You can see him walking, with long strides, through the streets of the Vatican. Or, through half-hidden stairs and shortcuts, look out onto the balconies of St. Peter’s Basilica, from which the river of pilgrims ready to cross the Holy Door as it slowly slides, filling Via della Conciliazione, is even more impressive.
With the gray habit of the Conventual Franciscans, the full beard and the open smile on two ruddy cheeks, Brother Agnello Stoia is always on the move: he talks with the nuns who carry out their service in the parish office of San Pietro, where he has been parish priest for three years; greets all the workers and security personnel of the smallest state in the world, in these days called to a superhuman task with faithful who come from every corner of Christianity; he has a good word for the elderly on pilgrimage to the tomb of the apostle; he entertains young people and blesses children. “Relationships are important,” he tells us, “they are born in prayer and open paths.”
Born 57 years ago in Pagani, in the province of Salerno, to a simple and large family (“With six children, my mother had a lot to do”, she confides), his vocation matured in the shadow of the Franciscan convent of Nocera Inferiore. After studying in Benevento and Rome, he became a priest: «I received a grace», he says, «because my superiors assigned me to a convent where no one wanted to go, the sanctuary of San Francesco a Folloni, founded by the “jester” himself. of God” in 1222 in the mountains of Irpinia: precisely in those remote areas, however, I was able to implement beautiful pastoral projects with my fraternity, especially for young people. In that land of wolves, this Lamb grew up well”…
(Photo by Luigi Narici/agf)
Read the complete interview with Brother Agnello Stoia in the issue of Credere distributed in newsstands and religious bookstores from Thursday 16 January and in parishes from Saturday 18 January. Or purchase a digital copy www.edicolasanpaolo.it/scheda/credere.aspx
