Austria – Pinkafeld: July 1, 2 and 3, 2011
Excerpt from the article published in Angels & Archangels issue 72 (May-June 2024)
The meetings with Fra Elia took place as always in the same intensity: praises, homelie, catechesis by Fra Elia, Holy Mass, prayers of healing and deliverance, blessings, adoration…One of the themes, which so moved the people, was, when don Marco Belladelli, expounded his testimony about the three violent attacks of the Devil, of which Fra Elia was again a victim during Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday,
Another particularly moving moment was, when Fra Elia answered a question that a participant asked him, “Why does God allow so much suffering in the world, and especially the death of so many innocent children, who do not even have a chance to live, and which by their families is often considered a punishment from God?”
At that point Fra Elia reminded us, that the Lord, who gives us life, never sends punishments to His children, but that, for all of us, there are fixed dates: those of birth and death (the only ones set by our Creator, since for everything else we have free will) that we must accept because for those who believe in Him, death does not exist.
And to give us an example, Fra Elia told us about his two dead nephews, his sister’s only children. One daughter at 17 1⁄2 years old, whom the doctors could not help, and the other due to a tumor a few years later.. And then he also told us about another sister, who died at 49, leaving four children without a mother. “Why?” asked Fra Elia. “Why did the Lord punish them? Whose fault is it? It is nobody’s fault. No, the Lord does not punish. We have da- tings. What was I supposed to say to my sister? I prayed for my sister, but even I was not told that she had to leave already. If you are ready, or not ready, when it is our time, wherever we are, He comes to get us.
What I want to convey to you is that we must not waste our time. We must love now, want well now, because all other things are superfluous and “too much” hurts. The only thing I could say to my sister was: don’t be afraid. They are more alive than ever and are always near you.” Maybe not everyone believes this
We think our dead cannot see us. Well, now I want to tell you a true story: I went last year to Jerusalem, and I always carry my grandchildren in my heart. Before I left for Italy, I took a little something for them too, as if they were still on earth. I got a little cross for my grandson, think where the human mind goes, and a pair of earrings for my granddaughter. I felt I had to do it. I put them in the little box, didn’t say anything to anybody, and when I got back to my village I went alone to the cemetery. I lifted the picture of the graves and behind, no one saw it, I hid the earrings and the little cross, then I went home. When I returned to the convent in Calvi, in the morning at six o’clock my sister called me and said, “Tell me the truth. Did you give any gifts to the children?” I answered, “Why?” “Because this morning they came and said, Ma thank the Uncle, how nice that chain with cross and earrings….”
Are you guys laughing? I made myself small. And then I told you the truth. If I did this and they warned you, it is a sign that they are more alive than we are. The dead are we, who do not see. They see. Then you must know one thing dear sister, that you always have them near us. And she said, “Yes, it’s true, I believe it. When I’m in the house, sometimes I feel that they walk, I feel that they touch me. Then I’m not crazy!” It’s not easy for a mom. She is strong now, though, and I want to make her even stronger. “Stop- la crying, be good, go to church, that the Lord makes you stronger.” I say this to my sister, but I also say it to all of you, I am speaking to all of you. Miracles are all done by God, not by man.
At the end Fra Elia recommended that we live in peace in our families, that we love each other, instead of fighting and accusing each other. Seen in this light it is much betterorgive each other and help each other, because none of us knows our date and that of our loved ones. We must always be prepared and not waste our time unnecessarily.