Making the world one family
On Nov. 5, the Church celebrates Guido Maria Conforti, the saint who dreamed up the Xaverian and Xaverian Family
by Father Giovanni Gargano
Making the world one family.This was the dream of St. Guido Maria Conforti, father and founder of the Xaverian Missionaries, beatified in 1996 along with Comboni and canonized on Oct. 23, 2011 by Benedict XVI.
Guido M. Conforti was born in Ravadese, province of Parma, on March 30, 1865 to a fairly well-to-do family.
At the age of eleven he entered the seminary, in November 1876, whose rector was Fr. Andrea Ferrari, future archbishop of Milan and Cardinal.
At the seminary, he was fascinated by the life of St. Francis Xavier who had failed to go to China.
Conforti’s dream
His dream was to realize the saint’s wish by creating an apostolic missionary family that would leave for China.
But in the seminary the first symptoms of epilepsy presented themselves, which were not entirely convincing.
Because of it, his ordination was postponed and he risked being sent home.
His meeting with the foundress of a small congregation, Anna Maria Adorni, totally changed his life. After being invited to go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fontanellato and Bologna (San Luca), soon after, the crises ceased completely: Our Lady had healed him.
Thus, he was ordained a priest on September 22, 1888.
After ordination he continued to cultivate his dream of a missionary family; thus, he started a seminary for missions.
On December 31, 1895, in Borgo Leon d’oro, Conforti was able to open a house for the training of missionaries.
The first missionaries left for China, but after the Boxer Revolution in China in 1952, the Xaverians started missions on several continents.
Conforti was a man who dreamed with his feet on the ground but with a lot of determination. His dream of making the world one family is still relevant today through the efforts of his Institute members who are committed to the proclamation and witness of the Gospel through interreligious dialogue in Asia, justice efforts in Latin America, evangelization in Africa and missionary animation in Europe.
By now, we speak of the Xaverian charismatic family of which the Xaverian laity and the Xaverian sisters are part. Together for one dream and commitment: to make the world one family.
Source and image
- Father Giovanni Gargano