Gioele Asquini he was officially ordained a priest and Legnano celebrated him for the start of the adventure.
«My faith was born by doing the Camino de Santiago»
The 34-year-old from Legnano, who was ordained on Saturday 8 June in the Cathedral of Milan, is waiting to find out in which parish he will serve. In the meantime, this is how he describes his vocation:
«I always attended the oratory as a boy, going to mass every Sunday, the faith was revitalized during the Camino de Santiago carried out in 2015 with the Cerro Maggiore oratory and with the Ambrosiana Catholic Action, carrying out the 3P initiative, providing hot meals to the homeless, this meeting reminded me of Jesus, in the gospel there is a very beautiful phrase “I will be of the poor”, this experience has changed me a lot, I want to help others. These events in my life characterized the decision to undertake a path developed on Christianity.”
When did you enter the seminary?
«In 2017 I entered the seminary for the first time, there were 17 of us, seven years is a long time, the journey was long and challenging but it was very nice to deepen our faith. I collaborated during my fourth year of seminary at the Milan Polyclinic, I only worked on weekends, I was in the ward with people unfortunately suffering from leukemia, there, you see the suffering but it helps you grow.”
What is your wish regarding your new parish?
«I want to find a good parish priest, a holy parish priest, who is similar to me, who understands my limits and who is attentive to people, distributing love. I hope to find a good community.”
What emotions did you feel during the party in the Duomo on 8 and 9 June?
«It was a complicated weekend, it started at 9 in the morning, we lay on the ground hearing the prayer; there were 4000/5000 people, I was excited, I define that weekend as confusing because so many people greet you and want your blessing, you even forget how to do mass due to the great emotion, but also a very happy weekend, transforming the bread in body of christ and wine in blood, for me it is a unique emotion. When I returned to my “homeland”, my San Paolo community welcomed me with open arms, the kids and people of the community celebrated me and on Sunday we commemorated the day with a nice lunch. I was moved by the participation of the Palio in my first mass, I spent many years in the Contrada and in the organization; The club where I played basketball for years, Kolbe Legnano, was also close to me.”
Sunday 16th the celebration for Don Gioele in Gallarate
In Gallarate, meanwhile, everything is ready for the rich array of religious events which will have Don Gioele as protagonist. Everything will take place on Sunday starting from 10am, when there will be mass in the setting of the Gallaratese Basilica. At 12.30 the community lunch will be hosted at the Cedrate oratory. In the afternoon, at 4pm, the video memory of Don Gioele, followed by the vocational prayer, cake and toast.
The menu includes appetizer, lasagna and ice cream.
