by Sarah Diodati
Who are the servants of God Licia Gualandris (1907) and Settimio Manelli (1886-1978)? These are two Christian spouses, Franciscan tertiary, paragons of virtue in their long Christian life lived in the troubled twentieth century. They believed so much in the family open to life up to twenty times. Yes, in fact, the Manelli couple had as many as 21 children, among them that Father Stefano Maria Manelli, founder of the Franciscans.
Following this new agile but fascinating biographical book by Giuseppe Brienza, entitled Philosophy of Life of the Servants of Dio Licia and Settimio Manelli [with a "presentation" of Fr Serafino Tognetti, Superior General of the Community of the Sons of God, Giuliano Ladolfi publisher, Borgomanero (Novara), 2017, pp. 70, € 10], we can discover the wonderful life, beginning with that of Settimio Manelli, who was born in Teramo (Abruzzo) April 25, 1886 and died in 1978, the day of the feast of Beata Vergine of Good Counsel, which he was very devout during his long life.
Passionate art and culture in all fields of the humanities, Septimius graduated in Literature and Philosophy at the University of Catania and became Professor and Dean in secondary schools. He was a scholar, poet and writer, broad and deep culture man with a soul highly poetic and sensitive to "Beautiful". As reflected in his first literary productions: "The Song of the Kaiser", "Ex Kaiser", "Spartacus", which reveal his rich inner world and with the anxieties and hopes of man of all time. He spent the first forty years of his life immersed in the attractions of the world, but without being free from anxiety, discomfort and difficulty. In 1924 she met St. Pio of Pietrelcina, the Holy cappuccino stigmatized, in whom he converted and became his most faithful spiritual son. Since that time, as recognized by Msgr. Slawomir Order, former postulator of the cause of St. Giovanni Paolo II, prof. Manelli "began a new life leading toward freeing the sanctity promptly from anything that prevented or slowed its ascent to God and renouncing worldly attractions" [Mons. Slawomir Order, Address at the conclusion of diocesan process for the beatification and canonization of the Servants of God Settimio Manelli and Licia Gualandris, in "Official site of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, June 27, 2014, www.cuoreimmacolato.com].
After conversion, Septimius addressed his cultural interests in the study of the great mystics: Aquini St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure, St. Augustine, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. However, the first place in his life had always Jesus and his Gospel, he knew by heart and often quoted. "He not only believed in Christ - adds Msgr. Oder - but he was a staunch defender: a face fighting open enemies of Jesus and of the Church without ever compromising, even when that could guarantee him and his family a higher standard of living. "
The July 15, 1926 he married Licia Gualandris, with whom he shared the generous faith and the shining example of Christian life. Padre Pio called him, for example, "a Christian all of a piece that carries the Gospel to perfection" and, because of his loyalty and fidelity to Christ, the stigmatized Gargano he always showed paternal benevolence.
The wife Licia, born July 13, 1907 in Nembro (Bergamo), was formed spiritually under the guidance of the excellent Lombard priest Don Giulio Bilabini, showing little girl since a particular love for the Passion and Death of Jesus and of the sacraments' Eucharist and Confession. He had a fondness for the place on the Marian Shrine of Nembro hill, dedicated to "Our Lady of Zuccarello," for which he always had a strong devotion, so much so that shortly before he died the death singing popular verses of the hymn sung by the faithful in honor the Mother of God. After attending technical schools becoming noted for their professionalism and profitability study, Licia married as mentioned, very young with Settimio Manelli. With him began a spiritual journey under the blessing, guidance and ongoing support of St. Pio of Pietrelcina and, at just 19 years old, then he began his great mission as mother of a large family, for motherhood, which began and They followed without interruption.
Faithful to the needs of such a large family, Licia Gualandris never neglect personal and family prayer. He loved to meditate, read spiritual books, especially the lives of the Saints and, in recent years, daily recite the liturgical prayer of Lauds and Vespers. In particular, however, the school of Padre Pio, was very fond of the Holy Rosary and, in fact, as evidenced by the children (ten of whom are still living), you could see it always, day and night, with the Crown in his hands.
He wrote Licia Msgr. Oder: "His loyalty, his devotion, his love for the Holy Mass and Communion were very evident. Among those who knew many they have testified that he received from his building an attitude of reverence and recollection to participate in the Holy Mass, during which appeared totally understood by the mystery being celebrated. It gave a lot of importance to the life of his family prayer to his children, since they were children, he taught us to pray, to make small "Little Flowers", especially during Lent, novenas and the Marian month. In particular, he was determined to make them listen, on Sundays and holidays, the Mass, preparing them with care to weekly confession "[Mons. S. Order, Speech cit.].
In the book Philosophy of Life of the Servants of Dio Licia and Settimio Manelli, after devoting fifty pages to the main events of the Manelli spouses, it emphasizes a spiritual fruitfulness considering the new religious foundation promoted by one of their sons, the aforementioned Father Stefano Manelli, flowing from his filial love for Mary, who is currently at the center of a story complex and, for many painful aspects, which is dedicated to the Appendix of the work of Giuseppe Brienza. This last in the conference room of the Municipal Public Library (Avenue Marazza 5) will also be presented shortly, at the conference entitled "Large families-a border, a necessity", to be held Thursday, February 23, 2017, in Borgomanero (Novara), starting at 21. Speakers: Alberto Cerutti, vice-president of "Defend life with Mary," Errico Alfani, notary in Borgomanero, the author Giuseppe Brienza and Mario Adinolfi, President of the "People of the Family" and director de "The daily Cross".