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Greater Love Has No One Than This….
Father Giuseppi Berardelli died in Italy from the Coronavirus. He was a Catholic priest. To the world, he was an average victim; that is, a senior citizen of around seven decades old, or 72 as they say in normal tongue. But there was nothing normal about this man.
Fr. Berardelli contracted the Coronavirus this month and was severely stricken by it. His parishioners saved up and bought a ventilator for him to aid his recovery. In an extraordinary act of self-sacrifice, the padre asked that his ventilator be given to a younger man in the hospital other than him. He did so knowing he could pay the ultimate price for it.
Sadly he did. But he died like a true shepherd and priest. Can you say a prayer for him? I have no words for how this makes me feel. Other than tears and admiration. One thought does echo in my mind “Greater love has no one than this, that one would lay down his life for friends….”
UPDATE: There is some speculation the above MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED. Two accounts say there was no ventilator swapping at all. If not accurate I’m sorry. RIP padre.
Published in General
Good man. Thanks, Paddy.
According to some sources, he gave away the ventilator simply because he could not tolerate it:
I think God knows what the priest sacrificed or did not. Either way, his parishioners loved him, and he is dead. It is good to remember that people are not numbers but souls.
Our parish had 24/7 eucharistic adoration until today. A county judge issued an order that distinguishes between essential and non-essential services, ironically allowing walks through parks but closing churches even for such “social distance” activities as praying apart within one building.
Only a Catholic could understand how very different praying from home is, even when praying apart. But the Lord knows we wish to be with Him.
Did this same judge sanction Planned Parenthood as well?
Or even strangers. My prayers go out to this man . . .
For such a one as this, it seems more fitting to use the old, non-inclusive language. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Suggestion: obtain a laptop with a webcam and some speakers. Place it in the sacristy. Have people skype in to the laptop, and their prayers would resound inside the church. Obviously not the best solution, but it might better than the current situation.