ZOIA Egidio (Father)

Excerpt from the homily of Fr Piero Trameri scj
at the funeral of Fr Egidio.

Every month, Fr Egidio would write a “thought” intended for his parishioners in Castellazzo, and after wards he would post it online so his friends and colleagues could also read it.

The notes he had made for his November reflection were still on his computer and here is what he had written: “November starts with the Feast of All Saints and remembrance of the dead: the men and women who have gone before us, who made history... All have passed through, leaving behind the faintest trace of a footprint, imperceptible, tiny and, for the most part, anonymous, as weightless as that of an ant. Everyone with their own personality.

Everyone being unique, no-one is the replica of another; everyone has the capacity to give and to share with others but also to receive. A receptacle (and man is but a receptacle, albeit with the gift of reason, but a receptacle nonetheless!) can only be lled and enriched by being open to encounter and confrontation.”

Those were his last written words: a little testament.

And now here we are, gathered around his coffin, to examine with care and thought the footprints he has left us, to thank the Lord for his intuition and enlightenment and for the precious fruits he harvested along the way or, to use Fr Egidio’s own words, which he gathered into his “receptacle”.

The Betharramites of my generation readily see in Fr Egidio a facet of Jesus, such as He is described in the passage of the Gospel we have just heard: “Walking alongside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting their nets into the sea for they were shermen. He said to them: Come, follow me. I will make you fishers of men”.

This is but one of the fruits of Fr Egidio’s youthful enthusiasm. In Albavilla, he was in charge of fostering vocations and, like Jesus, when he visited families and parishes in Brianza and Valtellina, he called the young to follow Jesus. Like Him, he promised “I will make you fishers of men”.

Today, many of us, near and far, who pray for him and mourn his passing, heard that invitation and were infected by his spiritual and human energy; that energy radiated by people who show the way to a life that although demanding, is powered by the Gospels, is full, rich and meaningful.

Fr Egidio repeatedly showed this attitude throughout his life and lived out the very heart of Betharramite spirituality: “Here I am, send me!”. This is the attitude of Jesus who, with filial abandonment, accomplishes the will of the Father.

That is but one very clear footprint left by Fr Egidio on his brethren’s path; for the young seminarians at Albavilla in particular, and later for the clerics preparing for the priesthood and consecrated life in Monteporzio.

A footprint followed gratefully to this day, by the many priests and lay people whom he met at the cathedral in Milan, during days spent ministering in the confessional, for reconciliation and giving spiritual direction; a footprint followed also by Sisters and consecrated lay people alike, in almost every part of Italy.

Finally, he has left an indelible footprint on the hearts of his beloved parishioners in Castellazzo who lovingly listened, supported and guided him over the past years, as his eyesight (but not his desire to undertake new projects, to get on, do things and plan) had started to fail him...

Fr Egidio was a dreamer. One of those dreamers who can see a long way ahead and who are first to set off on the journey. He led from the front, steadfast but stubborn, in spite of the incomprehension and lagging footsteps of those walking by his side, be they fellow priests and brothers, Superiors or associates.

He dreamed of an ever-closer cooperation between the consecrated life and the local Church... of more direct “mutuae relationes”.

To encourage these he always promoted the idea of including a course on the consecrated life in the curriculum for the diocesan seminarians.

He encouraged his fellow religious and lay people alike, as did Paul the Romans: “I beg you, dearly beloved, by the mercy of God, to give yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God; that is the kind of worship for you, as sensible people.” (Romans 12:1). Worship consisting of celebrations and litugies, but also worship shaped by reality, by commitment, through the everyday involvement in every area of social and church life.

Each one with his or her own specific areas of skill, each one developing his or her own gifts for the bene t of all, as St Paul said: “See the body is one, even if formed by many members, but not all of them with the same function. The same with us; being many, we are one body in Christ, depending on one another. Let each one of us, therefore, serve according to our different gifts.” (Romans 12: 4-6)

I believe I can say that Fr Egidio turned his gifts into abundant profit for us all: as formator of seminarians; as spiritual director for Sisters, engaged couples and families; and for many years, as an indomitable fighter against the evil spirits which threaten fragile minds, as he exercised the difficult ministry of exorcist.

He was also a man of great culture, book-lover and amateur collector of books on local culture.

He was both desirous of deepening and of passing on the story of his own (our own) religious family, of the Congrgation he loved so much and which he always hoped would become more united and fraternal: hence his frequent visits to neighbouring communities.

Historian of the Chapters, until his strength left him, he had a dream of creating a centralised library, available to everyone. Again taking his inspiration from St Paul, who explained to the Romans that “in a single body, there are several members which do not have the same function...”, Fr Egidio believed steadfastly in formation, in accepting specific responsibilities, in working together and in engaging lay people in church matters as in every area of society, and he worked tirelessly towards this end.

He lived and worked willingly with the most diverse people, without distinction or exclusion.

“Every being is unique, no-one is the replica of another” he said in his last notes. Let us thank God for the precious messages He sent us through him.

We will continue to follow the trace of the footprints he left in the heart of each one of us.

We can see him now, in the Father’s embrace at last, his eyes filled with the light.