My deep and sincere congratulations directly go to Rev. Fr. Mario Barbero,Imc. On October 2, he celebrated 50 years of profession. As recall, Rev. Fr. Mario Barbero, Imc, was born on June 9, 1939 in Marene (Cuneo) in Italy. In the past, he served a lot as regional superior in Kenya, United States of America; professor of Bible and Formator in DR Congo. Currently, he is a member of the Italian region. On this sort of occasions, I also remember Fr. Mario Barbero’s parents, who undoubtedly are in God’s Kingdom. They willingly accepted their three Children to be Consolata Missionaries for the service of God. The first was Rev. Fr. Antonio Barbero. He is not anymore with us in this world. May His Soul repose in Peace with God! Amen. We always remember him as one of the early pioneers IMC in DR Congo. Besides, the philosophical seminary IMC in Congo is called “Antonio Barbero Seminary”. The second Consolata Missionary from Barbero’s family is Fr. Mario Barbero. The third is Fr. Thommaso Barbero who is accomplishing his missionary’s work in Kenya. Dearest Fr. Mario Barbero, celebrating your 50 years of profession, you need to see yourselves immersed in divine mercy which brought you forth as priest-missionary and which constantly nourishes and sustains your every step towards heaven, to which you are guiding the souls entrusted to your care. I daily realize that we Priests are precious in the eyes of God, not primarily for what we do, but for what we are. In Mt.14:27, the Lord offered to the first ones he called the encouragement: “Courage! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.” The Lord’s words must penetrate you, especially in times of hardship and discouragement. You must let them live within you until your conscience recognizes that they are addressed to you and not just to the Apostles long ago. I believe that being the Chosen to proclaim Christ; we are first of all invited to live in intimacy with him. We cannot give to others what we ourselves do not have. As also state the psychologists that the one who has never made the experience of love since his childhood cannot be capable to show love or to love others. We give what we have. Therefore, the personal encounter with Jesus-Christ is quenching your thirst and in turn you are capable to quench the thirst of others. My Dear Fr. Mario Barbero, the image of Christ who sits down beside the well and waits for the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:6), could also apply to you, who like Christ, are patiently waiting for creatures in order to quench their thirst with him, and at the same time are like the Samaritan woman who goes to Christ to find the water of true happiness, which flows from confidence in Jesus’ word. Consider always positive any type of experience gotten during your life. The rest is at God’s hand. But know always that you are very precious in God’s eyes. “I am also thinking of the work you do everyday, work that is often hidden and, without making headlines, causes the kingdom of God to advance in people’s minds and hearts. I want you to know of my admiration for this ministry, discreet, tenacious and creative, even if it is sometimes watered by those tears of the soul which only God sees and ‘stores in his bottle’ (Ps 56:8). Your ministry is all the more admirable when it is tested by the resistance of a widely secularized environment, which subjects priestly activity to the temptations of fatigue and discouragement. You well know that such daily commitment is precious in the eyes of God”. (Dives in Misericordia, n.3)
May you be always under protection of our Founder and of our Mother, Consolata, Amen!
