Monsignor D’Alise, the gentle parish priest of Caserta who received the Pope twice in three days

He will remain in history as the bishop he received twice in three days French Pope in his diocese of Caserta. Mgr Giovanni D’Alise, died at 72heart attack while hospitalized for contracting coronavirus, in 2014 he found himself the protagonist of a baby papal yellow. Bergoglio had been elected pontificate for just over a year and still did not know how to juggle between the protocols of the Pope’s visits to Italy. In July 2014, Francesco had decided to spend a day in Caserta with his evangelical pastor friend. Giovanni traettino. Private visit to also meet the faithful of that community. All without going through the bishop and the Catholics of the diocese. But there was another aggravating circumstance. The date chosen by the Pope was July 26, feast of Sant’Anna, patron saint of Caserta. How did Francis get to that diocese on the day of the patronal feast and completely snub the catholic community to go only to evangelicals? He was then a substitute for the Secretary of State and current cardinal Angelo Becciu make the Pope retrace his steps, but above all a avoid diplomatic incident with the bishop and the faithful of Caserta.

The solution was soon found: Bergoglio would go to Caserta twice in three days. On July 26 on the occasion of the patronal feast of Sant’Anna, mass celebration in the square in front of the palace with the Catholics. And then he would return to the city two days later for a private visit to Traeittino and the evangelicals. When he met with the priests of the diocese, before celebrating the Mass of Santa Ana, it was the Pope himself who revealed what happened: “I am happy and I feel a little guilty for having combined so many problems on the day of the patronal feast. But I didn’t know. And when I called the bishop to tell him I wanted to come get one private visitHere, to a friend, Pastor Traettino, he told me: ‘Ah, just on the day of the patronal feast!’ And immediately I thought: ‘The next day there will be in the newspapers: on the patronal feast of Caserta the Pope went to the Protestants.’ Nice title, huh? And that’s how we solved it, a bit quickly, but the bishop helped me a lot, and also the people from the Secretary of State. I said to the understudy when I called him: ‘But please take the rope off my neck.’ And he did well ”.

That papal visit was a beautiful baptism for D’Alise’s episcopate in Caserta. The prelate, in fact, had been appointed by Francis to head the Campania diocese on March 21, 2014 and took possession of it on the following May 18, just over two months before the sudden arrival of the Pope. “Church of Caserta, mia nuova ‘married and my new family – said D’Alise in thehomily the beginning of your episcopate – I wish you to be more and more ‘light’ to unhinge the dark! “And he added:” Dear brothers and children, dear friends, even non-believers, I have no programs to expose. I only wish that more and more the fundamental lines that are imprinted on my heart and yours Jesus gave us, through apostles, constituting the Church and making us, who adhere to it, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people that God has acquired to announce the admirable works of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” And we would like to stand united in its ‘wonderful light’. From here springs all the pastoral work of the Church, ‘interpreting’ today’s history, so that more and more ‘light’ and, with our contribution, darkness, which is so many, persistent and enters everywhere, even in the ‘sanctuary’ ”.

A meek and good shepherd as his confreres remember, particularly those from Campania who have collaborated with him since 2004, when he was appointed Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, its clergy and its faithful. Always busy on the front line, but never looking for the spotlight. Close to his priests and his people. A bishop capable of listening to those who asked for help, but also of simple advice. He repeated to his people: “The spiritual and pastoral ‘work’ to which the Church of Caserta is called is: ‘to know’ Jesus. A knowledge that is not only intellectual, but an experiential and vital ‘spring’ knowledge that also pushes us to action “in favor of the brothers, in the ecclesial community and in civil life.”

From these relationships with the other institutions of his diocese, D’Alise had always promoted in a fruitful dialogue spirit tending exclusively to common benefit, respecting their roles. His six years as episcopate in Caserta will surely leave their mark in the future as well and it will be a legacy that Bergoglio’s chosen successor must now enhance and keep alive.

@FrancescoGrana

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