“He who loves does not die.” The touching farewell to the pizza chef who died at 32 years old

The Risen Jesus church is too small Ginosa to contain all the people who, yesterday afternoon, wanted to say goodbye to Monica Bongallino for the last time. The 32 year old girl from Gino, profession pizza chef, dead in hospital on March 27th, after having complained the day before illness while carrying out a spirometry. In her church were her parents, her sister, her boyfriend, relatives, friends, and many locals who knew the young woman for her profession as an excellent pizza chef. It is no coincidence that she was part of the “Genusia Mani in Pasta” association. The Eucharistic celebration, presided over by the parish priest Don Giuseppe Bernalda, moved everyone. There was much applause for Monica both during mass and when leaving the church, when her earthly journey physically ended. Before the coffin was placed in the hearse, Monica was greeted with the release of white balloons and the flight of doves of the same color. While she tries to piece together the puzzle to explain her premature death, her heartbreak and pain know no respite. Emotion and concentration in prayer for a beautiful soul of the city.

Monica, with her smile, gave love to everyone. Many people came to say their final goodbyes and to hug and support her parents in one of life’s worst trials. The coffin was covered in a blanket of white roses, with a framed photo of her. The coffin was surrounded by many baskets of white roses, on her altar a blow-up of her and a banner of her friends to remember her smile which “will never be forgotten and will remain indelible in hearts”.

The homily

The priest expressed himself in the form of a letter written to Monica: “Dear ones, the Lord tells all of us that Monica is not dead, she is resurrected and is next to us. Today, the love that unites this assembly is not broken, but transformed because we can certainly continue to hear this love in the silence of our hearts, in gestures of tenderness, in the secret discretion of prayer and in the silent and mild strength of love concretely lived, given and shared. I insistently turn to Monica: I want to do it using the present tense, as if she were here live, with a tone of friendship; a tone that, in some way, can accommodate this awareness, where thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit we rediscover that it is not death that has the last word, but life that transforms bonds and loves, making them eternal. And it is for this reason – continued the priest – dear Monica, that I ask you to be close to your dear mother, caressing her every day, whispering words of hope in her heart, and to prepare for her that goodness which always manifested the gift of life which she doesn’t die, giving her the certainty that you are next to her and that you will be the one to look after her and hold her hand like she did with you when you were little. Accompany your father’s life with your love, tear despair from his chest and prepare verses of eternity for him so that he can be aware that your life has not ended in nothing, but continues in the real, true way that you will be capable of take him by the hand too, making him feel enveloped in your love. And with your love also envelop your sister, whose serenity and dreams were shattered that evening of March 27th. Stay close to her, give her hope and take her by the hand too and make her feel that you are always her sister, that you are close to her and will never abandon her. With your love – he concluded – dear Monica, surround your boyfriend, your friends and companions; she tears the veil of fear and desperation from their hearts and gives them the awareness that a jolt of love, hope for life and independence is needed more than ever at this moment. Above all, we are certain that you will give the necessary strength from heaven and so we will be able to continue our journey more united with you, feeling supported by your presence. Dear Monica, you who knew how to love everyone without distinction, continue to love us from heaven because love is stronger than death and those who love do not die. Thank you for your life and peace to you. Hi Monica. Amen”.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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