On December 6, 2009, H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti, Bishop ordained by God, has reached Marisa in Heaven
In the afternoon of December 6, 2009, the Bishop ordained by God, Mons. Claudio Gatti, ascended to Heaven. Our pastor has lived peacefully this last period of time facing with special strength and courage the disease, for he always let himself go to God and lived on Earth as a citizen of Heaven. In his homilies and Bible sessions he has always shown a heart full of "longing for Heaven" by depicting, as far as possible and thanks to Marisa's supernatural experiences, the Heavenly realities. His longing for Heaven was so strong that more than once he openly confided to the whole community that in the evening, before falling asleep, he used to think of the day just gone as a day closer to the encounter with Daddy God in Heaven.
In this time of deep sorrow we surrender ourselves to God, confident that His plan will surely come to fruition; on the other hand the Bishop himself has often said to be a mere tool in the hands of God and God has no need of men to implement His plan. The Bishop, like Marisa, will be more powerful in Heaven and will intercede before God for the rebirth of the Church and her community.
"When the Bishop will not be there to give you a pat on the shoulder and, sometimes, a few kicks, slaps and caresses, you will have to march with your legs, think with your head and work hard, because the Kingdom of God is won with commitment. Souls are converted with effort, prayer and suffering. You have learned along these years how much God loves the souls and how much He let other souls pay some contributions, so that everybody may rise to Heaven. Do not be dependent on anyone, depend only on Christ. You should not feel lost at the thought: "But who will follow us in the future?" For Christ will follow you, as He can do it better than any other person. Never bind to the people, bind only to Christ, to the Mother of the Eucharist and when you are in their company what is going to harm you? What do you fear? Nothing, because it is the best company". (Bishop, 14th May, 2005)
To our Bishop nothing was spared: an unbroken moral suffering for 38 very long years and a physical pain that consumed him quickly. A life that, we are sure, will not be fruitless because from the blood of our Bishop will spring a great spiritual rebirth.
He had an unshakable faith that never abandoned him. He has never been afraid of death for he was certain that the mission God entrusted him with, would have continued in a more powerful way from Heaven, surrounded by souls who have always loved and supported him, starting with Marisa and dear grandmother Iolanda. A spiritual bond, the one with Marisa, so powerful and indivisible to generate a love that will build a new Church in the image of Christ.
We still see him there, leaning on his "golden desk" (as the Mother of the Eucharist used to call the Bishop's desk) busy pondering and preparing sermons and Bible study sessions, writing reflections and reading again the letters of God, while around him roared the storm of calumny, malice and indifference. Thus was born the spiritual heritage contained in all of his sermons and Bible sessions, made fruitful by his great love for the Eucharist combined with intense suffering, where the Church will have the duty to draw with both hands for the spiritual good of her children.
He could not have offered more, every word of his was recorded and we are convinced that not only those who knew him were the recipients of his wonderful teachings, but all men who want to approach with humbleness of mind the spiritual legacy he has left us.
We thank the Lord for giving us Bishop Claudio Gatti as a guide in our journey, thus we are sure that he will help and accompany us to continue on earth what appears humanly unfinished. For this we want to remember him in our H. Mass together with Marisa on the 8th of every month: "...because the bond of love between us must not weaken over time, but strengthen and really become a golden chain uniting us, and first of all uniting us to God and to the Mother of Eucharist". (Bishop, 8th September, 2009)