Friday 14th October 2011 marked yet another important occasion to make the couple Henry and Inez Casolani better known. The meeting was held at Teresa Spinelli Auditorium, St. Monica School, B’Kara. A good number of devotees, acquaintances and family members of the couple gathered to participate in this experience; among them was their daughter Sr. Cecilia Mary Casolani of St. Joseph of the Apparition.
The event, hosted by Ms. Marselle Delicata, started off with the anthem dedicated to Henry and Inez Casolani. This hymn was devotionally written by Anton Quintano and sung by the Attard Parish Choir and Orchestra. Following this there was a beautiful biographical documentary produced by Ms. Stephanie Quintano and narrated by Mr. Anton Quintano – a couple who carried extensive research in the live and spirituality of Henry and Inez Casolani.
Two personal experiences were then presented; these highlighted the couple’s saintly virtues. The first of these was delivered by the architect Vincent Cassar, ex-Director General of the Public Works Departmnt. It was there that Henry Casolani, a civil servant and an architectural draughtsman by profession, spent a good part of his lifetime. Vincent Cassar stated that Henry Casolani possessed artistic and technical abilities as well as outstanding personal values of helpfulness and kindness to all those needed help. Henry Casolani showed great respect towards both colleagues and superiors. He was a catalyst of serenity and harmony and exerted kind discipline on himself and those around him. He was a humble person totally dedicated to his work. These virtues made Henry Casolani a living model of a true Christian at the place of work.
The qualities of Henry Casolani were complimentary to those of his wife, Inez, who was admired for her joviality, helpfulness, knowledge, humbleness and especially for her strong faith and distinctive character.
The second experience delivered by the cardiologist Dr. Robert Xuereb presented another aspect of Henry Casolani’s life. Henry Casolani’s exceptional virtues and spiritual devotion inspired one and all even in his difficult time of ill health. Henry Casolani’s life was based on prayer. His joy and happiness were transmitted to all those who came in contact with him. His great faith led to his miraculous healing through the intercession of the Venerable, now Blessed, Maria Adeodata Pisani. Henry Casolani abandoned himself totally to God during his final steps on this earthly journey.
Finally the main speaker of the conference, Fr. Paul Chetcuti SJ, underlined the aspects of the simple, yet distinguished qualities, that acclaimed Henry and Inez Casolani as an ‘exceptional and special’ couple. It is in the ordinary daily life within the family and at the work place that their holiness was felt and experienced by others. In a world where we are attracted to extraordinary and spectacular matters, it is encouraging to realise that it is possible for us too to live saintly lives. Fr. Chetcuti stressed that the secret of Henry and Inez Casolani was in the fact that they saw ‘God in all things’ and willingly allowed Him to work within them. We normally look at saints individually however in the case of Henry and Inez Casolani holiness was lived in symbiosis.
The conference was concluded with the Eucharistic Benediction.