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Article by Archbishop Luigi BETELLI

Petris: a great loss

"I must thank him for having given an enormous impetus to the mission becomes a true community, well-structured pastoral. Great was his commitment to catechesis, to the formation of young people and trained lay people. "
The death of Monsignor Luigi Petris, last December, his successor at the National Delegation remember the figure.

Writing, in memory of Monsignor Luigi Petris and thank you, is not easy. God has called him, and the mystery of the divine will is still unfathomable, however, is the lack of Petris a great loss. Certainly we are grateful to God for letting won, then to his parents and his diocese to Udine. It was a gift for the migrants, first for the Italians and then to those of many parts of the world present in Italy. For the Italians in Germany as a missionary in Saarbrücken, since the early sixties and later by Executive Officer until the end of the nineties, then director of Migrantes for Italians in the world and then to General Manager.

As he worked, with genuine feeling the priesthood, with a wide view of problems and plenty of capacity to intervene to resolve structurally. I have memories of him date from the seventies. In addition to meetings at the national conventions, I remember those made by the ACLI was the spiritual assistant, with him as a representative of Faieg. He had a clear awareness of the value and function of associations of Christian origin, and above all believed in the ability of the Italians to Germany to engage in social work from a Christian perspective. He and the missionaries who founded the Faieg saw in this association, an offshoot of missionary activity, a tool for promotion of the laity, but also a tool that would give visibility to the work of public institutions lay the Missions of Church in Italy, working for migrants. Was very keen that we understood the value of the Missions. That is also greatly struggled to live the "Corriere d'Italy, which he inherited in economic conditions are not easy and that he left active in his departure for Italy. From
Officer I must thank him for having given an enormous impetus to the mission becomes a true community, well-structured pastoral. Great was his commitment to catechesis, to train young people and trained lay people. The themes of national conferences and retreats documenting what was clear to him his sense of service to our community, priests, nuns and staff recruited. Considered overall presence of this great service, as the task of a diocese of which he felt safe and was the helmsman. was steadfast in defending the role and necessity of the Italian Catholic missions in the Dioceses of Germany, indeed just wanted them to be taken more seriously and not regarded as provisional. Hence his view that a CEO had a bishop. He proposed his idea in the National Conference of Caorle.

called in Italy as a National Director for the Italians in the world, I passed the baton to the task of the CEO. He had confidence in me even though I was from a bit 'of time on the edge of the group of missionaries, as I was very taken by my vast mission Aalen East Württemberg. I always maintained, understood the different pastoral vision that I wanted it did way between us in Germany. I was convinced that on the basis of which he made great consolidation of the structure and awareness of our pastoral mission, the time had come for the nineties, a direct dialogue between local parishes and missions of the German language. Had always been stressed in the past and the fact the need to avoid parallel between the mission and the local parish, but, as stated in the National Convention of 1995 the time had come not to close the MSI, but to make a pastoral focus on a structure of a community of communities. Today we say to the Community at the same level, between parishes and missions of other native speakers in pastoral units. And this is taking place a little in every diocese in an exemplary and that of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.

In connection with this restructuring, Petris urged caution. He feared, he a great defender of the existence of MSI, which is put in place a disengagement from the local dioceses to the needs of migrants. And in fact, some dioceses have reduced and a lot of attention.

When in 1998 I gave my resignation as CEO for health reasons, I do not understand. He suffered a lot, because I admired very much and are not shared my decision. If I see how he lived his illness and his relationship with his role as General Manager of Migrantes, I understand its not sharing. Though seriously ill and, never gave up his appointment until the end. His was not for him a prestigious role, but of service to the end, I think the example of Pope John Paul II.

Mons Petris is and will remain one of the leading figures of the clergy of the diocese of Udine and of the Italian clergy committed for Migrants. The Church in Italy has had first hand experience the clarity and depth of his commitment. He was able to give visibility to the pastoral needs of migrants and Italians and, in the last 8 years, especially those of other lands now present in large numbers in Italy.

His love for those who are the image of the pilgrim Church in the world have also expressed with intelligence structure, giving a dimension of inter-disciplinary action Migrantes: a wide-ranging cooperation with all sectors the IEC. The awareness that the Church of Migrants to Italy's owes much to Bishop Petris.
Thanks dear brother. The Lord has called him. He will accept the peace of the saints and give you the reward for the talents that you received from him and moltiplicasti with love and tireless work until the last moment of your life.

Bishop Luigi BETELLI