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This is a significant testimony, by his present successor, of the lasting fruits of the Charism given first to Fr. d’Alzon for the good of the whole Church as well as a sign of the founder’s own great virtues.
Then we recall the testimony of one who personally knew our Founder: “Rev d’Alzon was an incomparable father and master…We owe him the benefit of a Christian education…His holy soul lived for the Church and for France alone….A simple priest in the Church ‘s hierarchy, he was nonetheless one of the most noteworthy and most brilliant in the Church of France in the 19th century. If I differed from him and from the school of which he was the soul on certain issues which remained open to debate, no one admired more than I his sincerity his loyalty, his humility, his passion for souls, his measureless and limitless charity and his devouring need to sacrifice all for his neighbor, his country and for the faith.” (Testimony of Fredrick de Fabreges, former student of Fr. d’Alzon, in a letter dated November 21,1880,i the very day of Fr. d’Alzon’s death.)
And how fortunate we were to receive a copy of excerpts of the homily of the Bishop Robert Wattebled, present Bishop of Nimes, delivered on November 21 in the Chapel of the Institut d’Alzon where Emmanuel d’Alzon is buried. Here is but one very short passage of his powerful tribute to our founder:” Be saints, become saints,” he would often write at the end of some of his letters. Deeply troubled by a world that had distanced itself from the Christian faith… he knew that a world without God was heading for its own destruction. He refused to withdraw to some remote mountain o to enclose himself in some sacred shrine, because religion, he was convinced, had something to say to transform this earth. You cannot save yourself without getting involved in the salvation of others. As he said,” I can’t love Jesus Christ without wanting everyone to love him”.
In all of the issues of Signs of God we have heard how people from various parts of the world and all walks of life are testifying to the healing power of Fr. d’Alzon’s intercesssion. One most powerful and very recent example of this is the following one, found in Signs of God, N.8: “ Dear Fr. Julio, I already let you know of the novena that was organized at the basilica of Koekelberg for Pierre, the deacon, through the intercession of Fr.d’Alzon. today, Fr.Marc Leroy was informed of the healing of Pierre, who told him that according to the doctor his healing was miraculous.… May this healing be authenticated in the eyes of the Church as a miracle obtained through the intercession of our Founder! (Fr. Alain Thomasset,a.a., Brussels ,Belgium, June 4 ,2013. (-Fr Alain is a visiting professor at Assumption College, Worcester.)
And how more modest yet telling testimonies there are in the pages of Signs of God.For example these found in the N. 8 isssue. “Through the intercession of Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon I obtained three important graces. I thank the Lord and Fr. d’Alzon.” (Nimes,July 25, 2013)” ; “ I beseech the good Fr,d’Alzon very often and in particular I entrust to him an intention for someone close who is going through some tough times. May he find grace and light in time of trial. Plaisane, France).
Finally there is the witness of Fr. Julio Navarro himself. Fr. Julio took on the challenging job of procurator for the Cause of Beatifcation of Fr.dAlzon because he believes in it. He continues bravely to do so in spite of recently undergoing serious surgery. He sent me issue N.8 of Signs of God the day after he got out of the hospital! May our prayers through the intercession of our Founder for Fr. Julio be but one more link in this immense chain of ceaseless knocking on the door of Heaven until the Church is finally able to affirm the holiness of Fr. d’Alzon. Perhaps God is only waiting for us to prove by our persistent knocking, one day after another, that we truly believe in the Cause of the Beatification of Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon!
Fr. Oliver Blanchette, A.A.
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