Oh What a Night!

By Sabina Fadel



FOR THE PAST eight centuries Saint Anthony's friars in his Basilica in Padua have raised their voices in defence of the poor and downtrodden. Eight long centuries in which the Saint's voice has restored hope, healed wounds and opened new horizons of faith. On the night of Friday, November 14, 2008, Anthony's voice, however, rang out loud and clear from a Basilica that was filled to capacity.

It was, in fact, on this night that the sixth edition of the Saint Anthony International Awards was held. The Awards were instituted 10 years ago to celebrate the Messenger's 100th anniversary, acknowledging those whose work in this world is inspired by Gospel values, and to highlight, in stark contrast to the bad news that pours into us from the media on a daily basis, that there are people out there working quietly but firmly for goodness.

This sixth edition was hosted by renowned Italian TV personality Milly Carlucci who, in the company of Fr. Danilo Salezze, general director of the Messenger of Saint Anthony, and Fr. Mario Conte, executive director of the magazine and chief organiser and inspirer of the event, presented to the wide public those to be awarded. The event was broadcast live by Telepace, the Catholic TV network that broadcasts throughout Italy and in many other countries as well. Telepace also airs its programs as far as North America, Australia and New Zealand via satellite.

As usual, the Awards were subdivided into four categories: Solidarity, Witness, Cinema and Television.



Solidarity



The Solidarity prize went to Susan and Michael Borden. This American couple from Janesville, Wisconsin, founded the Saint Anthony Charitable Trust in 1997. The Trust finances solidarity projects in third world countries in the spirit of Saint Anthony, for whom Michael has special devotion.

Michael started off as an investment broker in Milwaukee, and grew in that business for 20 years. With a degree in Finance and Accounting, he specialized in writing business plans for companies that were in financial trouble. One day he said to himself, "Why don't I write a business plan for myself?" But he had never had any experience running a business or a manufacturing company. So he asked Saint Anthony if he was interested in becoming his partner! Michael would get the financing and run the business, while the Saint would provide the wisdom, courage, intelligence, and a few old fashioned miracles from time to time... The Saint said "Yes, but in exchange for 50 percent of the business equity!" An earnest, solemn prayer, and the pact was sealed! Off they went, and soon after they bought their first business, HUFCOR, INC,  which they took through bankruptcy. Now, 30 years on, they are doing very well and HUFCOR is the World's largest manufacturer of movable partitions for hotel ballrooms and convention centers. The partitions are installed in over 100 countries, with manufacturing factories throughout the world.

When Milly asked Michael in front of the audience what a businessman's greatest asset is, he replied, "Your greatest asset as a businessman wishing to serve God is not the amount of capital you have, nor your capacities or experience, your greatest asset is your Faith".

A special prize for Solidarity also went to Ernesto Olivero, founder of SERMIG (Servizio Missionario Giovani - Young People's Missionary Service). Olivero is a retired bank employee, and father of three children. Enamoured of God since childhood, in 1964 Olivero, then 24, decided to dedicate all his life to Him, and founded SERMIG which, since 1983, is based in a disused army arsenal in Turin, northern Italy. Because if its curious location, the area has been renamed The Arsenal of Peace. He then went on to found The Arsenal of Hope in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and more recently, The Meeting Point Arsenal in Jordan.

Olivero was recommended for the Nobel Peace Prize by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and was also a personal friend of Pope John Paul II.



Witness



The Witness prize went to Gregoire Ahongbonon, founder of the St Camille De Lellis Association at Bouaké on the Ivory Coast. This association offers spiritual healing and material assistance to the mentally ill and their families. Gregoire is married with six children, and has worked as a tyre mechanic and operated a taxi service.

During his impassioned address, Gregoire extracted a heavy chain linked to a collar from a bag, and fastened the collar on his neck. He then described how mental illness is still seen as a form of diabolical possession in many parts of Africa, and how these poor souls are often taken to some remote corner of the forests or locked up in a room, where they are chained to prevent them from escaping. The mentally ill often suffer incredible abuse at the hands of their captors, who beat them up repeatedly and ill-treat them in various ways to 'exorcise' them of their demons.

With over 12 rehabilitation centres in Benin and the Ivory Coast, Gregoire and his assistants were able to heal them with the most effective medicament yet available - Christ-filled love; and to restore them to their families (see article on page 14 of our previous issue).

A special prize for the Witness section was also given to Monsignor Giovanni Nervo. A 90-year-old priest from the Diocese of Padua, Monsignor Nervo has spent his whole life in the service of solidarity. In 1971 he founded Caritas Italiana, the pastoral organisation created by the Italian Bishops Conference in order to promote, in cooperation with other organisations, the charity commitment of Italian Catholics, and served as its first president and then as vice president.

In his address, the elderly Monsignor Nervo expressed his concern that many Catholic solidarity organisations are losing their connection to the Faith.



Cinema



The Cinema prize went to a film that was able to describe in all its frightening reality the morally devastating effect that organised crime is having on hearts and minds in Italy and abroad. The jury, presided over by director Eugenio Cappuccio, has this year decide to award the film Gomorrah, directed by Matteo Garrone.

The film is inspired by the best seller of the same name written by Roberto Saviane, and was shot on location in the most degraded suburbs of Naples. Saviane himself is currently under police protection because his realist novel has named and shamed various individuals connected to a number of powerful and aggressive crime rings.

The prize was handed over to actress Maria Nazionale and scriptwriter Massimo Gaudioso.



Television



The Television prize is reserved for TV miniseries or programs which portray, in an effective and living way, those values which constitute the pillars of our Faith. This year the prize went to actor Ettore Bassi for his splendid interpretation of Saint Francis in the miniseries Clare and Francis, directed by Fabrizio Costa.

Clare and Francis was shot on location in Italy, and is unique among films on Francis because of its historical accuracy and the authentic spirit of joy and piety that Francis was known for, as well as the major role played by Clare, who is given equal stature with Francis.

A popular Italian TV and film actor, Bassi is not new to religious themes, having appeared in the miniseries St. Peter and Giuseppe Moscati. Bassi's role in the film covers a lot of ground, from Francis' vibrant youth as a hopeful warrior to his new religious mission, and on into old age, blindness, and death.



Readings from the Saint's life



In between the presentation of the various prizes, which came in the form of a gilded bronze statue of Saint Anthony encased in a scarlet, velvet-lined wooden box, the public's attention was kept alive by four artistic moments, which consisted in readings from four different episodes of Saint Anthony's life.

A group of distinguished Italian TV and theatre actors, led by Michele Placido, internationally known for his leading role as a police inspector in the series The Octopus (La Piovra), gave heart and soul to four signal moments of the Saint's life.

The first was a dialogue between Fernando (Anthony) and his mother, in which the future saint declared his vocation to the priesthood.

Next came the moment when Father Fernando met Friar Berardo, one of the five first Franciscan martyrs, and decided to enter the Franciscan Order under the name of Anthony, and to seek a martyr's death in Morocco.

In the third episode, a depressed and bewildered Anthony, after his failure in Morocco, talks to Friar Philip, who tells him that God has other plans for him.

The last reading evoked the dramatic episode in which Saint Anthony, now towards the end of his brief life, courageously confronts and rebukes Ezzelino da Romano, the bloodthirsty intolerant tyrant who then had the city of Padua under his grip.

The event ended with imposing music from the Basilica's great organ. It was really a night to remember!