Fr. Bernie Rosinski, a member of the U.S. Province, got to know Bishop Virginio Bressanelli when the bishop served as superior general. Fr. Bernie was the vice general secretary.
“I enjoyed working with the bishop when I was in Rome but it was when he was at Sacred Heart School of Theology in the ESL program that I really came to know him and appreciate his friendship,” said Fr. Bernie.
Fr. Bernie was undergoing cancer treatment during the summer that Bishop Bressanelli was at Sacred Heart. Weakened by his cancer treatments, Fr. Bernie struggled to celebrate Mass.
“Bishop Virginio met me every day to help me concelebrate Mass when I was ill,” said Fr. Bernie. “Without his help I don’t know if I would have been able to celebrate the Eucharist.”
That experience helped the two SCJs develop a friendship that has stayed alive with letters and email. Recently, Bishop Virginio wrote to Fr. Bernie about his new assignment (as of last year) as coadjutor of the Diocese of Neuquén, Argentina.
The diocese, wrote the bishop, is very large –– approximately 94,078 kilometers, or about 58,500 miles –– but has a population of only 550,000. There are very few priests to serve the diocese; 19 parishes are without a priest.
“It is my greatest cross to see that the poorest places are also the most forsaken from a pastoral point of view,” wrote Bishop Virginio (note: quotes were translated into English by Fr. Bernie).
There are many social challenges in Neuquén, including the needs of the 60,000 native Mapuche Indians.
“It was hard for me to leave Comodoro Rivadavia,” continued Bishop Virginio, “but I am content to once again respond with my Ecce Venio. [“Behold, I come”] I am at peace and filled with confidence in doing God’s work. He is able to perform miracles, even with me. The priests and the titular bishop have accepted me rather well. I hope I don’t let them, nor God, down, in doing what is good for the kingdom of God.”
Bishop Virginio, 68, served as superior general from 1991 – 2003. In February, 2005, he was named bishop of the Diocese of Comodoro Rivadavia.
