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Blessed John of Vercelli - Outline of a Model Speech

Note: The speaker may modify this talk as he thinks appropriate. A few handouts may be given out just prior to or during the presentation such as "A Saint for Our Time" (#923) and a Blessed John Holy Card (#902 and/or #907). The #s refer to catalogue numbers in the Natonal Supply Office.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Reverend Fathers __________________, Deacons __________________, President _____________,

Officers of the __________________ Holy Name Society, ladies, and my fellow Holy Name Brothers

in Christ.

I bring you greetings from the NAHNS and especially the Committee for the Cause of the Canonization of Blessed John of Vercelli.

I am here today at the invitation of your president, and it is a real pleasure for me to come and share some thoughts with you on John Garbella and the Holy Name Society.

PRAISE BE JESUS CHRIST! - NOW AND FOREVER!

MAN OF PEACE

Some people consider Blessed John of Vercelli one of the greatest peacemakers in the history of the world. Some of you here today have served in the military. Some remember World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Falkland Islands, Africa, Gulf War, Bosnia, Central America and other war situations. Just think of all that could have been saved if we had a man of peace, such as Blessed John of Vercelli. Well today I am going to speak about this Man of Peace, John Garbella.

HOLY CARD - PICTURE OF THE RELIC (#907)

The Holy Card of the Relic may be given out at this time.
This Holy Card shows the only moveable relic of Blessed John of Vercelli. It was printed for the 1982 NAHNS Convention that was held in Philadelphia. Over 900,000 were printed. The relic that you see on this Holy Card is a picture of 2 inches taken off the back of Blessed John's walking stick. The other portion of the relic is at a shrine in New Orleans, with the walking stick located in a religious house, in Vercelli, Italy.

HIS BODY WAS DESTROYED IN A RELIGIOUS WAR IN 1562

SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER BLESSED JOHN OF VERCELLI ONE OF THE GREATEST PEACEMAKERS IN THE WORLD

PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO HAVE BLESSED JOHN OF VERCELLI CANONIZED

The initial attempt to have Blessed John canonized took place in the early 1950's, with a second attempt in 1961, and then again in 1972. I am pleased to say that the fourth attempt has been going on since 1979. The Parish Plan was presented at that time, during the National Convention.

NOW WHO WAS THIS MAN, BLESSED JOHN OF VERCELLI, AND WHAT DID HE DO?

He was born John Garbella, around the year 1205, near the city of Vercelli. Vercelli is approximately 350 miles north of Rome, and just about equally distant from Milan and Turin. Above the city of Vercelli, on the side of the mountain, there is a town called "Mosso Santa Maria". Just above this town is a hamlet called "Capa Mostro", and this is where he was born. Whenever you talk about Blessed John of Vercelli, you must talk about him in the context of the 13th Century - the greatest of all centuries. Son of a dairy farming family - had lots of land and sheep, and the wool from the sheep was turned into "wealth" of one form or another. John Garbella received his education in the school right next to the church at the bottom of the mountain where Vercelli is located. He was a student at the University of Paris at 14;by 25, he received his Doctorate in Civil and Canon Law. He had a delayed vocation to become a Dominican priest. He was a Peacemaker, the 6th Master General of the Dominican Order, and has been given credit for founding the Holy Name Society. 5'8" tall - rather short in stature by today's standards. Pointed chin - Northern Italian features - blue eyes. Lame - Walked barefoot, and had a limp on his right side. Some would say that he was a cripple, or "ambulatorally challenged", in today's politically correct jargon. He used a walking stick everywhere he went - his walking stick was his symbol - The relic is two inches of the back of his walking stick. Blessed John took a vow not to ride any kind of transportation. If you laid every mile, end to end, that he walked during the last nine years of his life, he walked around Europe three (3) times. He was obedient to nine Popes. Presided at 20 General Chapter Meetings. He has been credited with saving the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. "In all of his works, he turned to God through prayer and the sacraments as his source of remarkable success in the vineyard of the Lord".

John's remarkable gift of peace-making became evident, and he was sent to reconcile various conflicts. He succeeded so well at this that for the rest of his life, the Popes made use of his sanctity, prudence and diplomacy to establish peace between warring rulers and various states."

SIGNIFICANT DATES IN THE LIFE OF BLESSED JOHN OF VERCELLI

1230 - Received into the Dominican Order
1245 - Prior of Vercelli
1255 - Vicar General of Hungary
1256 - Prior of San Nicolo, Bologna
1257 - Provincial of Lombardy
1264 - 6th Master General of the Dominican Order - As Master General, he personally visited, and on foot, all of the houses of the order except those in Spain.
Nov 2, 1274 - From the Council of Lyons, the Holy Name Society traces its origin. Blessed John of Vercelli is considered the world wide patron and founder of the Holy Name Society.
Nov 30, 1283 - Died, and was buried at Montpelier, France
1562 - Body destroyed in a religious war.
Dec 1st - Feast Day
Sept 7, 1903 - John Garbella beatified [In spite of the fact that his corpse was not available for inspection - sometimes God grants the grace of preserving the body of a saint from decay, and the
Church uses this as one indicia of a person's sanctity], at the request of the Bishop of Vercelli, by Pope Pius X.

ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO HAVE BLESSED JOHN OF VERCELLI CANONIZED IS ONE MIRACLE.

Here you may hand out the flyer "One Miracle"

CURRENTLY

Devotions are currently being held, but are not limited to the following areas: Allentown & Philadelphia, PA, Baltimore, MD, Cleveland, OH, New Orleans, LA and San Antonio, TX.

SOME PERSONAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

Note: You may add or subtract to any as you see fit.

Pray for the revitalization of the Holy Name Society in your parish, city, state, nation and the world. We in the Holy Name Society are challenged to present the truth all of the time and everywhere we go. You and I are helping to fulfill the mission of the Church by spreading the word of the Holy Name Society. I challenge each and every one of you to start some type of devotion to Blessed John of Vercelli, either weekly, monthly, semi-annually or yearly. Pray for PEACE - within yourself, your family, at home, at work. Report favors, big or small, to the chairman This cause for the canonization of Blessed John of Vercelli is for ALL people, not just for the Holy Name Society. The Holy Father is canonizing Blesseds that are relevant to our times, and surely Blessed John is such a person, because of his peacemaking efforts. The more we know of BJV, the more we are convinced that he should be A SAINT FOR OUR TIME. Bleseed John is a man of God, and is a treasure that the Church should no longer keep hidden. If you are inclined to pray to Blessed John of Vercelli, then I will ask you to sign the Scroll or Leaflet Prayer at the end of this talk.

CLOSE BY SAYING THE PRAYER ON EITHER OF THE TWO HOLY CARDS