TREVISO – «It was the call that I accepted with greater fear and with an intimate feeling of inadequacy, also because my experience had been enriched in other areas of the life of the Church. I have tried to serve with simplicity, with the desire to continue learning. And I actually learned a lot.” So monsignor Gianfranco Agostino Gardinin his spiritual testament, retraced his service at the helm of the diocese of Treviso, from 2010 to 2019. Words recalled by the Patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia, president of the Episcopal Conference of the Triveneto, in the homily of the funeral of the bishop emeritus, yesterday morning, in the Cathedral in the capital of the Marca. Monsignor Gardin passed away on June 21, at the age of 80.
THE CEREMONY
With Patriarch Moraglia and Bishop Michele Tomasi, successor to the chair of San Liberale, 14 other bishops concelebrated. With them 150 priests and at least thirty brothers of the Friars Minor Conventual, an order which the religious from Treviso had entered at the age of 17. He was the general minister of the conventual family, Carlos Trovarellispeaking at the conclusion of the rite, to give a suggestive image of Monsignor Gardin (Gianfranco was his baptismal name, Agostino the one added upon entering the novitiate), a great mountain enthusiast: «Today, having reached the last peak, the highest one – he said – Brother Gianfranco Agostino can contemplate He who is the author of every beauty and of every perfect gift, the Most High Omnipotent Good Lord».
THE MEMORY
Native of San Polo di Piave, before ruling the local Church, Msgr. Gardin had been minister of the Triveneto-Lombardy Province and general minister of the Conventual Franciscans and secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Many people from Treviso and beyond, yesterday, wanted to pay him their final farewell, starting from the prefect Angelo Sidoti, the president of the Treviso municipal council, Antonio Dotto, representing the mayor, numerous first citizens of the municipalities of the Diocese, the president of the Province Stefano Marcon, the regional councilor Federico Caner, the police commissioner Manuela De Bernardin Stadoan. In greeting all those present and in reiterating his closeness to his brother, sister and other family members, Bishop Tomasi, at the beginning of the celebration, underlined that «We miss Father Agostino and we will miss him, but the Lord, the God of life who welcomes him with joy, will be able to dry every tear and console every cry».
THE QUOTE
Patriarch Moraglia also took up another quote from Gardin: «Jesus tells us that he prepares a place for us in the Father’s house, so that we too can be where He is. I feel more and more interested in this theme and it becomes increasingly long live for me the concern of not losing that place.” Numerous messages have also arrived in recent days: among others, from Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the CEI and from the general secretary Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi, from Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and the president of the Veneto Region Luca Zaia. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of the Vatican State, sent a letter on behalf of Pope Francis, read by Monsignor Tomasi, in which he recalled how the late prelate was a “prompt and caring pastor following the example of the poor man of Assisi”. Applause accompanied the coffin, during the rite placed in front of the main altar, with the book of the Gospel on top, as it descended into the crypt of the Cathedral, for burial next to the other deceased bishops of Treviso.
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