Unexpected phone call
From Tirana, the capital of Albania, last April 9 something surprising happened to Father Arjan Dodaj: he received a phone call informing that Pope Francis had appointed him as auxiliary bishop of the diocese. Tirana-Durazzo. This is the story of Father Arjan Dodaj, one of many wonderful little stories that the daily life of the Church is woven.
Departure
In 1993, after the fall of communism in Albania, Arjan's father was a 16-year-old then trying to leave the country. Father recounts: “Like other young people, I tried many times to leave but failed. And thank God for the last time the ship brought us to safety. The adventure is hard to describe, it's like a dangerous exodus."
“The night of September 15, 1993 we set off. That night the sea was very calm, God protect us. I still clearly remember how I felt when I left. Everything related to my existence in this world: family, hometown, friends; I felt myself painfully separated from these feelings. But for the future, because I want to help the poor family, I have to leave.”
Thanks to friends who immigrated to Italy first, Arjan found shelter in the area of Cuneo, Dronero. Here, he learned welding, specifically the welding of bicycle frames. After that, he did many other jobs, such as construction and gardening.
Influence from good friends
Arjan's life of faith began with meetings with good friends from the nearby parish. “I work a lot, usually more than ten hours a day, and so in the evenings I am very tired,” says Arjan. I do not have many friends. Friends told me that there was a good group of young people in the parish, led by Father Massimo. Although I was tired, I went to the meeting with Father Massimo. Father told us about the Marian Community, an association of families and individuals living Marian spirituality, supporting each other in all areas of life. After the activities with the Community, I really like this association. I found the family love that I needed in a very delicate period of my youth.”
Received Baptism, became a priest
Arjan was baptized, and in 1997 he began researching and applying for seminary. His parents back home did not approve of Arjan's decision to become a priest, but he managed to overcome this difficulty. Ten years later, when he arrived in Italy, in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II laid his hands on Arjan and ordained him to the priesthood.
Father Arjan recalls: “In 1993, the year I went to Italy, Pope John Paul II visited Albania. The country has just come out of dictatorship, it is like an open trench, full of misery and poverty, but at the same time a great thirst for novelty. I too, like many children and many others, remember the thousands of people who followed the Pope's chariot from Tirana to Shkoder. The image of the Pope is always in me. And also during that time, the image of our Mother Teresa has also left many imprints on me. When we escaped the dictatorship, she was the one who gave us comfort, tenderness, love, kindness and hope.”
Homecoming
After his ordination, Father Arjan worked in several parishes and became a missionary of the Albanian community in Rome. In 2017, the Archbishop of Tirana, Bishop George Anthony Frendo asked Father Arjan if he could return home to serve in the diocese. The superior of the Marian Community, Father Giacomo Martinelli, and Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, vicar of Rome agreed. I returned to Albania on the basis of the gift of faith (fidei donum).
Bishop
The new bishop shared: “I never thought I would become a bishop. I am very happy to live and serve in my homeland, with the parishioners who are entrusted to me. I accept this appointment of Pope Francis with faith in God, in Our Lady and with obedience to the Church.”
Knowing God through her songs
The bishop continued on his journey to faith: “I was born into a background in a country where, unfortunately, all signs of recalling the faith were forbidden. In the early years of my life, I had never heard of God's presence. My parents were influenced by communism so they never talked about God to me, but thank God, my grandparents were the opposite, I saw them praying to God. The first time I was exposed to the things of God was like a chorus repeated over and over in my mind. Despite the threats, my grandmother continued to live the experience of prayer. My grandmother had no education, but she knew the doctrine and prayed through songs. It was only when I went to Italy that I discovered many things. I remember when I was a child, while cleaning the house, she used to sing and pray, so I sang along with her. For example, the Hail Mary, she recited the first part and taught me the second part. I believe this is how God planted the seed of faith in me.”
Thus, thanks to his grandmother, thanks to the seed of faith she planted in silence, with the years that had the opportunity to sprout, now from an atheist, the young Arjan has become a Christian, priest and bishop. item.
Nguồn: Vietnamese Catholic News