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"Love for the cross is the surest possession of God" - Brother
Nicholas
Blessed Nicholas of Gesturi
Capuchin Friar (1882-1958)
AT GESTURI:
Brother Nicholas, known in the world as "John Medda" the son
of John Messa Serra and of Priama Cogoni Zedda, was born at Gesturi in
the province of Cagliari and Archdiocese of Oristano on 5 August 1882.
His parents were of humble social condition, but of exemplary morality
and deep piety. On the following day, the 6 August, the new baby, the
sixth child, was baptised in the parish church of St Theresa of Avila,
with the names of John, Angelo and Salvatore. On 2 June 1886, John received
the sacrament of confirmation. Not long after, both his parents died.
His eldest sister, who was married to a rich man of the village, then
took care of him. Having finished his elementary school, he worked on
the farm. He was a good boy with nothing special about him. However,
when on 18 December 1896, John made his first Holy Communion, his life
changed. He began to pray in an extraordinary manner, frequently receiving
Holy Communion and mortifying himself. He safeguarded his spiritual life
by keeping away from all worldly attractions, even those that would be
acceptable. His love of nature taught him to have a nobility of soul,
a fine sense of spiritual beauty, and a good sense of judgement. As well
as this, he had excellent affective and moral qualities in his familiar
relationships.
He had no desire to possess anything. He handed the administration of
his properties to his brothers. Then he put himself at the service of
his brother-in-law whom he greatly esteemed. He was content with just
the food and a little nook to live in. The work, which he carried out
scrupulously, did not stop him from going to Mass every day in the morning
and to the Eucharistic devotions in the evening that were held in the
parish. It seems that there was a desire for priesthood, but poverty
was an insurmountable obstacle. He had a strong desire to live a religious
vocation and after he was cured from a rheumatic illness, he took the
opportunity to satisfy his desire to become a friar.
LIFE AS A CAPUCHIN:
Accepting the Lord’s call, he knocked at the door of the friary
of the Capuchins of Cagliari in March 1911. He was 29 years old. Highly
recommended by the Parish Priest, he was accepted as a tertiary oblate
at this Friary dedicated to St Anthony. However, on the 30 October 1913,
John Medda donned the Capuchin religious habit with the name of Nicholas.
After novitiate, he made his first profession on 1 November 1914 and
his solemn profession on the 16 February 1919. He was first assigned
to the fraternity of the friary of Sassari as cook and from there he
went to Oristano and then to Sanluri. His main work during these ten
years was cooking.
At the Chapter, held at Cagliari on 25 January 1924, he was posted to
the friary of Cagliari with the specific duty of questor in the city.
From 1924 to 1958, in all seasons and every day, the people of Cagliari
saw him going up and down the uneven and narrow streets of the Castello
as well as those wider streets of Villanova. The people became increasingly
impressed by the humble and modest behaviour of this little friar. With
the passing of the years, he seemed more and more to become in his example
like St. Ignatius of Laconi, who had lived in the same friary before
him. For 34 years Brother Nicholas carried out his duty of questor as
a true son of St. Francis, not only in the city of Cagliari, but also
in the near-by villages of Campidano. In him, as he went about knocking
on doors for alms the poverty of Christ showed forth to the people. He
went along with his head bowed down and his eyes lowered, as if to hide
a treasure; indeed, his two eyes were like two jewels shining with the
simplicity and purity of his soul. As time went on, he did not have to
ask people for anything; it was they who wanted to give him something.
He simply made his rounds in silence and recollection.
 BROTHER QUESTOR WHO BECAME QUESTORED:
He obtained without begging. He received without asking. It has been
justly remarked that he was not a brother quester, but rather a brother
quested - people looked to him for help. Not only common ordinary people,
but also those high in society, both men and women, went to him asking
him for a prayer, advice, or just to touch his habit or cord, or to slip
in his hand an offering which he always accepted with "May God reward
your charity!" a typically way of expressing thanks in Sardegna.
As soon as they saw him, mothers would send their little ones running
towards him, or after him, to give him an offering and receive back from
him a smile or a caress which was always considered as a blessing. Then
it became customary to call him to the bedside of the sick in hospital
or at home. Extraordinary cures took place. It was understood that the
hand of God worked through this humble friar. The fame of his holiness
and the power to work miracles spread everywhere. He became more the
one who gave than the one who received. His life, the way he walked and
presented himself, were for everyone an invitation to conversion, to
prayer, and to the love and service of God and neighbour.
SILENCE THE FAITHFUL GUARDIAN OF THE INTERIOR SPIRIT
Br Nicholas was a man given to the silence noted in the Capuchin Constitutions
Number 57. Through his continued silence, Br Nicholas evangelised and
taught that "indeed only one thing is necessary" His sanctity
was "silence." His silent prayer was his thanksgiving to those
who gave to him; silence was his reproach to those who did not give to
him when they could still do so; silence was his answer to useless questions
or questions that could not be answered. It was only to recall the will
of God that he broke his silence. His was a particular silence: a way
to express himself, of being freed of the superfluous, a way to concentrate
on what is essential without distractions. To Br Nicholas silence was
a destination, not a departure point. It was a very great virtue not
a fault.
A religious of constant loyalty and piety, Br Nicholas distinguished
himself for his laudable zeal for souls and ardent charity for the needy
he met during his daily walks as quester. He faced all difficulties with
admirable patience and charity, acting with supernatural single-mindedness,
courage and perseverance. The axis supporting his moral and spiritual
personality was his profound spirit of prayer, which was typically expressed
in his habitual behaviour of being a contemplative person, even in the
middle of his daily chores. His entire behaviour was characterised by
a living sense of the presence of God and by a constant union with the
Lord. Every act and every word of his were transformed into a continuous,
ardent prayer.
Through an authentic Gospel life lived in penance, Br Nicholas witnessed
to the message of Christ through the streets of a distracted and problematic
city and indicated to all the Gospel Way, which leads to holiness and
true happiness.
SISTER DEATH BRINGS WITH HER A GREAT CROWD OF THE FAITHFUL
After 45 years of religious life in humility, penance, charity, silence
and constant prayer; exhausted under the burden of years, work and various
infirmities; and having had surgery in a local clinic, Br Nicholas was
aware of the seriousness of his sickness. After having received the last
rites and being comforted by almost all his confreres in tears, he calmly
expired in the provincial infirmary at exactly 3.00 p.m. on 8th June
1956 at 76 years of age.
The news of his death spread through the city like a lightening. It
was given prominent space in the daily morning papers. From the early
hours of the morning, people of all conditions and states of life, began
to arrive, all anxious to see and touch his remains. It was then that
God revealed to his brothers just what an apostolate Br Nicholas had
been about over his many years. Because of the constant flow of people,
the police had to be called and they could hardly control and keep in
order the ever-increasing crowd. On the 10th of June the body, carried
by the friars and other people, proceeded slowly towards the pubic cemetery
of Bonaria. Some 60 thousand people obviously moved by his holy life
and death accompanied it, and from wherever it passed flowers were showered
on his procession.
However, it did not end there. With affection and gratitude his many
devoted people, kept putting fresh flowers on this grave every day, thus
transforming it into perennial flowerbed.
On the grounds of this continued, widespread and firm fame of holiness,
the archbishop of Cagliari opened the cause of beatification and canonisation
by establishing the Ordinary-Informative Process in 1966-1971. On 15
June 1977, the Decree of the Introduction of the Cause was published.
During 1978-1982, the Process Recognition was established. The validity
of both Processes was confirmed on 23 January 1986. On 25 June 1996,
the Decree on the Virtues being Heroically practised was published. For
the beatification of Br Nicholas, the Postulation presented to the competent
Decaster an extraordinary case: the surviving of a newly-born baby terribly
immature of only 23 weeks in the womb and of a very low weight, etc.,
The event happened in 1986 in the city of Cagliari. The Decree of the
miracle was published on 21 December 1998 after all the demands of the
law had been met.
The Holy Father has declared Brother Nicholas of Gesturi Blessed on
3 October 1999, to the joy of his Capuchin brothers and all the people
who have showed such gratitude and devotion to him.
SAYINGS OF BLESSED NICHOLAS OF GESTURI
- "Let us pray... let us pray!"
- "It's what the superior wants... let it be for God's love!"
- "Charity is holiness!"
- "May the Lord reward your charity!"
- "Behold the Angels' Bread!"
- "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us!"
This story is taken from the leaflet: Beato Nicola da Gesturi: Frate
Cappuccino 1882 – 1958 prepared by Fr. Clemente Mellon, OFM Cap
Vice-Postulator for the Beatification cause of Br Nicholas of Cresturi.
And from the Booklet: Beatificazione Piazza S. Pietro, 3 Ottober 1999
used for the celebration of his Beatification. Both were translated into
English by Fr Hugo de Maria OFM Cap and combined by Br John Cooper OFM
Cap.
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