4&noIitc
U. S. POSTAGE
TI'IESSEl{GER
V o l .X V l l - N o . I
ThePriest,TheBornobite,Thephysicion
(Note: This is an acceptancespeech b-r-
I)r. Jennie Werst of Bethlehem, pa.. on
the occasion of her Affiliation to the
Barnabite Order).
Dear Fathers, Sisters,Ladies and
(ientlemen:
I am fully cognizant of the special
honor you confer on me todav. How
wonderfulit is to be standinglere ln ttris
beautiful Basilica dedicated to our
BlessedMother.How wonderfulit is also,
to be thought of as Mother of the Bar-
nabite Order here in youngstown.
I feel the life work of priest and
physicianis so similar. There are three
words I shall dwell on to explain why I
think so. First the word physician: It
comesfrom the Latin Profiteri, meaning
to declarealoud.To make public avowal.
That avowal is to heal. A priest healsthe
troubled mind of the repenlant, and the
I O 2 3S W A N N
R O A DY
, O U N G S T O WNN. Y
, .I4I74
minds of the scrupulouswho think they
are always in sin. That person needs
consolationand communication, so he
seeks out his favorite priest whom he
thinks is very understanding.The priest,
after much listening, prescribes his
medicationcalled "absolution" and the
repentantleavesin a stateof grace.What
a wonderful gift only a priest can give
through Christ.
The next word is patient. The Latin
root being Patior-pati, meaning to
suffer, to bear something. It was first
used by Chaucer in the medical world.
The patient goes to his pastor to be
relievedof his anxieties,worries, fears.
doubtsand other neurosesfrom which he
is suffering.He is listenedto patiently for
long periods of time. Then the priest
gives him advice just as a good parent
gives his child advice. The physician
doesn'tusually hear about the emotional
NON-PIOFITORG
PAID
Permil No. 23
Youngtlown, N. Y.
MARCH I979
Fr.GronciniMeefs
PopeJohnPoulil
llis lloliness Pope John paul II
recently granted an audience to
the Major Superior3 of Religious
Orders of Men. The Holy Father
inquired about The Barnabite
I.athers and their work as he met
uith the Most Rev. Steven M.
Grancini, Superior General of the
Rarnabites. Father Grancini is
the first American elected to the
office of Superior General.
turmoil the ill one is suffering from.
Therefore, he doesn't get to treat the
whole person.As a woman physician of
43 years and having g0 percent of my
patients women, I heard more con-
fessionsthan many priests. They com-
municatedeasier with one of their own.
The patient is a petitioner, a human in
distress,mentally and-or physically. He
is not a client. The word client is a
polution of the word cliens and it has a
lineage back to Roman times when the
(Continued on paee4)
Fr.PETERBONARDT
r934-1979
p g s . 2& 3
Page2 BARNABITE
MESSENGER M A R C HI 9 7 9

ln MemsTisrn-
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Fr.PeterM. Bonordi,C.R.S.P.
Religious-Teoche r- Postor
Jon.3,| 934-Morch 16,1979
Fr. Peter M. Bonardi died of cancer in University and obtained a Master's
Mount St. Mary's Hospilal,near Niagara Degreein American History in 1961.His
Falls, N.Y. after a long year of silent thesisdealt with the Founderof the Forty
suffering and deep prayer in the ac- Hours Devotion: St. Anthonv M. Zac-
ceptanceof the WilI of God. He was the caria.
superiorof the Barnabite Community at
After eight years of enthusiastic
Our Lady of Fatima Shrine until his
teaching and sport activities with the
resignationlast year. I.'R. PBTER M. BONARDI CRSP
high school students, Fr. Bonardi was
Born in Brignano, near Bergamo, the
appointedsuperior of a new Barnabite
hometown of Pope John XXXII, Fr.
Bonardi grew up near the famed Shrine
Communityin San Diego, Cal. He was
pastorof Our Lady of the Rosary Church
TheFinolHours
of Our Lady of Caravaggio.He always
for two years until his transfer to
felt indebtedto the BlessedMother for a
Bethlehem, Pa., where he taught at
Of Fr.Bonordi
miraculons cure which saved his life.
Bethlehem Catholic High School. He
He entered the Barnabite Minor ( Note: The following remarks are
gave courses in theology and social
Seminary in lg46 in Cremona, the taken from a long letter of nurse Janet
studies, while serving as cross country
hometown of the founder of the Bar- l,igammari, who along with nurse
coach, from l97l to f976.
nabites: St. Anthony M. Zaccaria. After Norma Battaglia, volunteered many off-
completing his novitiate in the city of After a brief period in his native Italy
duty hours to assist F-r. Bonardi until his
Manza, and his classical and due to the illrrcss of his mother, Fr.
very end. The Barnabite Fathers are
philosophicalstudies in Lodi, he began Bonardi returned to the United States
greatly indebted to these two nurses and
his theologicalstudies in Rome. In t9b6 and was appointed superior of the
to the ,\ngelic Sisters for their concern
he was assignedto the United Statesto Barnabite Community at Our Lady of
and help.)
staff a future high school.He completed Fatima Shrine,nearNiagaraFalls, N.Y.
his theologicalstudies at Our Lady of Fr. Bonardi was an obedientreligious I enjoyed doing anything for Fr.
AngelsSeminary (Niagara University) priest, dedicatedto prayer, and tb new Bonardi. The real thanks belong to his
and was ordained to the priesthood in forms of bringing the love of God to man. mother, the 'Signora Maria,' to the
1959. His devotion to the BlessedMother, to community(of the BarnabiteFathers),
Whileteachingat BishopGibbonshigh prayer groups,and to life will remain and to his many friends. You are the
school in North Tonawanda.N.Y.. he imprinted in the soulsof thosewho knew peoplewho really helpedhim throughhis
pursued graduate studies at Niagara and loved him. ( C o n t i n u c t l o n P a e . e3 )

A Life Dedicoted to Youth

CHESS COACH
PEP RALLY CI,ASS LITURGY
 M A R C HI 9 7 9
The FinolHours
Of Fr.Bonordi
(continuedfrom Page2)
illness.His knowinghow much all of you
cared and loved him, was the best sup-
port and help he couldpossiblyhaveever
received. Medicines can only ease the
pain,but the peoplewho stayedwith him,
or called and had him in their prayers,
helpedhim to accepthis illnessand make
the suffering bearable.
I tried to be a friend, more than a
nurse, because I knew how much he
cherishedhis friends. I only knew Fr.
Bonardi for a short time, but he had a
strong effect on my life. He was a very
strong, independentand brave person.
He never complained or asked for
anything.
Insteadof talking, he would sometimes
call me and ask me to sit with him for a
while and hold his hand. I think that at
times like these, he just needed to be
reassuredthat he was not alone. During
his last night, whenhe was feeling alone,
Fr. Ruzza (the provincial superior)
would remind him that we were all with
him and that he was not alone. Fr.
Bonardianswered,"I know there are six
of us-you (Fr. Ruzza), mama, David
(Wilson,a Barnabitepostulant),Janet,
myself, and (pointing to the crucifix)
Jesus! "
Fr. Bonardi was a strong willed per-
son,and he loved life. He talked with us
most of his last night. He was getting
medicationfor pain every half hour and
yet he was still coherent.
Fr. Bonarditaughtme a great deal and
I feel he did more for me than I did for
him. He always gave and never took.
INFORNIAI, PRAYER MEETING
B A R N A B I TM
EESSENGER Page3
Even when peoplewould come to visit
him, he would try to make them feel
good.
I feel that when Fr. Bonardi did die, he
had fully acceptedhis death. The night
before he died (Feb. 15. '79). he would
start to fall asleep,but then suddenlyhe
would sit up. It was as though he were
afraid that he would not awake. It is
normal to be afraid to die; but on the
morning of the l6th he said: "I will be
silent now,and God'swill be done." This
is when I feel he totally accepted
everythingand only then could he truly
die at peace with himself. Then he said
good-byeto eachof us, got relaxedin bed,
had a smile on his face and slippedinto a
coma. He no longer respondedto us, but TIIEOI,OGY TEACIIER
he was at peace with himself and with
I
God. Fr. Bonardi had said to nurse
Norma Battaglia, "Death will never
seperateus. I will pray for you, and you
will pray for me." I truly believe Fr,
Bonardi is always with me as I know he
will be alwavs with vou.
Fund
Scholorship
A ScholarshipFund will be established
to perpetuatethe memory of Fr. peter
M. Bonardi.This scholarshipwill benefit
a future Barnabite Seminarian.Anyone
interestedshould send donationsto:
Very Rev.l'r. Provincial
St. Anthony M. Zaccaria Seminary, SCIIOOI, I,ITURGY
Fatima Shrine,Youngstown,N.Y. l4t74
*fi trF'ithHfi,s4L'&l rxLrr*t\.
Ft{s}{$*H*sL
$iNtWm
CROSS COUNTRY COACH
Page c MESSENGER
BARNABITE | ' 1 A R C H1 9 7 9

Newsof fhe Order

Michael M. Mancusi, CRSP. was
lecently ordained a deacon in Rome,
Italy, by BishopPlacidoM. Cambiaghiof
the Barnabite Fathers. In the picture
rbove, Rev. Mr. Mancusi is giving Holy
(lommunion to the Superior General of
the Barnabites,Most. Rev. Fr. StevenM.
Grancini. Rev. Mr. Mancusi will be or-
dainedto the Holy Priethood on July 6 at
Our Lady of Fatima Shrine,Youngstown,
\Y.
Very Rev. Fr. Frank' M. Rrryza,
Provincial of the Barnabites in Nlrth
America, attended a meeting in
Bruxelles,Belgium, of all the Barnabite
Provincials.eNew ideas and directirAs
were planned, especially in the field of
.'ocationrecruiting and missionarywork
rn Zaire (Congo).
Richard Kammerer, third year
theology student, will be ordained a
deaconon May 19 in Allentown, Pa. He
recently receivedthe Master of Divinity
degree from Mary Immaculate
Seminary, Northampton,Pa.
l-r. Ferdinand M. Capra, a Barnabite
Missionary. returned to our missions
after completinghis study of English.He
was assignedto the community of Belem
do Para, Brazil
ThePriest-
The Bornabits-
fhe Phlscion
(Continuedfrom Page l)
client paid certain homage and per-
formed servicesto his Lord in return for
his protection.Today, the word client is
appearing more and more with
distressing frequency in the medical
world. Client is a customerand it has no
place in the medical world, be it priest,
physician or the ordinary physician.
The third word is sucha beautifulone-
Compassion;its meaningsare so varied.
It is a derivation of the same root Patior-
Pati or patient. It means literally to
suffer with, to share,to removeanother's
distressand to be movedby the desire to
relieve that distress.It meansto feel the
situation of the burden of the person. It
means to heal the miseries that are
torturing him and to feel as much as
possiblehis state of being. We can rrcver
wholly enter into the state of being of
anotherhuman. but we must strive with
all our might to feel it to the fullest extent
that our own sensibilitieswill allow. It is
our failure to feel along with the patient,
that leadsto the complaintof humiliation
we hear so oftentoday,aboutour religion
and medicine.
In the words of the great philosopher,
Thomas Mann, "All studies rest finally
on the reverence for the mystery of
man," and may I add "Whom God has
created."
And so, as Martin Luther King and his
followerssay so lustily, "What the world
needsnow is love, sweetlove." Let's all
handit out. It doesn'tcosta cent.May the
goodLord showerhis blessingsupon you
dear Fathers, I can never thank you
enoughfor the concerngiven me when I
neededthe help of God so desperately.
Wes,my late husband,is looking down
at us today and saying, "Thank you
Fathers, you all have truly been our
sons."
As for me, how proud I would have
been,had I really borne you all. I give
you my love. The love of a mother.
The Ilarnabite Messengeris published
by the Barnabite Community in
Bethlehem,Pa. Editor: Fr. Louis M.
Solcia,CRSP.

The affiliation to the Order of the Barnabites, the

highest recognition bestowed on our closest
cooperators,was given by the Most ReverendSteven
M. Grancinion Nov. 4, 1978to Dr. JennieWerst (left)
and Mrs. Isabell Andersonfor their outstandingcon-
tribution and assistanceto the two Barnabite Com-
munitiesin Bethlehem,Pa. and Youngstown,N.Y.

The documentswere officially read during a con-

celebratedMass on Dec..27,1978 in the Chapelof the
Barnabite Fathers' Seminary in Youngstown,N.Y.
The Provincial Councilmembersof the Youngstown
Community, Mr. and Mrs. Grover Rodenbaughand Pictured from left to right are: Fr. Papa, Fr. Cagnacci, Fr. Bianco,
Mr. and Mrs. RussellArcara, participated in the of- Fr. Solcia, Mrs. Anderson, Fr. Ruzza (Provincial Superior), Fr.
ficial celebrations. Collins,Dr. Werst, Fr. Bonardi, Fr. Keeling and Fr. Pucci.