During the funeral mass celebrated to pay homage to a person of exceptional value considered by the whole community nuscana in a church as never crowded, as you can imagine, the parish priest, Don Dino, after reading and commenting on the Gospel of the day, could not mention his personal and discreet friendship he had with the deceased, Prof. Anthony Jew, for all "Tonino". Was inevitable for the celebrant to emphasize its undoubted intellectual qualities, not excluding a veiled reference to the 'positivist thinker of his convictions and, thus, a clear distinction between man and the faithful. No friends or family members present could prove surprising for those seemingly outlandish statements, and I, in particular, I agree with the points of view, as well Tonino knew from childhood and we were very close, due to the fact that they were colleagues for more than twenty years at the Liceo Scientifico di Montella. The pastor, after all, can not speak of the faithful practitioner, had mentioned only the sincere friendship and mutual respect of his ideas, his skills as a man and a keen observer and astute 'staunch defender of his beliefs, always thoughtful and never extemporaneous. Even
Don Dino, in fact, during his occasional meetings, as often happened to me too, sometimes had addressed the issue of secularism of his town, somewhat unknown, but without the slightest dent in the armor of extreme rationality of which he was covered.
Therefore, the memory of these aspects that characterized the life of Toni was not out place or unfounded. Yet, something was pushing me to believe that there was a need to add something and explain what is not his spiritual world.
At that moment a strong instinct urged me to speak my duty and give a testimony and I would do if we had not found a church and I did not have full knowledge of not being able to play that role, . Because of my strong emotional nature in such circumstances.
it so happened that during the homily for the position. I was in, was the backdrop to the celebrant Sant'Amato image painted on the back table of the bishops throne. Well, the patron saint of Nusco, Toni knew very more than any of the faithful: he had treated with great respect and also with a little 'with pride when, in consultation with me, had tried to popularize, to make them accessible to everyone, including non-experts, the results of a survey scientific relics of the saint. The rest are all the result of his passion for photography, the illustrations that accompany the book, later published in memory of 'event.
During the deepening of the study, Tonino had shown enough interest, not only as a scholar of human nature, as well as any loyal Sant 'Amato, was quite clear that he felt a duty to raise awareness that far fellow, benchmark continuous and pride of the local community over the centuries.
Tonino was a person equipped with a keen intelligence, particularly suited to the study of exact sciences, namely physics and chemistry, mathematics and technology, he also loved art, could play the piano and delighted in photograph, he could master any activity they take! When he was invested with a problem in one of those subjects, did not hesitate to investigate the issues and to become fully aware, to be able to explain in simple and understandable terms, that is, in short, a ladies a lesson.
was also a good man, honest, generous, who never spoke ill of the limitations or defects of others, tolerant and respectful of the opinions of others, loved not only by family and friends, but also from former students that he continued to see the teacher to turn to for solution of certain scientific matters to him most congenial.
For examples, do not you ever refused to have problems. computer or to give advice on health, two areas in which he moved to his perfect ease. For all those who turned to him, regardless of the degree of friendship, knowledge or social status, there was never a refusal for an explanation, advice or even just a direct intervention and resolution.
For these reasons, we are ready to say, as we all do. Nusco in the general chorus, but to Tonino was indeed a great loss and it has left a big regret. Tonino
could write a lot, but was not ambitious, nor a vain so far as to express his knowledge or his thinking and, therefore, to prove a certain pleasure in seeing his signature. However, do not mind pointing out that he was one of the founders, with Joseph Giuliano and Michael Shepherd, an interesting catalog historical photographs, well-commented on the people and landscapes nuscani the past century, published on the occasion of the ninth centenary death. Sant 'Amato (Nusco: Small City, 1893-1993, edited by IX Centenary Committee, Naples, 1993). He left also some writings (which I requested almost pleading) that are worth mentioning here:
1) natural features' of the Valley Ansanto ("Civilization altirpina, a. IV, fasc. 4 July -August 1979, pp. 27-29);
2) Notes on the nature of earthquakes ("Civilization Altirpina". aa. V-VI. 0ttobre 1981-September 1980, pp. 41-50);
3) a 'The survey further explanation of the relics of Sant' Amato, Bishop and Patron of Nusco and of 'Archdiocese, edited by G. Passaro, Materdomini, 2006, pp. 111-120.
For all these considerations, but particularly for the last written cited above, it has set me an idea closely linked to that image of Sant 'Amato first mentioned: During the funeral, it seemed that he was to observe both the congregation that the coffin. Hence, as it is possible that the patron saint also had the opportunity to appreciate the contribution made by Tonino for a revival of his knowledge in the community nuscana of today, probably will not fail to consider his life as a righteous man and say a few words for him.
Gennaro Passaro
0 comments:
Post a Comment