Joseph Puglisi

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Blessed Giuseppe Puglisi, priest in Palermo, martyr of the mafia

The liturgical memorial has been set, as per the Apostolic Letter, for 21 October, the anniversary of Baptismo by Father Puglisi. It was not possible, in fact, to choose the date of 15 September, the day of the martyrdom and birthday of the Palermo priest, since the Church celebrates, on that occasion, the memory of the Virgin of Sorrows.

Birth

Giuseppe Puglisi, known as Pino Puglisi or “3P” (Father Pino Puglisi), the third of four children of Carmelo, a shoemaker, and Giuseppa Fana, a seamstress, was born in the Palermo village of Brancaccio, on 15 September 1937; receives Baptism on October 21st.

Seminary

In 1953, at the age of 16, he entered the diocesan seminary of Palermo in 1953; he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Ernesto Ruffini on 2 July 1960 in the church-sanctuary of the Madonna dei Rimedi.
In 1961 he was appointed vicar cooperator at the parish of the SS.mo Salvatore in the village of Settecannoli, adjacent to Brancaccio; since 27 November 1964 he has also been working in the nearby church of San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi in Romagnolo.

Since 1962 he has also been confessor of the Basilian nuns Daughters of Santa Macrina in the institute of the same name.
He also began teaching: at the professional Einaudi (from 1962 to '66) at the Archimede middle school (63-64 and 66-72), at the Villafrati middle school (70-75) and at the separate Godrano section (75-77), at the master's school Santa Macrina (76-79) and finally at the Vittorio Emanuele II classical high school (78-93).

In 1967 he was appointed chaplain at the institute for orphans "Roosevelt” in Addaura and vicar at the parish of Maria Santissima Assunta in Valdesi.
In 1969 he was appointed vice-rector of the minor archiepiscopal seminary. In September of that year he took part in a mission in the town of Montevago, hit by the earthquake.

Since these early years he has particularly followed young people and was interested in the social problems of the most marginalized neighborhoods of the city.
He carefully follows the work of the Second Vatican Council and immediately disseminates its documents among the faithful, with special attention to the renewal of the liturgy, the role of the laity, the values ​​of ecumenism and local churches. His desire was always to embody the announcement of Jesus Christ in the territory, thus taking on all the problems to make them their own for the Christian community.

On 1 October 1970 he was appointed parish priest of Godrano, a small town in the province of Palermo - marked by a bloody feud - where he remained until 31 July 1978, managing to reconcile families torn apart by violence with the strength of forgiveness.

During this period he also joined forces with Lia Cerrito and other volunteers from the movementGospel Crusade(since 1987Presence of the Gospel), founded by the Sicilian friar minor Placido Rivilli.
In recent years he has also followed the social battles of another degraded area on the eastern outskirts of the city, the "Unloader“, in collaboration with the center in the Decollate area managed by missionary social workers, including Agostina Ajello.

On 9 August 1978 he was appointed pro-rector of the minor seminary of Palermo and on 24 November of the following year he was chosen by Archbishop Salvatore Pappalardo as director of the diocesan vocations centre.

On 24 October 1980 he was appointed regional deputy delegate of the Vocations Center and since 5 February 1986 he has been director of the Regional Vocations Center and member of the National Council.

He passionately dedicated many years to the students and young people of the Diocesan Vocations Centre, creating, through a series ofschool camps“, an exemplary training path from a pedagogical and Christian point of view.
In Palermo and Sicily he was among the leaders of numerous movements including:Presence of the Gospel,Catholic Action,Fugi,Teams Notre Dame,Walk together.

Since May 1990 he has also carried out his priestly ministry at the "Casa Madonna dell'Accoglienza” in Boccadifalco, of the Opera pia Cardinale Ruffini, in favor of young women and single mothers in difficulty.

Parish priest in Brancaccio

On 29 September 1990 he was appointed parish priest of San Gaetano, in Brancaccio, and from October 1992 he also took on the role of spiritual director of the preparatory course at the archiepiscopal seminary of Palermo.
On 29 January 1993 the “Our father“, which becomes the point of reference for young people and families in the neighborhood. In this period he was also helped by a group of nuns, including Sister Carolina Iavazzo, and by the assistant parish priest, Gregorio Porcaro. He collaborates with the lay people of the area of ​​the Intercondominium Association to claim the civil rights of the village, denouncing collusion and malfeasance and suffering threats and intimidation.

The murder

He was killed by Cosa Nostra outside his house, in Piazzale Anita Garibaldi 5, on his 56th birthday: 15 September 1993.
His pastoral activity, as has also been reconstructed by judicial investigations, constituted the motive for the murder, whose perpetrators and mafia instigators were arrested and sentenced with final sentences.

Don Pino Puglisi, the first mafia martyr of the Palermo Church, was beatified on 25 May 2013 in Palermo – Renzo Barbera Stadium – in the presence of 80,000 people. The rite was presided over by Card. Archbishop of Palermo, Paolo Romeo, with Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, envoy of Pope Francis.

"Don Pino's smile, were the words of the card. Archbishop of Palermo, Paolo Romeo, unites us all during the homily” “The Church recognizes in her life, sealed by martyrdom in odium fidei, a model to imitate in all her choices”.

A strong homily from Card. Romeo, in which the word mafia was echoed several times, in which the archbishop directly pointed the finger at his gangs.

"Let me remember today - among others - the magistrates Rosario Levatino, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino... How can we forget the sacrifice of so many people of good will!".
Cardinal Romeo then delivered the very harsh words to those presentSt. John Paul II pronounced in 1993 from the Valley of the Temples: “In the name of Christ, of this crucified and risen Christ, of this Christ who is the Way, Truth and Life I say to those in charge, convert! One day God's judgment will come! Blessed martyr Joseph, your blood will continue to fertilize this Church!".

For biographical insights: Father Pino Puglisi

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