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Questa la sua testimonianza personale: «Sicuramente fu questa la più terribile delle punizioni. Tuttavia la necessità rende l'uomo ingegnoso cosicché avevo trovato un sistema molto semplice per rompere l'isolamento. Immaginavo di fare gli esercizi spirituali. Mi facevo un programma giornaliero ben dettagliato ed intenso. Cominciavo al mattino con una buona ora di meditazione, proprio come si faceva in convento. Quindi, la Santa Messa. Per questa avevo soltanto pane e vino: ma ciò bastava a procurarmi tanta gioia. Dopo la Santa Messa cominciava il programma di studio: ripassavo a memoria testi di teologia e di filosofia, discutendo ad alta voce come se mi trovassi all'università, davanti ai professori. Quando mi sentivo stanco mi distendevo con canti religiosi. Poi continuavo a studiare e pregare. Arrivava la sera senza che io avessi potuto svolgere tutto il programma che mi ero fissato. Quando poi, dalla cella d'isolamento, venivo trasferito di nuovo nella cella comune, mi sentivo spiritualmente più forte come se avessi realmente compiuto un corso di esercizi spirituali».
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Working in a factory for nine consecutive years, he carried on his priestly mission and that of bishop without being discovered by anyone. He was a brother to all. Arrested in 1960, he continued to be the friend of all in prison, and for twelve years he celebrated Mass every day. Those who prayed with him were mainly young prisoners. Yet, the most difficult experience was being put into isolation. This is his personal testimony: "Surely this was the most terrible punishment. Yet necessity is the mother of invention, so I discovered a very simple system to break up the isolation. I imagined I was making spiritual exercises. I followed a very detailed and intense daily program. I began in the morning with a good hour of meditation, just as I had done in the convent. Then, Holy Mass. For this I had only bread and wine: but that was enough to give me such joy. After Mass, my program of studies began: I reviewed from memory theological and philosophical texts, discussing them out loud as if I was at the university, in front of the professors. When I felt tired I relaxed by singing religious songs. Then I continued to study and pray. The evening arrived without being able to complete the whole program that I had planned. After, when I was transferred from the isolation chamber to a new common cell, I felt spiritually stronger as if I really had completed a series of spiritual exercises."
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