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Father Luigi Faccenda was a keen interpreter of spirituality and legacy of Father Kolbe

I took the missionary spirit, pastoral dynamism, intuition doctrine. It has developed reflection on the consecration to the Immaculate, taking advantage of the teachings of the Magisterium and of developments in the post-conciliar Mariology, proposing a Marian spirituality from the vast breath of the Church. It has deepened the missionary charism, giving concrete form to a number of insights Kolbe, pushing its institutions towards a missionary without borders and, above all, emphasizing the need of '"to be" missionaries in the heart and mind before being posted. He lived the same ardent love for humanity as Father Kolbe and devoted all his energies and those of the Institute he founded to the salvation and happiness of all people. In his books there are numerous collections of experiences, theological and pastoral reflections, catechesis that shows his passionate love for God, the Virgin Mary and for the salvation of all people.Here are some excerpts from his books broken down by topic.

How will you honor your sweet mother?

How will you manifest to her your love and your desire that all may come to know and love her?
You will honor her by your life of union with her, doing everything for, with and in her, so that your every action may give the greater glory to God and bring the greater good to others. I suggest you to live and love the interior life, experiencing the symbiosis of contemplation and action.
Practice a profound and interior silence.
Honor her by giving Her your whole being, body, heart and soul with all its powers, so that nothing will be wasted of what you gave up for the Kingdom of God.
I suggest you to invoke Her unceasingly throughout the day: “I need you… Help me… All for love of you… I love…Save those whom I love and who need you and ask for my prayers…” Mary will embrace everything within her Heart, enrich it with her merits and present it to the love of the Father, the mercy of the Son and the fruitfulness of the Holy Spirit. Thus, a shower of grace and light will come upon you, upon us all, upon the world,  upon those who live in sin, the dying, everyone.

THE HOLY EUCHARIST 

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD 

The mysterious moment of the ultimate farewell also comes for the Christian who lives and believes in Christ: "Depart, Christian soul, out of this world," says the ritual prayer for the dying. But the Easter light illumines the last part of one's journey. The Christian descends into the darkness of the tomb as the grain of wheat falls to the ground and rises enriched with new life. "Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit." (John 12:24)
Jesus offered this luminous perspective to the two discouraged disciples who, on that first Easter Sunday, were walking toward Emmaus. 
He spoke to them and, even if they did not recognize him, their hearts were burning inside them as they listened. A new light, full of hope, enlightened their distressed spirits, and a sense of joyous generosity warmed their hearts. Afterwards, in fact, they recalled: "Were not our hearts burning inside us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32)
God had opened a dialogue with mankind. His eternal Word became a human word so that people could understand it. "How sweet to my palate are your words, O Lord, sweeter than honey to my mouth." (Psalm 119)
God's dialogue with his people had continued through the centuries. He taught, exhorted, and scolded his people. But his word was always one of mercy and love, even before human stubbornness, confusion, sins, idolatry. God wanted that his dialogue should be written down so that not only Israel, but all people might listen to it. 
And the Word became flesh and spoke. The Holy Spirit also wrote the word of theSavior and Teacher to teach and form men, to give them comfort and reassurance in their eternal hopes. 
The two disciples felt their hearts filled with tenderness and strengthened by a new ardor when Jesus led them to recall and meditate upon that divine word. 
It was sunset when they arrived near Emmaus, and Jesus acted as if he were going farther. They pleaded, "Stay with us. It is nearly evening -  the day is practically over." (Luke 24:29) 
He stayed and after sitting at table with them, he took bread and broke it. Suddenly a light illumined the two disciples' spirits. They recognized him. 
The breaking of the bread opened their eyes and revealed him to them. Jesus once said: "The bread that I will give is the real heavenly bread," and many of his disciples then broke away and did not remain in his company any longer. "Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died... .the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. If anyone eats this bread, he shall have eternal life." (cf Jon 6:49ff)
The two disciples, prepared by the long conversation, understood. He vanished from their sight. Their souls were overflowing with joy; they returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven that they had seen the Lord and that they had come to know him in the breaking of the bread. 
In apostolic writings and early Christian literature, the "breaking of the bread" signifies the Eucharist. The "breaking of the bread" is the reason the community gathers. It is the Lord's Supper that is celebrated until he comes in glory to bring to fulfillment the Kingdom of God. (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:20-26)
Spes Nostra (page 2 Vol. 3 No. 2, March -April) 1995

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What I felt from this journey was a threefold lesson. First, it was a reminder that in spite of human capacity to gravitate towards such evil, God made everything good. Second, it was a reminder to see the presence of God in others in even the most difficult times. Third, it was a call to consider more deeply... radical love for others and to avoid indifference. 

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Fr. Luigi Faccenda was born August 24, 1920 in San Benedetto Val di Sambro, Bologna...

Father Luigi Faccenda was a keen interpreter of spirituality and legacy of Father Kolbe

Una raccolta di articoli riportati in alcune riviste in occasione del centenario della nascita di padre Luigi Faccenda.

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