Shortly after 11.00 in the morning, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone SDB, Secretary of State and Papal Delegate for this ceremony read the Pontifical Decree that numbered Ceferino among the Blessed, indicating the date of his liturgical memorial, 26 August, the date of his birth.
It was Bishop Esteban Laxague SDB of Viedma, who, according to the rite, presented to Cardinal Bertone the request that Ceferino be beatified. Supporting the request were Hermelinda Painequeo and Aparicio Millapi, representatives of the Mapuche people, and Fr Enrico dal Covolo, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family.
Over 100 Bishops and a large number of priests took part in the solemn beatification liturgy. Among those present were Fr Pascual Chávez, Rector Major of the Salesians, his Vicar Fr Adriano Bregolin, the Salesian Provincials of Argentina and various delegations of Salesians and members of the Salesian Family arrived for the occasion from countries of Latin America Also attending the beatification was Mrs Valeria Herrera, a young mother from Cordoba miraculously cured through the intercession Ceferino Namuncurá.
Among the dignitaries present were the Vice-President of the Republic of Argentina, Mr. Daniel Scioli, the Ambassador of Argentina to the Holy See, Mr Carlos Custer, the Secretary for Religious Worship Mr Guillermo Oliveri, and other authorities.
In his homily Cardinal Bertone referred to several fundamental features of the holiness of the new Blessed: “If holiness was able to flourish in him it was because it found fertile soil in the human qualities belonging to his land and to his people, qualities that he assumed and perfected.”. “Glorifying God today in Blessed Ceferino,” the Secretary of State continued, “also means recalling with gratitude the ancient traditions of the Mapuche, proud and undefeated; and at the same time discovering once again the fruitfulness of the Gospel, that never destroys the genuine values of which a culture is the expression, but takes them, purifies them and perfects them.”
At the end of the celebration, Fr Pascual Chávez in the name of the Salesian Family thanked Cardinal Bertone for his presence and the Bishops’ Conference of Argentina, in the person of Cardinal Jorge Begoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina, for their support in the organisation of the beatification.
Fr Chávez also paid his respects to the Mapuche people saying: “Today, Chimpay represents a land of saints because it has given us a saint and a model for all the young people of the world. Many thanks to the Mapuche people!”
In addition the IX successor of Don Bosco also saw in the event of the beatification an opportunity to continue to work on behalf of youth: “Let us believe in the young,” he said, “let us put our money on their education and in this way we shall succeed in transforming this America of ours.”
Published 12/11/2007
