|
|
HOME
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- WAR ROOM -
THE GOSPEL
- BIBLE
STUDY - MORAL
ISSUES - KING
JAMES BIBLE - CULTS |
THIS PAGE IS A CHRONOLOGICAL PRESENTATION OF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THIS BROTHER FROM MANY SOURCES. I BEGIN WITH THE OLDEST INFORMATION AT THE TOP FIRST AND CONCLUDE BELOW. THIS ENTRY IS DATED, JANUARY 2013.CAVEAT:
|
THE
FIRST REPORT OF THE CONVERSION
OF BROTHER TRECCANI
This seems to indicate two things which seem to drop out of sight as Treccani's ministry progressed over the years:
1. He came into Pentecostal circles which were skeptical about Charismatic manifestations.
2. In his early days after confessing faith in Christ he maintained a somewhat warm friendship
with his uncle, the Pope.
I personally have no reason to be trouble about this because of the total picture of his zeal and ministry.
John
the Baptist Treccani, nephew of Pope Paul VI, converts to Christ
Taken from The Herald Apostolic No. 7-8 1967
Introduction
"He tried in vain to prayer, penance, and in spiritual exercises of his vocation as a priest to appease the restlessness of his heart. In a simple gathering Pentecostal found the health of his soul and to this he worked as a missionary among the Indians in South America. "
So 'The Evangelii Harold', the official organ of the Swedish Pentecostal Movement, publishes this news is both surprising and happy. The details of this conversion we receive from a Danish author, Mme Trolly Nrutzsky-Wulff, who lives in Canada and is very active in the Pentecostal Churches. It 'been a recent conference Christian, San Diego, California, she met John the Baptist Treccani. Give below an extract from the article published by our sister on this event, for which we lift to God our thanksgiving. We pray that God's blessing is on the new Ministry of the brother in Christ and his courageous example helps a large number of his former brothers in the Roman Catholic Church to achieve this peace of mind that accompanies the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, gift received in a broken heart, a contrite and penitent.
From childhood, he sought God
Treccani John the Baptist was born in Italy in a traditionally religious family. His mother, sister of Pope Paul VI, was a devout Catholic, and she was very concerned about the religious education of his children. Among all, was that the Church of John the Baptist exercised his greatest influence. It took all his life. Since childhood, he felt the desire to live closer to God In the following, served in the parish church as a member of the choir, and performed his duties with great dignity and reverence. Often prostrated themselves on their knees before the statue of the Virgin Mary and the saints nell'avida looking for some grace. It was always disappointed.
The Seminary
At the age of adolescence, he felt called to dedicate his life to the service of God His father opposed it. Nevertheless, the young man did not let Treccani divert from what he regarded as God's plan for his life. With his mother, he found full understanding, and while he was working in the farms of the district to earn the money needed to study, she economized as much as he could to help his son to become a man of the Church. Finally, one day he was able to enter the seminary to begin his studies. There, he thought, I'll find the peace of God to my soul and His goodness upon my life, my craving for a real communion with Him will be fully satisfied.
Open spirit, sincerely submitted to the disciplines of his Church, he spoke with his teachers of distress of his soul. But no one could help him find his communion with God that felt much need. Reading the biographies of saints did not bore any advantage, because he realized that the saints themselves, like him, were of poor human beings in search of peace. The same father-confessor of the seminar to which he turned for advice, he had to admit that he had never known such peace and therefore could not help him in this quest. The time spent in the seminary did not give him what he had hoped, on the contrary, it seemed to him that had increased the restlessness of his soul.
He was not granted permission to go see his dying father.
When, his father, who eventually agreed to the choice made by his son, he fell seriously ill, they took with him the presence of his son, in the hope that he, as a servant of the Church, could help him die in peace. The higher Treccani refused him permission to go home with his father dying, saying that a priest belongs first of all to the Church and that family relationships should not affect his priestly obligations. With deep sorrow in his heart, he bowed to address these needs, finding, however, hardly compatible with the fifth commandment of God's Word, we recommend that you honor our father and mother. This refusal left a deep wound in the soul of the young priest.
Towards South America
Another career opened later before John the Baptist Treccani. He wanted to serve God in the circumstances that require sacrifice. His uncle, the current Pope Paul VI, at the time Archbishop of Milan, to whom he revealed his desire, intervened to support him. And so, some time below, he was sent to serve as coadjutor bishop, in the mountainous region of the Andes in South America He was one of those poor people that he played a very meritorious, and although his heart was always so empty and restless, he consecrated himself to this new position, in which the risks were numerous and painful work. So it was that in that region he met for the first time missionary work of the Gospel. In principle, he condemned her, because her church had taught him that it was only the custodian of the Christian truth. But, in spite of his great devotion to what he considered to be the cause of God, he felt every day more his spiritual poverty and his inability to effectively help the souls in distress. How to seek help from the other priests, he knew now that their situation was worth his, and they all did not know what it means peace of God that fills a heart.
Placed in front of the simplicity of the Gospel witness.
One day, coming out of a chapel where he had been standing some time in prayer before the Virgin Mary, he met an Indian who asked him what he had done in the chapel. At first he felt unwilling to answer him, wearing the cassock, having to admit to that Indian who was seeking the peace of God? What tumult in his heart! But, yielding to an impulse of the heart, humbled themselves before the man who did not know and said that he had prayed for peace in his soul. "This is not the right place to make this prayer," said the Indian. "Peace can not be found if not in Jesus." That Indian brother, who had the experience of salvation, he simply his testimony to the young priest, speaking to the peace and joy that she found through faith in Jesus Christ, his Savior.
It was the first time that Treccani listened to the simple message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and heard talk about the blood of the Lamb of God, which cleanses from all sin, and he listened eagerly. As a result, the Indian invited him to the meeting, but it was not easy for a Catholic priest to sit among those people whom he had hitherto fought as heretical. Nevertheless, he could not resist the power that attracted him to them. One day, he sat on the last bench in the room, afraid of being recognized by someone.
The Gospel was announced in the fire and in the power of the Holy Spirit, and Treccani immediately understood that there was what he had sought in vain elsewhere during the long years. Everything about him answered "Yes" to that message so precise on the way of salvation. Yes, it could not be otherwise: The salvation of God is a free gift of God's grace, a gift so wonderful, infinitely precious. The work of salvation is a complete work, men have nothing to add.
The hour of decision.
Days of agonizing struggles that followed first contact with evangelical Christians. His superiors had learned that he had been in the Evangelical Church and did well understand their disapproval. He tried to distance himself from the influence of encounters with true believers exerted on him, gave himself with a zeal doubled in every kind of activity in the Church, so as to be the attraction of the gospel. One day, a grand procession was to take place in the city, the famous statue of a great saint was to be brought to stroll through the streets. All the clergy, Bishop in the head, you participated, to bring prestige to the party. That day marked the turning point in the life of Treccani. He left the procession to go to the Evangelical Church.
There he sat in the front pew of the humble place and there, finally, he made his encounter with Jesus, the Savior of his soul. The peace of God that he had coveted for years, filled her whole being and he learned in those solemn moments what it means: be sure of the salvation of the soul. Therefore his disappearance from the procession had been noted and the bishop together with some priests came looking for him to bring him back to his place. But he answered them, "I can not follow you, my place is here, at the Cross of Golgotha."
At present, he is a brother Christian, saved by grace. He obeyed the Baptism by immersion and the Lord has given him to grace the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He is no longer a priest of the Roman Catholic Church. His experiences with the Lord signify that He has chosen the Truth of the Word of God and given to the traditions of men. He had to pay the price as many others: contempt, hostility and persecution. While he was in Italy for a living, he found one day that the wicked visitors had stealthily entered his room looting everything he possessed on earth.
The return to his Indian friends.
In the following, he resumed his activities among the poor population of the Andes, in the service of his Saviour and Master, which provides for their needs. A profound transformation took place in him and his work as a missionary is animated by a immovibile faith in the promises of God and illuminated by a ray of love and joy. Such testimony must also exercise a salutary influence on the mother. Gradually, the light of the Gospel has found the way of his heart.
The gift of the Pope
My uncle's brother Treccani, adopted by the new form of government ecumenical, a benign behavior towards conversion of his nephew. He wrote very affectionately to ask if there was anything he could do to please him. John the Baptist said to his uncle that he needed a glass to celebrate the Lord's Supper and a tunic for baptismal services. The Pope has sent the two objects. While we publish this article, our brother Treccani is in North America where he visited a number of Pentecostal churches. It 'sa something wonderful to hear him speak of the hard road route to the revelation of God and the salvation that is offered to the redemptive work accomplished on the cross of Golgotha. On the face of this man seems to see shine a little of that same heavenly light that illuminated the face of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, in contemplating the face of the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God, who is certainly one of God's chosen instrument for bear the name of the Lord to the nations. May his ministry to bring a great number of souls to make the wonderful experience of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
_______________________
Back in 1978, Goodnews Broadcaster carried an article in January telling of the conversion of Juan Trecanni, Pope Paul IV's nephew. Juan is as close as we can get to a relative of the Pope in the next generation because the Pope is not supposed to sire any sons, not so you would notice anyway.
In the article Juan Trecanni tells of his search for peace of soul. His search led him to a monastery where he was encouraged to die. The then Pope Paul VI, released him from his vows, and Juan ended up going to do missionary work in Argentina. Once there, he found that peace of soul was as illusive as ever.
Juan met a very common evangelical pastor, and Juan noticed the man was very content and satisfied with his zeal for Jesus Christ. Juan went around to the pastor's church house to pray with the saints. He was startled that they could pray without a prayer book.
Later, Juan was supposed to lead a major Catholic procession. He was ready to begin, but grew bored and frustrated with the superstition of the people. His priest "friends" began to taunt him about being polluted by the Evangelicals. They dared him to leave the Roman Catholic procession and go to the Evangelicals. Juan did just that.
As soon as Juan confessed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the church people grabbed him, hoisted him on their shoulders, and ran to the river with him. They baptized him while his old Catholic "friends" watched on the shore. He then went on to be trained in Bible School and to pastor in the Lord's church.
Now, here is the big question:
Where is Juan Trecanni?
Has he remained faithful to the Gospel message?
Did agents of the Whore kidnap or kill him?
Can someone fill us in on the rest of the story?
LATEST ENTRY- January 2013
The
conversion of John the Baptist Treccani
October 1989
The following is the testimony of John the Baptist Treccani conversion to Jesus Christ, written down (by his brother Renato Giliberti) from an audio recording made in French-speaking Switzerland years ago (29 October 1989) at a meeting in which John the Baptist Treccani made his testimony .
Download the witness audio (MP3 format - 76 MB approx) of John the Baptist Treccani
I thank the Lord for this good opportunity in this morning. Surely the Lord has something special for each of us. I'm not sure. From early this morning, I felt the presence of the Lord, and I prayed that I could get here in time. The train was getting slower and slower, however, I arrived a few minutes before. Thank the Lord for that.
I would like more preach in Spanish, is my current language, however, take advantage of the opportunity to preach in Italian, although many terms I do not remember well. Praise the Lord.
These are the last days that I am in Switzerland, already ten return to Patagonia. How many know where the Patagonia? Patagonia is the last of the earth, where the world ends. When the Lord sent me there, the Catholic Church sent me as a missionary in that place, to convert the Indians to Catholicism. But Indios me a convert to the way of the Lord!
I often ask the Lord because I met in Italy when I was studying in Rome. Why can not I met in the Vatican. Why can not I met him in the monastery. The Lord brought me so far, to break the chains that bound my life, for me to know the truth, and give me peace in my heart. Alleluia.
Before giving my testimony I would like to reflect a little on Nicodemus, in Chapter 3 of the Gospel of St. John. We all know this ... who was Nicodemus and Jesus all know who is who Jesus is, is not it? Who is Jesus to you personally! And many say: yes, I know him as a person's history as a religious leader ... many others ... a martyr ... but who is to us? The answer you need to give you this morning! If there is only one person who ... have recourse to him when we need it? Oh, He is everything to us. Before aspirin before the psychiatrist, the first of our friends ... He should be in the first place. When He is in first place, then we are sure that when we lift our prayer to Him, He will certainly listen to us. For this reason, many times we do not receive a response from the sky, because we are not available to him We ninety-nine percent everything at our disposal, but for the Lord only one percent. May the Lord help us in this.
I have come to the Lord in the same circumstances of Nicodemus. I was in the same position. I was a good monk, but without peace in my heart. I needed an encounter with the Lord. And of course I tried with all my strength, like Nicodemus I tried with all his might. He wanted to have an answer in God, and the answer in God only when we have a direct relationship with Him, which is important in our lives. Not because of what others tell us, but a personal experience. Nicodemus wanted this experience, a bit 'in his comfortable, but the Lord has changed the whole landscape after. Nicodemus could not understand that he must be born again. Many do not understand this term, even in our churches, this happens many times. We are good religious, but there is no change, there is no new birth, there is a transformation. Nicodemus perhaps wanted to follow the same religious state, he could not conceive that he must be born again. He took a human subject, and there are many arguments. If you talk with the Jehovah's Witnesses, have many topics. Talk to the Mormons, have many topics. All religions have their arguments. I was in the Holy Land the last few days, I have had much contact with the Jews with Muslims, and they have many arguments. But their arguments always end up there. But the Lord goes even further ... the change, transformation ... Jesus and Nicodemus wanted to take at this point. He could not understand it, we can not humanly understand the power of God who intervenes in our lives. So yes, they begin to change things.
When Jesus had an encounter with the Samaritan woman ... the Samaritan woman had a disordered life, however, claimed through his religion that worshiped God as well. But Jesus changed things, and the Lord wants to change the position of our lives.
I was born in northern Italy. I do not say the age ... (general laughter) ... no, fifty ... I was the youngest of seven children. The other two were kept because they were orphans. When I was born my mother was quite old already ... and the doctors said it was impossible that I could be born. But my mom was a sincere Catholic ... more than Catholic Christian era ... and said to the Lord this prayer: Lord, if this child arrives in the world, I would that he is going to accomplish ... this was not the thought of my father, because in There were many religious family, and so my father was tired at last of those skirts that came and went from the house ... (laughter). No more waiting for a son who was a priest.
However, the seven months I have come to this world. Sonny was a well, and they were afraid that died the same day. Then I wrapped it in so many rags and took me to the church in my country. It had snowed enough, and [went] with a cart pulled by a horse. They put me in the name of John the Baptist. I took it home, but my aunt was a very distracted ... I kept well wrapped up for the cold, and I weighed so little that they would notice if there was something in rags ... when we had our son, I taught him how to take the baby in his hands. But my aunt was a very distracted, and took it, and when he came down from the wagon, I fell in the snow ... (laughter). My aunt did not notice, she came home, put everything on the table, and my mom saw that I was not moving, not crying, and went to see and found me! They had just run out, and I found that I was sleeping peacefully in the snow. Do you want to know something? And 'that the Lord was preparing me to take me to ... Patagonia Patagonia is the south pole! (Laughter) 'where we have 34 degrees below zero ...
I grew up in a peaceful environment, but as a child I began to hear the voice of God calling me. I wished with all my heart to serve. All I had at my disposal was the religion. But I was hungry for the things of God began to grow in that environment. At the age of ten years, I left the house to lock myself in a seminar. My father did not want to, but I ran away from home. And I remember that I needed a lot of things, my sister was getting married, and he had to cut his sheets ... in many ways helped me to enter the seminary. At age 15 I received the religious habit. I felt very happy because I did not know the world did not know sin again, and I did not know deeply what was my religion! I lived in an artificial life ...
From northern Italy sent me to study in Rome. I wanted to reach that city. They said it was the eternal city, the holy city. I wanted to get to that place. Although after a few years I have had to flee from Rome. It 's the pagan city, the city idolater, the city of lies, a city of thieves. But when I arrived there I had this scene in front of me. It began to grow in the studies, but I have begun to feel that there was something that made me to be sad: I felt an emptiness inside of me. Then I began to pray more, I began to renew my devotions, I began to investigate religion. However, the more I did all those religious practices, the more I felt empty. I realized that I had no peace. I realized that the burden of my sins was still on me, even though I went to confession every day.
Then I came to a terrible reality. I did not know what to do, I did not even talk about it with my superiors. But one day I decided to go to them, and made them some questions. Then I said, "you have to recite fifty Hail Marys, you must recite one hundred Our Father." But I finished, and I was increasingly worse. And: "You have to read the life of that saint." Many times I did not go on holiday to read the biographies of the saints, to see if they had found the answer in their lives. But the sad reality at the end of the biography, I was in the same condition that saint. And they had the same condition mine! Never found the answer to their problems. And that made me even more sad. I did not know what to do.
I arrived at the Vatican. It was the first time I saw the pope. I said, certainly when the Pope passes in front of me, his blessing will come to my heart, and help me out of this situation. At that time it was Pope Pius XII. I'm talking about 1950. It was the Holy Year. Every 25 years there is a holy year ... for me they are all holy years, every day! Alleluia! Because the presence of the Lord is with us. And this is important. When a pastor asked one of the recent popes, and said this: "How many times in his life he felt the presence of the Lord?" He said, "twice when I was ordained a priest, and when I did pope" . What miserable. If I do not feel the presence of the Lord in the day, I feel like dying! And so it is for the life of a Christian, if there is the presence of God we are nothing! We're dead! There is no life! Because He is the life!
And when I was there in that great church of St. Peter ... I do not know how many have seen it ... at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica is the measure of the largest churches in the world. The Basilica of San Pietro measures almost a mile, 988 meters, and about 500 ... (wide?) And 117 in height ... is tremendous.
When I was in that great church was full of people, and Pius XII was not walking, was carried by 12 principles, and he was sitting in his throne, and on his head was a tiara. There are 3 crowns tiara. The classic, the classic tiara, you know how much it weighs? It weighed 15 pounds! Silver, gold and precious stones. Of course, he moved his head in because he was engaged in the chair! If not it would be crushed. But thanks to the Lord that the papal tiaras remains in the Vatican Museum, but we have the incorruptible crown of glory, nor fire, nor thieves, can steal. Alleluia!
And when I saw the Pope who was in this position, and I firmly believe that he was the vicar of Christ. You know who is the Vicar of Christ? (Answer: "the Holy Spirit") The Holy Spirit. "I do not leave you orphans, I will pray to the Father" ... and give you the Holy Spirit, the vicar, who leads us to God through sanctification. And I wanted the Pope to give me his blessing. And when he came forward, in front of him was a cleric who carried the cross. And I looked at the cross. I looked upon the crucified Christ with the crown of thorns on his head. And then it was the first time I considered the Christ crowned with thorns. At the same time, believing that the pope was the vicar of Christ, I said, why should he wear a crown so if Christ has brought a crown of thorns for our sake? What is the meaning?
And then I had my hand well up, and waited for the blessing. But when the Pope came close, my hand was not higher. I had already lowered, because I had seen that contrast. Christ crowned with thorns, and a man laden with gold and silver. It was within me a great sadness. I began to cry. Courses at the seminary, and my boss asked me: "Have you had that you were looking for?" I said, "I did not have anything." Then I asked, "Why? Why are all these things? "Then he says," Oh, you must. We have to accept through these things. "That 's why after many times the celebration of the Mass, I would sit there on the bench, and many times I cried without knowing why. And I said, "Lord, if I'm serving here, why do not you hear? Because I have no experience inside of me? ". And I had no explanation.
I went to confession, and I told my confessor: "I would like at this time I can hear the forgiveness of my sins. Can feel the peace that she is giving me. " Because after the confession he always told me "Go in peace and sin no more." But not arrived at the door of the church that already had no more peace, and still felt the weight of my sins. But I took it from him that day, and said, "give me this peace that you offer me. Give me the forgiveness of my sins. " So sadly he looked upon the earth, he lowered his eyes, and I said this: "I can not give what I do not." I thought I was the only person living in that condition. But I saw that my top was in the same condition. And I said, "go to the bishop, maybe he can help you." And I asked the bishop if he had peace. He said, "Yes, I have peace in me." But perhaps he had peace in his pocket. I insisted to him, and then he sadly I was not able to look in his face, he was in the same condition. When one of these popes was dying, an evangelical pastor asked him if he was sure of his salvation. Then the pope replied: "I have no assurance of my salvation, but I am sure that I go to purgatory. But I have six hundred million Catholics who pray for me, and I will not spend much time in there. " But glory to God, we have the certainty of our salvation! When He calls us, we will go to the Father's house! We consider our home, where He awaits us. And this is very important, that Nicodemus did not understand, and what the men can not understand.
So, I was desperate, I had finished my studies in philosophy. Instead of closer to God I had been away even more! I began studying theology ... even worse! We do not know how many hours of dogmatic theology to study every week, but only one hour per week of study of the Bible. And only some part of the Bible, what we agreed ...
So I made a decision: whether here in Rome not find what I search my soul ... I have advised others, "you have to lock you in a monastery there, through the penance you will find peace." Then I returned to northern Italy, in a town called Lovere, is the province of Bergamo, on a mountain is a monastery. I went into the monastery. When I knocked at the door, was a monaco to receive me. He had a long beard and had a hood over his head. Even looked at me in the face, and said abruptly: "What?". I said, "I come to seek peace and serenity." Sure, there was peace in that place. Outer peace, that even the sparrows went there because it was so sad that place! (Laughs) But, I was told, "If you resist," because I was skinny, "you can stay." Then the bell rang, they were all brothers of the monastery, they took me to church, and made me lie down on the floor before the altar and covered me with a black cloth, and they lit four candles. It was the symbol that I had to die to the world. They began to sing Psalm 51. I was trembling with fear under that rag! (Laughs) It was a symbol that I had to die. When I got there, changed my clothes, I changed the name too. They put the name of Clementine. I do not know where they caught! (Laughs) But they could not change the condition of my heart. I remained in the same position.
It gave me two things in my hands: the discipline and sackcloth. Discipline is a chain ends in seven chains ... we used it three times a day, and the skin became more sensitive, because we used the same dress rubbed on the body, was a constant pain, the skin was very sensitive. And when there was a storm inside me, I used the discipline, I locked myself in my cell, and many times to be bathed in blood, looking for the answer in my heart.
The sackcloth was a belt with spikes, it was iron. It was made to measure, belonged to the other monks who had died ... thank goodness I was thinner ... you always used at 12 of the night, and had to get up and sing the psalms in a row. And when one had to lean prayed so deeply. So those tips penetrated the flesh. Several of my friends have died of tetanus, for infection, because of those tips.
Another thing that bothered me was the skull of a dead ... monaco brought us the charnel common because the monks when they died they were buried in the sand, without walls. Then shortly after the skeleton remained clean, and they were brought in one place. When the monks entered the monastery, had to choose a skull, and one had to take it on the table where he was studying. And I was scared to death! (Laughs) Mainly at night ... I had to cover it with a cloth because it scared me! And even worse, we had no electric light in the cell, and the fear was even bigger ...
When I was in the monastery is also my father died. Only there they apprehended this way: "pray that the father of one of you is dead." One asked my father will be my father? And this was terrible. But I found out later that it was my father who had died. I was not far from my country. He called me at the last minute. But I was not allowed to come there. Although the law of God says, "Honor your father and your mother," says he hates religion to hate my father and my mother. Actually, there was already a tremendous hatred inside me.
In '59 they were my uncles who lived in Argentina, and asked ... at that time was Archbishop of Milan, which was after Paul VI ... and asked him where I was ... because they needed a missionary there. They said "we need, you have to send it to us." But [the response was] "can not leave the monastery, it is impossible," I had taken solemn vows. I was considered as a corpse. I was so in the civil register of my country, I was already deleted. When I had to get my passport, I was told, "but if she is dead?". I had to take my brother and sister to testify that I was family. But thank the Lord that my bones are not left in the monastery. The Lord took me out in time. Then asked permission from the Vatican, and I have taken from the monastery. I said, where I am now, if I was the only hope for the monastery? But the Lord had prepared something better.
I got ready to go to Argentina. And the same day I left for Argentina, I did not have enough money to pay for my ticket the ship. But I trust that the Lord helped me. My mom told me, "I'm glad you go, whether it's for the good of your soul." I was sorry to leave her alone. But that morning was a woman, and brought me a book, and inside was an envelope and there was the money I needed to pay for my ticket. I needed 30,000 pounds, and there were 30,000 lire. No one knew. One, the one who was calling me. So glad I left for Argentina. And for two years I worked as a Catholic missionary in Argentina.
But I saw that I could not do anything for the poor Indians. Could help them materially, but spiritually I could not do anything. I could not give them what I had. And the one that I gave them was a print, a medal, a little holy water, and if they wanted a little more, they had to pay.
But one day, I returned to a small church that is on a mountain ... I returned to the chapel. I used to go there every day. I knew that I could not find anything, but I had to set a good example. But in the middle, right where we now have our core mission, I found myself with the Indians, and then came up to me and greeted me. He was very smiley, I had a sad face and severe. I was always angry, I had a terrible character. The Lord must also change our character. Must also change our character. Must change our character! And this is part of the new birth! Alleluia.
And when he came to greet me, I did not know him, but I said, "Trying to that place?". I was ashamed to answer, and I knew that I could not find anything. But he told me that ... the text of the Bible: "Why are you looking among the dead He who lives?". And though he wanted to say this: you are looking for in that place, why do you seek among the dead things He who lives? Then he says: "I know that you want peace. There is only one place to find it. "I said," What do you know, poor ignorant Indians? ". I have many books in my head, but I had an empty heart. But he told me this: "There is only one place." But if Christ I've got here ... I had a cross on his chest. I have great, a statue in the church ... I ... I've got the Eucharist Christ! But he told me this: "I want to tell you a living Christ, a Christ who can help you, a Christ who can change your position." I did not understand what he was telling me. And he says, "This evening come to us, and we will pray for you." I said, "Pray for me?" But if I was not a sinner! Why do I confessing the sins of others ...
But evening came, June 24, 1961 ... it's winter in Patagonia, it was snowing. I lifted my skirt, it was dark at night, and I began to run, and as Nicodemus arrived at night, secretly, I was afraid that I was seen. I went into the little church, there was no electricity, there was no floor was earth, but there was a small group of Christians who were praying. I began to listen to those prayers. Everything was new to me. I said, "What a beautiful prayers. Where are they written? "(Laughs). I wanted to look for them in my book. I used to repeat what others have written. When they finished praying, the Lord gave me the first lesson. I returned to the Catholic Church, and for many months was celebrating Mass in the Catholic Church, but I also went to the worship of the Gospel. At first glance it seemed that I had to change religion. But it was not so. I had to surrender my heart to the Lord. I felt happy when I was there to worship, but I had my obligations in the Roman church. But the 31 October of '61, as this Sunday is the birthday of my birth (clap) ... I found myself in front of the Catholic church, it was five in the afternoon. At the same time the brothers [evangelical] praising the Lord in the church.
But I had to celebrate a procession beyond the Catholic Church. I was very angry because I could not go there! I was there in front of the Roman church, the bishop was present, and there was this almost the whole city. Then the bishop says, "begins the procession." I had the clothes on my arm, but I had my Bible in my hands. I wanted to run away. But I had to realize that procession. The bishop said, "begins the procession." But I did not want to move one step further, because I felt that it was time for my decision. And the bishop began to scream and yell at me, "begins the procession." So at that moment I heard a voice that spoke in me, and I said this: "What is that you realize this procession, you need to shout" long live Christ the King, "when I did not yet reign in your heart? ". Then I said to the Lord at that moment: "Lord, come and reign in my heart." I began to feel the presence of the Lord. Then the bishop urged me again, "begins the procession." But the procession had already begun, that was inside of me, alleluia! Then I took off my clothes, pulled them to the bishop, and started running towards the evangelical church. Behind me, the bishop sent the Catholic people, but I was quite thin and ran enough (laughs). I went into this little place, I went up there before, because I always sat there before. The brother preaching on the prodigal son. I felt like a prodigal son, and in that instant I bent my knees, and I accepted Jesus as my Savior enough, and I felt his presence, I felt the new birth within me. I can not explain in words what I felt at that moment, however, it was a glorious thing. And if until that moment I felt a priest of the Roman church, from that moment I felt that I was a true priest of Jesus Christ. It was not easy for me. Many things tied. But the brothers then took me, happy praising the Lord, and there was the Catholic people out there waiting for me I passed, because you realized the procession, and from that time has not come no more procession. Perhaps they fear that another priest should be saved (laughs).
The brothers took me close to a river ... water cold enough, water coming from snow melts ... and took me there in the water, and I said, "what do they do now?" I thought I had to die there! (Laughs) ... better to die there in the water to die at the hands of Catholics, because they were there waiting for me! Then I plunged into the water [for baptism], and my eyes were opened to the truth.
It was not easy for me, the police threw me out of the city on the same day, and I had to walk almost 100 kilometers, on the border with Chile, under a tree, that was my first church, my first house, my first congregation, because I had nothing materially speaking, but I had it all, and from that moment the presence and the glory of the Lord was on my life. Now we already have 18 places to preach the word of the Lord. We have communities of 600-800 members. The Lord really is helping us. In many countries where there was the Catholic Church, are gone.
I speak only of the last mission, I will try to be brief, only a few minutes.
There was a nun who ruled a country. Dominated the authorities of a country, and we had 14 years who wanted to come to that place, and we were praying the Lord. We had community tutt'interno there, unless that country. And then the young people of my community, they go every Saturday to proclaim the Gospel to the villages. Then came from that country to another mission, are 25 km. Began to gain the Lord family after family, and when the nun she realized, already half the country was converted to the Lord! We have already built a place of worship more or less like this, this year, but when I came back in June, the place was already full! There were more people, we had to build another neighbor. Now there are 300 people who are preparing for baptism. In December inaugurate the new premises, and also celebrate the baptism. It 's so in other villages. We are calling all over the world to hear the word of the Lord. I have a program on the radio, which comes in many places, and many people converted to the Lord, and there comes a new community. We thank the Lord for that.
It was not easy. I was poisoned twice, but the Lord delivered me. Another time I was stabbed, I lost a lot of blood, I was in a place far away in the country. I have not complained that person was a Catholic who had been a pupil mine when I was a priest, but he could not understand why I had left the Roman church. But the entrusted in the hands of the Lord. After a few years I had to build the chapel of Eschel, which is great, 11 to 42, but I had the bricks, I needed twenty-five thousand bricks to build, and I had not a penny in his pocket. Then that person went with his truck in front of us, and stopped, and asked me what I had planned. I said, "I want to build a building, a church." He says, "you have the bricks?" "No". "You have the money to pay for them?" "No, I did not even" (laughs). And I do not say anything more. I went to visit another mission, and when I returned there were twenty-five thousand bricks there! The man was building bricks, manufactured them, and gave those twenty-five thousand bricks. The Lord has truly earned its heart. The Lord is good. Pray for this.
We in Patagonia we had the 3000% inflation this year. There are workers who earn $ 25 a month, and work is growing, and we now have five chapels in construction. We're going to build a school where we teach and prepare to work in the Bible. They come from the fields, they can not do any work, is the only horse riding. We invite you to Patagonia, so that you can help us in the work of the Lord.
On Sundays I do almost 600 km. I leave a group in a country, another in another country, I am going to celebrate their worship in a country where there are several communities, and return in the evening to celebrate the cult in my community. The roads are very difficult and many times we have to cross the river also. Before I did walk, when I had the car ... in the middle of winter, with the water up to their waists. With snow on the sides of the river, but with the desire to preach the word of God The environment of Patagonia is a very inhospitable for strong wind, for great distances ... is 3000 km long and almost completely deserted; There are several villages, shepherds, goatherds, but with a desire to know the Lord's word. Help us in your prayers, and remember every time one of us.
And if you want to come and see us, come summer there, in December, January, February and March are the months tolerable. But in February, we have the Youth Congress, are hundreds and hundreds of young people who gather there in the open air in a forest in the Andes, a very nice place to get the advice of the Lord's word. The first week of March we have our gathering, are all our brothers, and all those who serve the Lord, we have done enough beds, although we lack several mattresses yet (laughs). Costs $ 25 a mattress there, a bag of flour costs about $ 15 there. Pray that the Lord will help us.
Alleluia.
I would like to pray for some people this morning. The Lord wants to totally change your life. There are still things that bind your life, even if you are religious, Protestant or Catholic, but you need the person of Christ. And the things that you've never been able to overcome, the Lord is here to help. I would like to pray for you. If you'd like, to pray for you, raise your hand. Amen. Praise the Lord. The community pray with me now. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
If you feel that something still binds you, come, God wants to work this miracle. Do not doubt for a moment, only believe. He can help, how it helped Nicodemus. And how he helped me. How has helped many who are present here, He wants to help you too.
(The community begins to pray, the songs are sung to the Lord, and the record ends)
LINKS:
POSSIBLLY A PASTOR IN CHILE
PASTORED AND WROTE A BOOK
VIDEO:
Treccani preaching.
GE