Two Genoa Friends a Path and Model of Holiness

On October 8, 2021, the diocesan phase will close — in the church of the Immaculate Conception in Genoa –, of the Cause of Beatification of the Servants of God Alberto Michelotti and Carlo Grisolia, two Genoese friends, whose Cause was opened in 2005. With this act, the Diocesan Investigation closes, a really profound process for these two friends that became a path and model of holiness.

The minutes of this first phase will be presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. The ceremony will begin at 4:00 pm then, at 6:30 pm a Holy Mass will take place, celebrated by Monsignor Marco Tasca. Given the importance of this ceremony, both the Rite and the Eucharist will be open to the public. It will be possible to follow the broadcast live on Il Cittadino TV channel.

The ceremony is the closing session of the Diocesan Investigation or, rather, of the two Diocesan Investigations, as they are two different cases, but share the same intercessory prayer. Taking part will be the Bishop’s representative, Monsignor Mario Ostigoni; the Delegate Judge, Luigi Nuovo; the Promoter of Justice, Monsignor Michele De Santi; the Notary, Andrea Fasciolo and the Postulator Emilio Artiglieri. The mothers of the two young men will be present as well as representatives of the Promoter Committee and the community of the Focolare Movement.

The Roman phase will examine and evaluate carefully the information provided by the diocese. If the Congregation for the Causes of Saints grants the Decree of validity, these Servants of God will be called ‘Venerable.” To be considered first as ‘Blesseds” and then as “Saints,’ two miracles will be necessary, which occurred through their intercession.

However, as the prayer is unique for both, they will be ‘Saints together.’ But, it’s always the Pope who decides to move to the Beatification. Always sought is that, if a Servant of God is beatified or canonized, he must be capable of transmitting with his life an important message to the People of God.

Carlo and Alberto, young members of the Focolare Movement, had two lives that ended prematurely in 1980. Alberto died on August 18, after a fall during a climb in the Maritime Alps; almost at the same time, Carlo was diagnosed with cancer, which would lead to his death 40 days after that of his friend.

Alberto and Carlo lived an intense history of friendship between them and with their companions, sustained by the evangelical ideal of a united world and a universal fraternity, according to the spirituality of Chiara Lubich, the Movement’s Founder. In the following years, the memory and admiration for these two youths grew and a true reputation of holiness spread around them.

The initiative to launch the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of these two friends arose from there and led Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, when he was Archbishop of Genoa, to make them a model for Christians today.

“On Their Trail,” and the Musical “There Is No Greater Love,” are two of the many initiatives available today on the Website http://www.albertoecarlo.it, conceived in the main by young people from all over the world, who were dazzled by the simple example of these Genoese twenty-year-olds who believed in God’s love.

For additional information, contact: Paolo Puppo at +39 348 6974863 of the Promoter Committee.

Translation by Virginia M. Forrester