Madre Speranza, con Gesù – (6° parte) i Sacerdoti e P. Maximiliano Lucas – Test. Pietro Iacopini

Info: Tel. 075/89581 - 075/89.58.282 – Fax 075/8958228 (8:30 am - 7 pm), [email protected]. Mother Speranza, born María Josefa Alhama Valera, was born in Spain on September 29, 1893, and died on February 8, 1983, in Collevalenza, where she had arrived in August 32 years earlier. Beatified on May 31, two years ago, she is buried in the crypt of the sanctuary, a destination for thousands of pilgrims seeking an oasis of peace in this medieval village 7 kilometers from Todi. In Mother Speranza's prophetic intuition, Father Ireneo explains, the mission of her religious family, established in this place, "should have contributed to ensuring that God was seen not as a judge ready to judge and inflict punishment, but as a good father waiting for the prodigal son, as a faithful friend willing to help us, assist us, forgive us, and sacrifice himself for us." The Origin of the Sanctuary's Water – The well, located on the right side of the Basilica of Merciful Love, has a special history, reminding us of a particular story: • Mother Speranza firmly desired its construction, not on her own initiative, but by a clear supernatural inspiration. • The well was drilled in 1960; after numerous difficulties, some of them diabolical, the first aquifer was found at 92 meters; the others at 114, 120, and 122 meters. •The building that houses the Baths for the immersion of the sick is part of the same "project." The Purposes of the Sanctuary Water – Mother Speranza, speaking of this sign desired by the Lord, said: ◦Through this water, miracles will be renewed, that is, healings will be performed from serious illnesses, even incurable ones. •And among these illnesses that human science cannot cure, she specifically mentioned paralysis, cancer, and leukemia. •In this sense, the Sanctuary Water should be considered an instrument of Grace and an instrument of the Lord's Mercy. The Water in Relation to the Message of the Sanctuary – The special function of this Water is closely linked to the spiritual message proclaimed at the Sanctuary: •The Lord wants to heal even from incurable illnesses to make us understand that His Mercy can heal us from every spiritual infirmity. •He, in fact, heals us from "habitual venial sin," which is like a paralysis that blocks us and prevents us from walking the path of good. •And He also cures us from every kind of mortal sin, which is like a cancer that corrodes us from within and destroys us. How to prepare yourself to use the Sanctuary Water – To best appreciate the experience of immersion and the use of the Water, it is good to prepare yourself internally: •Before asking for healing of the body, we must "heal the wounds of the soul," resorting to the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, where the "Father who forgives, forgets, and takes no account" awaits us. •The Water must be used "with great faith and trust," supporting the request for healing with prayer, particularly with the "Novena to Merciful Love," composed by Blessed Mother Speranza herself. •And if God's will does not coincide with ours, we must trust that the Lord will support us on our journey toward a serene acceptance of our suffering, in union with His Passion. In the sanctuary, before immersion in the pools, we must participate in the "Liturgy of the Waters" in the church, a brief ceremony and prayer that helps us better understand the profound meaning of this gesture of faith.