No.

2 iPaul 11

FR. GIOVANNI SEMERIA, BARNABITE

“SERVANT AND APOSTLE TO THE ORPHANS”
by Thomas Federick S. Tabada, CRSP

To Fr. Semeria our Tahanan Mapag-aruga is dedi-

cated. At the conclusion of the celebrations for the 75th anniver-
sary of his death (March 15, 1931), we would like to commemo-
rate his service to the “poorest of the poor” through this short
biographical sketch.

Have you ever experienced “selling” yourself? One

of our fathers, Fr. Giovanni Semeria experienced this.
He used to say, “I sell myself for my orphans”, an expres-
sion of his life-long dedication to the service of the
orphans. His sense of dedication and self-giving are
marked with genuine service and love. He was con-
stantly on the move of helping those in need. For he
believes the words of St Luke: “Give and it will be
given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, running over, will be put into your lap; for
the measure you give will be the measure you get
back” (6:38).
Who is Fr. Giovanni Semeria?
Fr. Semeria was born in the Ligurian coast, Caldi-
rodi (a village in the municipality of Sanremo) in
1867. He lost his father at an early age. At the age of
fifteen he decided to dedicate his life to Christ by be- coming from the Lend-a-Hand Society was visibly
coming a Barnabite. The young Giovanni studied phi- seen in the character of Fr. Semeria. He dedicated his
losophy in Rome, where he received a religious and life in total service to God. The simple something that
cultural education inspired and enriched with great he did is a big thing to others; and this something
balance and especially a deep feeling of liberty and generated a change in the life of the orphans. What is
responsibility. He attended novitiate in Monza. In this something that I am talking about? This some-
1890 he was ordained priest in Rome where he re- thing is the establishment of two orphanages in 1919:
mained for the next five years. Fr. Semeria was then one in Amatrice (Rieti) and the other in Gioia del
transferred to Genoa, at St. Bartholomew’s, which Colle (Bari). Both were the beginnings of his mission,
will become the center of his future activities. It was that is, to help the orphaned children. Within a span
in Genoa where he founded the Superior School of Relig- of five years, Fr. Semeria established nine shelter-
ion (this “school” was created to recognize that the laboratories in Calabria, eleven in Basilicata, four in
modern thought is suitable to the Gospel. The mes- Campania and three in Abruzzo. He also founded
sage of the gospel is not changed but only translated fourteen summer camps on the Alps and one on the
with creativity and expressed it to the new current of shore in Monterosso (La Spezia). Today, these labo-
theology. However, this caused him to silence and ratories and shelters are under the direction of the
exile in Brussels) and initiated many charitable ac- Disciples of Don Minozzi who was his companion in
tivities including orphanages he himself established. building these orphanages.
Fr. Semeria is one of the persons who probably Fr. Semeria’s works were marked with excellence
will say, “I am only one but still I am one who cannot and service, indeed, an expression of great acts of
do everything. But still I can do something and be- love. Because of these, he came to be known as the
cause I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do
(Continued on page 12)
the something that I can do.” This famous statement
 No. 2
servant of the orphans or the apostle to the orphans. Truly,
these titles bear his ardor, enthusiasm and spirit to-
wards helping the orphans of the World War I. His
animated spirit and his closeness to the children were
clearly manifested in his first assignment in Genoa
where he became the director of St. Alexander Sauli
Club. As director, he trained them in theatrical arts
and other skills beneficial to them, aside from teach-
ing religion and sports. This method of approaching
the children is also his way of guiding the orphans.
He directed the orphans with gentleness yet with
firmness.
Fr. Semeria was a very prolific writer who wrote
a number of books and articles on Theology. How-
ever, he was suspected of promoting Modernism in
his written works. His wit and intelligence snatched
him to silence and exile but this did not stop him in
helping others. Nicola Raponi reports about the si-
lencing of Fr. Semeria: “Fr. Semeria had suffered many
humiliations as he was accused to profess too daring
ideas and was suspected of heresy. He was forbidden
to preach, and, though never formally condemned, he
was forced to leave his own country into exile, rele-
gated to a remote community of confreres in Brussels.
He remained there until the vigil of World War I.”
We are then exhorted, by the works of Fr. Se-
meria, to imitate his great acts of love not by estab-
lishing orphanages but through habitually perform-
ing small acts of kindness towards our neighbor. It is
in these small acts of kindness that we bring sunshine
to the lives of others. The famous adage indicates:
“Kindness is Christianity with its working clothes
on.” It is the kindness in a person that wins our love.
Fr. Semeria won the hearts of the people because of
his generosity and love to the orphans.
Fr. Semeria lived the following words of Mother
Theresa of Calcutta: “Let us not be satisfied with just
giving money. Money is not enough, money can be
got, but they need your hearts to love them. So spread
your love everywhere you go, first of all in your home,
give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to
a next-door neighbor.”
Fr. Semeria died on March 15, 1931 in Sparanise
(Caserta). His remains are buried in Istituto Padre
Semeria di Monterosso al Mare (La Spezia, Italy). The
diocesan process for the canonization of Fr. Semeria
was started in 1984. We hope that in the years to
come the Church will honor him by enrolling him in
the long list of saints.
Source: Clerics Regular of St. Paul, A Tradition of Holiness and
Scholarship (Philippines: Marikina, 1998), 59-63.
iPaul 12
Fullness of life
by Robert B. Kosek, CRSP
Bethlehem, PA, February 18, 2007
Dear Friends of Tahanan:
The Most Reverend Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D.,
Rev. Giovanni Scalese, CRSP, Rector
The FMIJ Sisters,
The Hospitales Sisters of Mercy,
Barnabite Confreres, Saint Paul Scholasticate,
Benefactors,
Families of the Center and People of Good will:
Please and love of Jesus Christ be with you!
On the 18th of February 2007 we celebrate the first
anniversary of the blessing of Tahanan Mapag-Aruga ni
Padre Semeria in Tagaytay, Philippines. Bishop Luis An-
tonio G. Tagle, Bishop of Imus Cavite blessed the work
in the presence of God with these words: “Fullness of
Life is what I pray for you.” The Lord has worked great
things among us. And we have seen His power mani-
fested among us! Yes, and so our hearts rejoice with
His Spirit because of all that God was able to accom-
plish through us, among us, and for us all throughout
this whole year: May God be praised for His marvelous
deeds and continue to bless us with His endless love!
I must confess that for me an occasion like this
becomes an opportunity to reflect upon the unfolding
plans of divine presence. Within this divine setting we
attempt to unravel and discern God’s desires and act
upon them. As I do so I grow ever deeper aware of
God’s providential love, and that without it nothing
could come to life.
I never expected that my fourteen month long Fili-
pino experience would change my soul and heart forever
more. That experience afforded me the opportunity to
gain more wisdom of heart: to see and hear “that the
LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and
on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Ps 135:5-
6). And to know as well that all that spiritual insight was
granted to me by God as pure grace: that neither a naked
eye sees nor an ear can scrutinize it (cf Ps 135:16). What
kind of reality am I referring to?
Let me clarify this reality by saying that during that
time I became even more assured that: “God is love,
and he who abides in love abides in God, and God
abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16) and more… I have grown
into a more profound awareness and appreciation of
 No. 2 iPaul 13
what it means to live out God’s love among the poor of ing them to college. Moreover, there are on-going edu-
this world, i.e., both spiritual and material. How is it cational programs for children and mothers, as well as a
possible to learn about God and His godly love amidst livelihood program conducted by the Barnabite Semi-
immense human poverty and misery? The answer is narians. Thank you again for making God’s love a tan-
one: “We have come to believe in God’s love.” This act of gible reality for so many brothers and sisters living amid
faith has a lasting impact on all of one’s decisions in hopelessness and misery. The next time we pray “Thy
life. Thus “being Christian is not the result of an ethical kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is
choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, heaven,” we can wholeheartedly believe in the fulfill-
a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive ment of that promise.
direction” (Deus Caritas Est, 1). What was my experience So let us entrust all the families we help and all the
of Jesus on the Asian road to Emmaus? Where and in good ‘Samaritans’ to the motherly love of Mary:
whom did I come to recognize Him? “O Holy Mary, Daughter of the Most High God,
I saw countless faces of the poor and hungry chil- Virgin Mother of the Savior and Mother of us all,
dren, mothers’ hands begging for mercy. I heard voices look tenderly upon the Church of your Son
crying in desperation for mercy, and the Lord was in each planted on Asian soil.
one of them. Yes, it was Jesus in the poor and hungry Be her guide and model
asking me for food. Yes, it was Jesus whose hands were as she continues your Son’s mission
begging me for mercy. Yes, it was Jesus’ voice of despera- of love and service in Asia.(…)
tion crying for mercy from me. It was Him indeed! O Mary, Mother of the New Creation and Mother of Asia, pray
“The Lord has identified himself with them in a for us, your children, now and always!”
special way (cf Mt 25:40). This love excludes no one, (Ecclesia in Asia, 51)
but simply embodies a priority of service to which the Your Brother in Christ,
whole Christian tradition bears witness. ‘This love of Fr. Robert B. Kosek, CRSP, Ph.D.
preference for the poor, and the decisions which it in-
spires in us, cannot but embrace the immense multi- The rainbow appeared above our house on the eve of its inauguration,
tudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those November 9, 2005 (Photo: R. Kosek)
without medical care and, above all, those without hope
of a better future. It is impossible not to take account
of the existence of these realities. To ignore them
would mean becoming like the ‘rich man’ who pre-
tended not to know the beggar Lazarus lying at his gate
(cf Lk 16:19-31)’” (Ecclesia in Asia, 34). However the
story does not end here. The Lord did not want me to
walk alone, or to be overwhelmed by the work to be
done. He desired to send my way a lot of His good
friends to ease the burden of the call, and so He did
indeed. Without these friends, and their generosity of
heart, it would not have been possible to accomplish
God’s desire — Tahanan Mapag-Aruga ni Padre Semeria.
“How can I repay the Lord for all the good done for
me?” (Ps 116:12) On this day, the first anniversary of the
blessing of Tahanan Mapag-Aruga ni Padre Semeria, I want
to give thanks to God for each one of you individually.
For indeed I consider to be truly blessed by God for
sending you into my life. I am grateful to God for send-
ing into my life: Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Rev.
Giovanni Scalese, CRSP, Religious Sisters from the
Congregations of the FMIJ and the Hospitals Sisters of
Mercy, Barnabite Confreres, Seminarians, and various
Benefactors from the Philippines and abroad. Together
we were able to make a brighter future to 8 children by
sending them to elementary school, to 3 youth by send-
ing them to high school, and to 2 young adults by send-