Sunday morning, November 3, the final hours of farewell. Slowly and solemnly, the queue advances towards Msgr. João’s coffin. Thousands of people have already filed serenely down the main aisle to pay their last respects. That man had marked their hearts forever. Requests, thanks and kisses – there is no set formula for saying goodbye…
Famous is the historical event that occurred with the Grand Condé in the battle against the Spanish army at Rocroi, when he took his command baton and pitched it into the enemy’s midst to incite the French to win it back! In this episode – which so pleased Dr. Plinio – a psychological phenomenon emerges:…
It is inherent to the human spirit to seek the unum of things, that is, the intelligence strives to reach a point that defines and synthesizes what has been known in separate details and analysed in its minutiae. These pages, without a doubt, are no exception to the rule.1 Has everything been said about Dr….
When we analyse the work of creation, it is striking to note the exuberance of generosity manifested by God throughout the universe, from the smallest pebbles to intelligent creatures, Angels and humans. We see this in mineral nature, whether in the enormous quantity of grains of sand in deserts and beaches, or in the stars…
Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá DiasHomily on the Gospel of Luke 12:32–48 The Gospel today offers us both comfort and challenge. Jesus begins with words of reassurance: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” These words are not just poetic. They are a declaration of…
I will never forget a beautiful episode, related in great detail by Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira, which took place with a very distinguished family of the aristocracy of São Paulo, of long-standing tradition and considerable wealth, at a time when he was a child. The couple could not have children. However, they both lamented…
It is often said in theology that grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it.1 There is, in fact, a curious phenomenon involving the natural and supernatural fields: ordinarily, the human being is created by God with a series of aptitudes that constitute a state of previous preparation for receiving the grace that He Himself…
In every well-organized religious house there is a little-noticed but indispensable figure: the bursar. What does his role consist of? Supplying the community with everything it needs for its subsistence: provisions, general supplies and food. He is the “man of providence”, whose concern it is to manage the treasury in such a way that no…
Every Christian should desire total union and identification of spirit with God, as Our Lord says: “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). To this end, it is useful and beneficial to keep the hidden life of the Holy Family in our hearts and minds, and to seek with devotion and respect to…
I once came across an article written on the subject of solitude. It was a story about a man with an unwelcoming appearance, who described his preferences and his lifestyle, stating that he so enjoyed complete isolation that he had chosen not to marry, because the idea of living with others horrified him. He lived…