We Are Church Intl.

Tributes

Tributes to Anthony Padovano

Anthony had a great talent for making the people around him feel welcome, recognised and valued. I still get this feeling today when I think of him.

His calm, very humble and very clear contributions to discussions always helped us move forward and brought new and important aspects to light.

A wise man, a kind person, a treasure for us all.

He will now rejoice in heaven - and heaven will rejoice in him.

Till later, Anthony!

Martha Heizer
We Are Church Austria

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I was very sad to learn of the death of Anthony,

But I also feel a great sense of gratitude that I was able to get to know Anthony within our reform network We Are Church International and to work with him. With his great theological and strategic expertise - he knew the Roman system from the inside - he greatly enriched and advanced the work of CORPUS as well as We Are Church International and many others. His contributions and arguments convinced us and gave us a great sense of security for our reform work.

I still remember the First National Council of the American Catholic Council (ACC) 2011 in Detroit, in which Anthony probably played a major role in organising it. Immediately afterwards, there was a boat trip where I had the chance to also talk to Teresa, his wife. Perhaps you remember. After Francis' election, he realised that a new era was dawning. But he also made it clear to us very early on that Francis would not do everything our way. My last encounter was perhaps 8 years ago in London when Anthony attended a meeting of married priests and I (I am not a married priest) was able to speak to him.

Despite all the difficulties the Roman system has caused, Anthony set an example for many. We Are Church Germany and personally, my wife Renate (who met Anthony once in Portugal) and I wish Anythony's family all the best in Easter hope!

C h r i s t i a n   W e i s n e r
We are Church Germany

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I remember Anthony very well, and with him the America Catholic Council in Detroit he helped organise.

Mauro Castagnaro
Noi Siamo Chiesa

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I had the privilege to be his guest in New Jersey when I was living in Washington DC, and he was a great help to me while I was clumsily trying to promote in the US the organization of Council 50. He was certainly well aware of my limitations and ignorance, but he treated me as a companion, and introduced me to so many personalities and organizations in the catholic reform movement, that I would had never been able to identify, and to contact. I participated in the Eucharist he presided at  during my stay with him and his family, and I still remember it as an intense moment of prayer and communion, perhaps just for the simplicity and the atmosphere of friendship that was so evident.

Basilio Buffoni
Noi Siamo Chiesa

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I met him several times in the meetings of We Are Church and I always appreciated his commitment with the reform of the Church,

Raquel Mallavibarrena
We Are Church Spain

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I've had the pleasure of getting to know and appreciate Anthony through my many encounters with him, notably in the run-up to the Council 50 meeting in Rome, during the meeting and afterwards. He was a wonderful companion: I was able to appreciate Anthony's great human qualities, the warmth of his friendship, the richness and depth of our exchanges, which were open to modernity and the demands of today's world, yet rooted in Tradition.Many thanks to Anthony

Francois Becker
We Are Church France

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