St. Luigi Orione´s Sense of Humor, part 3: Three Days in Bed, Drinking Only Water!

            In two letters, one to Fr. Sterpi and the other to Bishop Albera, St. Luigi Orione wrote about his health, informing them of what had happened to him, his symptoms, how the doctor had diagnosed his diabetes, the treatment and other details. Besides all this, he joked because the doctor (a former student of his) would not allow him to drink wine for three days. 

From the letter to Fr. Sterpi: 

            "I have felt absolutely exhausted for over a month, and I thought it was due to the pressure of my work; I couldn’t even write nor do any useful work. Then, as I was extremely thirsty, I began to wonder if there was something wrong, so when they tested my urine, they found I was diabetic. They wanted me to stay in bed for at least three days, drinking only water! Can you imagine it? If they had told me to stay in bed drinking only wine, maybe I could have accepted it, but drinking only water!!! and in bed, that’s asking too much!" [1] 

From the letter to Msgr. Albera: 

             "I am quite well; I am slightly diabetic, but that is already better. They wanted me to stay in bed for at least three days, condemned to drink nothing but plain water. Can you imagine it?

              And do you remember Gonella? He was one of our students at San Bernardino for his first year, and then he went on to St. Chiara. He is a doctor here now, a medical authority. (…) Do you know what I told him? “Listen to me, Gonnella, if you tell me to stay in bed for three days drinking only wine, such as "nebbiolo, barbera or grignolino"[2], then I would be quite willing. I might then sing all day long, and it would be fine. But drinking only water, come on! show a little respect! Is this your gratitude to me for allowing you into our school?"[3]

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[1] Letter to Fr. Sterpi. Buenos Aires, June 12th, 1935.
[2] Three different kinds of Italian wine.
[3] Letter to Bishop Paolo Albera. Buenos Aires, June 22nd, 1935.

St. Luigi Orione’s Sense of Humor, Part 2: Dances, Songs and Glandness in the Lord

I Want to be the Saint of Dances, Songs and Gladness in the Lord. 

         In a letter to a Franciscan priest who was to preach their annual retreat, Fr. Orione expressed his desire to serve the Lord with gladness and to be the saint of dances, songs and gladness in the Lord.  

           Let us serve the Lord with gladness: our charism has to be one of joyful charity, our doctrine to be total delight in the Lord, and our life has to be in the Lord, in the Lord, in the Lord, joyfully in the Lord. 

         Dear Father, today I have a great longing to dance: - Will there be dancing in heaven?

         If there is music, there will be dancing too. I want to sing and dance forever. Maybe the Lord will make me a special little corner where I won’t disturb the contemplatives! 
         I'm glad that Heaven will be a continual celebration - and at celebrations there is always joy, singing, dancing and joy in God. I want everyone to be happy, singing and dancing forever; I want to be the saint of dances, songs and delight in the Lord.[1]

I Want to Be Glad and Dance in the Lord, Even During Lent! 

           How can we attract vocations if we are not happy? A question to reflect on seriously. We have to radiate the happiness of God and to be saints of joy.

            Working as we do with the young and with the people – how can we attract them to God if we aren’t cheerful?

Cheerful in the Lord, of course I mean!

            We have seminarians, staff, priests, hermits, - if we are taciturn and always sunk in thought, they will find us heavy going, and we will fail to make them love the Community and the Congregation. We are not Trappists: we find joy in Charity: we are saints of joy.

            Woe betide us if we are always solemn and go around with mournful Lenten faces! Absolutely not! I want to be cheerful and dance in the Lord even during Lent! If we are gloomy, how can we transmit happiness to those around us? We must radiate joy, the joy of God, the happiness of God. We must make them realize that serving and loving God means life, warmth and love, living in constant cheerfulness; and that only as God’s servants will we experience joyful peace, and the good and holy joy of life.
           No doom and gloom either for us or those who are with us! Sing! Play music! Be glad in the Lord! Fill the house with sweet joyfulness! Serve the Lord merrily! “Scruples and melancholy, get away from me!” said St. Philip. I want to dance, to sing and to play music, even when I am dead. [2]

[1] Letter to Fr. Stefano Ignudi, OFMC. Tortona, 11^th August 1934.

[2] Letter to Fr. Montagna. Victoria (Buenos Aires) 9^th November 1934.

St. Luigi Orione’s Sense of Humor, Part 1: A Seriously Ill Patient

        We know that after the International Eucharistic Congress in 1934, Don Orione became very famous in Argentina, especially in Buenos Aires. Many people approached him, giving him donations in support of his expanding charitable institutions.

         For his part, Don Orione spent many hours seeing and receiving everyone. The hall of his office was always crowded with people who wanted to talk to him, to help the “Cottolengo”, to ask for his advice or to receive a blessing. Bishops, priests, professionals, members of the high society, workers, poor people, etc, everyone wanted to meet him. 

Once, a very rich man called Mr. Saturnino Unzue went to his office and spoke to Don Orione’s secretary, asking him if Don Orione could go to visit someone who was seriously ill. “Don’t worry – the brother replied – when there is anyone sick, Fr. Orione immediately leaves everything and rushes to their aid ….” 

"I have my car here” – Mr. Saturnino replied, and then confessed to the brother; “Look, brother, it is not really a sick person, but a horse, a very valuable racehorse, which is very ill indeed…. If it dies, the loss will be great… what do you think? Will Don Orione come?” 

“Leave it to me” – the brother answered, feeling that this might be interesting…

Some minutes later, Don Orione left his office, bringing a stole and holy water and everything necessary for the rite, and hurried to the brother, apologizing to the people who were waiting. They got into the car and drove off to assist the patient.

It was a lengthy drive, and when the car reached the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Don Orione asked; “How long before we get there?–, worried about reaching the patient in time. “Just a little further…, we are nearly there” – was the reply.

When the car drove up at the stables of a very important racetrack, the secret could no longer be kept. The brother whispered to Don Orione: “The blessing is for a very valuable horse…” The Founder smiled and said: “Ok, after all as priests we can also bless animals…    the rite exists for it…” 

Don Orione then went into the stable and blessed the horse, sprinkling it with holy water. When he had concluded the rite, they got in the car and drove back home.

Mr. Unzue was extremely grateful, and together with his words of gratitude Fr. Orione received a huge donation, enough to buy thousands of cattle. Of course, the horse recovered and won many races. 

Some days later, Don Orione had already spent the money and needed more for the construction of the Cottolengo at Claypole, so remembering what had happened, he called his efficient secretary and said: “Brother, do you know if there is another horse to bless?”