope Francis in the office of Preacher to the Pontifical Household.

Born in S. Ambrogio of Turin on December 21, 1952 and ordained a priest on June 25, 1977. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1982, lends his work in the Apostolic Nunciature of Bolivia, Cameroon and France. He was appointed Head of Youth Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity on July 22, 1992. In this role he coordinates, among other things, the organization and celebration of World Youth Day in Denver (1993), Manila (1995), Paris (1997) and Rome (2000), as well as the European Youth Pilgrimage to Loreto (1995). Appointed Chief of Protocol of the Secretary of State with special responsibilities on February 11, 2001 (responsible for the organization of apostolic journeys of the Supreme Pontiff). Appointed Titular Bishop of Acquapendente and Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications on November 29, 2003. Appointed Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City on February 22, 2005. Promoted to Archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia on July 16, 2009.