Page 148 - Reflections on St. Joseph

and that was how the idea of instituting a “Company of St. Joseph” was born, with goals also of
social promotion, above all among the youth, who were the most in need.

8 – The idea could possibly be successful if linked to the only social work existing in Asti in favor
of youth: the Michelerio, which precisely in that year was planning, under the direction of
Canon Giovanni Cerruti, to expand, acquiring the large “Gesu” complex, made up of the Church
called the “Gesu” and the ancient monastery of the Poor Clare nuns, extending over four streets
(the older part from the 1500’s, the more recent from the 1700’s). The other Catholic social
work was the Cerrato Hospice, which in those years was showing signs of age and which later
Fr. Marello will take up and start again some years later (involving the Congregation in the
project). He wrote, therefore, to Canon Cerutti, and the tone of the letter of October 25, 1872,
gives a vague sense of being afraid of not being understood by the ancient Canon Penitentiary,
so new was the proposal he was making to him for Asti.

9 – We will skip over all of the preambles which set the stage for the true and proper discussion
before getting to the heart of the matter. Instead we will look at the program which Fr. Marello
presented to the Canon, which in substance was a petition to be able to use the Church called
the “Gesu”, once it was ready again for worship, in order to set up there a center for spirituality
and a ministerial association. I think that Canon Cerutti saw in the Secretary’s request the will
of Him who was behind him, that is the Bishop himself, and this was the principal reason which
led him to receive enthusiastically the petition made of him made with so much reverential fear
on the part of the young Marello. Even if accepting it did not mean completely understanding
where Marello wanted to take it.

For this reason, he limited himself to presenting the spiritual program, only noting in the
second part some of the possible practical things that could be immediately realized since they
were along the lines of assistance and charitable works (which was that which the Canon
understood best).

Beyond all of this, the program contains the
central nucleus of Marello’s thought, which
will later be developed unexpectedly also in
the Congregation which will follow six years
later, in 1878.

Here, for example, is the original interior
inspiration: “Each member draws his own
inspiration from his exemplar St Joseph, who
was the first on earth to look after the
interests of Jesus. One who decides to
participate in this Company must, however,
promise in the presence of God to strive within
his means to promote the interests of Jesus…

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Reflections on st. joseph