1st International Conference of Italian missionaries in Emigration
Rome 22-24 February 2005
(Speech read by Don Domenico Locatelli)
Despite the suffering that can not be present among us Monsignor Luigi Petris, gladly lent him my voice, is teaching me the craft Migrantes, he's a good teacher.
Dear missionaries Rie emigration, Hon Minister, Reverend Bishops, distinguished guests and friends, I was caught by all the unique features of this conference on migration
promoted by mutual agreement between a public institution - Ministry for Italians in the World - and body of the Church Italian - Fondazione Migrantes - we have taken this initiative is under the patronage of the President of the Republic as an official recognition of our country and who is of value even in the civil and social presence of the secular Italian missionaries among our countrymen scattered across all continents. the rest of the missionaries has always been full awareness that a purely pastoral service, such as that conferred on them by Church, is not complete unless it is integral promotion, including migrant man, with all its precious heritage of culture, language, tradition, in our case we could say of Italian patriotism and the true meaning of the term, so I naturally turn to you all missionaries / Rie emigration in here, those who were unable or unwilling to participate in this meeting, my fraternal greeting, a friendly greeting of affection and estimate well knowing your daily apostolic work.
E 'duty, however, that with this convention we remember also the thousands of missionaries in the past have shared the experience of migration, in most cases the ordeal of migration of millions of Italians in the world making them, in the fullest sense of the term, migrants with migrants, they have left us a wealth of experience in the specific field of service that has become emblematic of Italian immigrants and inspiring for other nations, rather it has become increasingly common heritage of the whole Church, for if I browse the extensive Enchiridion of the Church for the migrations that collects in many statements of the Holy See in favor of migrants, especially in the first action is found with evidence
these, while at a Catholic all urbe, leaving the clear impression of something rather more than an impression, that the background dominates the Italian situation of those years, the uncontrollable hemorrhage of Italian blood that had poured out since 1913 by 'Italy eight hundred and seventy thousand our fellow citizens, not for nothing the following year by order of St. Pius X has begun to celebrate the national day of migration which subsequently became the world day in an event-sized Catholic. make memory of the missionaries in emigration, many of which have consumed his life, even at a very young age even among our emigrants, also means to remember of many works in their favor and which stood the Italian Church, the Italian Chapel, the Italian Catholic Mission, there was also a school for children of Italian, the table for the Italian workers, the cultural center or youth center for the second generation Italian, the Italian, even in some remote areas such as Brazil, the Italian hospital and so on. Are not things of the past, even in times and in countries closer to us, in the European Union when the end of World War II and resumed
emigration, Europe is seen strewn counseling centers and assistance where the work of the missionaries was also suitable for emergency and essential services Extra duties that are now provided by other institutions such as patronage and the same console. was right to recall this memory, not to boast merits but because it is a truth that even in the necessary updating of methods of structure, style of action is enhanced by the missionaries series of today, you and many other brothers and a large number of lay workers, continue to provide a service to calculate values \u200b\u200bthat inspired our most authentic tradition of civil and national as well as Christian. A service that is pastoral, but at the same time is rich - let me tell you - of Italian and of genuine patriotism.
Despite the downsizing of the forces pastoral currently operating in five continents around quattrocentocinquantuno centers (parishes, missions, etc..) providing a presence and pastoral care in Italian. Cinquecentosedici priests celebrated in various ways and follow the Italian community in each generation that requires a religious service;
are involved in this ministry also one hundred sixty-six sisters and fifty-five lay workers. Half of the forces and pastoral structures, with attention to the Italian community, there has been in Europe two hundred and fourteen, with a presence on the territory of over three hundred thousand Italian duemilioni with scattered and diverse local situations and the other half is overseas, in America North one hundred fifty-five, Canada and the U.S. presence to three hundred and forty thousand Italians living in the area and a frequency that is closer to 30%. In other parts of the world the Italian pastoral realities are proportionate to the existing community is mainly concentrated in large settlements: Thirty Italians in Australia with over one hundred and fifty thousand, fifteen in South Africa, the Maghreb, with Italian communities that do not exceed seventy thousand units, only thirty Italian centers in Latin America with a large Italian population that exceeds one million. 
The Congress today, however, does not stop today, but it goes to look ahead at least in two directions: the first is that the experience gained from the secular presence among our immigrants abroad, school and become a stimulus among those now in ecclesial and civil work among the immigrants who continue to arrive in our midst. It would be absurd, incomprehensible, inhuman prove to him who knocks at our door looking for work and peace of mind for himself and his family, after we called humanity and understanding in many foreign lands. Continues to be of great interest also the commitment of our socio-pastoral communities abroad. There is still need your missionary presence in the "other Italy", which at the civil level you try to re-evaluate and revitalize in various forms. In including the granting of voting rights. Would be a contradiction in terms if the Church is so thin as to make our presence in these masses of Italians lost like sheep without a shepherd. The Gospel warns us that the consequences could be devastating. We have firm confidence that this is not done in this direction and it's all a commitment to Migrantes. We also trust that this conference gives rise to a revival of attention on our world by Italians in the whole of Italian society, the Church and society, including the political one. For this, a renewed thanks to you all, special thanks to the Minister Mirko Tremaglia who tenaciously wanted this meeting, the Minister, who has always stood out for his commitment to the Italian communities abroad and now we have been praised for his courageous stand in defense of fundamental rights of immigrants in Italy. 
In closing, I naturally recall the centenary of his death, the Scalabrini who set up his pioneering work as an apostle of migrants in the name of "Religion and Fatherland," a motto that seems dissueto in its lexical , not in its content, we can also translate into hope, that in this world of migration, the relationship between Church and State in the mutual independence while continuing to be characterized by the harmony of purpose, the active collaboration, the beneficiaries will not only Italians who live abroad, but those who are in Italy.
Monsignor Luigi Petris
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