Saint Lamb, on the day of Corpus Domini, goes to the house of Father Don Giovanni Aponte. We remember him with the event linked to his sixtieth anniversary of his presbyterian ordination. The entire parish community of Sant’Agnello rallied around the dearest Don Giovanni Aponte, Friday 29 July 2022, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of his presbyteral ordination.
The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by the Archbishop, Msgr. Francesco Alfano, supported by many other priests of the peninsula who knew Don Giovanni and have, in the past, collaborated with him.
The whole function was prepared and organized with love and care by Don Francesco, who, throughout the entire time, remained next to Don Giovanni, helping and supporting him.
The parish choir, directed by Maestro Annamaria D’Esposito, animated the mass, involving and moving the numerous faithful who attended. The emotion reached its peak when the elderly priest, despite the evident difficulties linked to his health conditions, took the floor to thank all those present and above all the Lord who granted him the gift of the vocation and a long and fruitful exercise of the ministry.
The people of Santanello, but also the inhabitants of the whole peninsula, were able to appreciate the enthusiasm and commitment shown by Don Giovanni when, as a young priest, he worked alongside the great parish priest Don Giuseppe Iaccarino and opened up to the inspired and enlightening innovations of the Vatican Council II. Furthermore, the generosity of Don Giovanni and the attention he showed towards the sick were not forgotten, demonstrated also, but not only, with his activity driving the ambulance, with which he became “close” to the suffering, at any time, without ever holding back.
Even as parish priest, between 1980 and 1997, Don Giovanni was a gift from the Lord to Sant’Agnello, spending his energies in his assiduous presence in the parish, but also in promoting the Missionary Weeks which, in the month of August, were an important moment of solidarity and love for those most in need.
Subsequently, in the early 2000s, the parishes of Marciano and Puolo benefited from the presence and commitment of Don Giovanni who was exercising his pastoral ministry there at the time.
More recently, due to his advancing age and worsening health conditions, the presence of this priest has become more silent and less conspicuous, but he still remains important because, with his constant prayer, with his unchanged generosity and with the daily offering of his sufferings, Don Giovanni remains a witness of faith and Christian perseverance, a great gift from the Lord for our community.
