Nuzzo-Maria Grimaldi

From Syracuse to Rome, France, Belgium, North America, and finally, Loppiano: an intense life in which Nuzzo always felt accompanied by Mary, hence the name by which Chiara and the focolarini called him from the beginning, Nuzzo-Maria.

 

These are the words with which Chiara, on 23 August 1999, announced to the Focolare around the world the news of the departure of Nuzzo for Heaven, highlighting especially the precious gift that he was and is for many. She wrote:

“Suddenly and unexpectedly overnight, at 1.30am in Loppiano, Nuzzo-Maria Grimaldi went to Heaven following a severe heart attack. (…) It is impossible to sum up a lifetime of long decades spent loving his neighbour and in building the Movement, in few words. ( … ) Our Lady welcomes him. He worked in silence, with commitment, with integrity, with responsibility for Her, for Her Work.”

Nuzzo-Maria was born in Syracuse on 27 May 1929. The annotations written by Nuzzo himself on the first period of his life, are dotted by the presence of Mary. “After the war my activities in the Marian Congregation resumed (…), which served to instil within me love and devotion for the Madonna. This helped me a lot, especially during the years of my youth when finding myself in front of the first choices to make…”

“Improvvisamente ed inaspettatamente questa notte, alle ore 1:30 a Loppiano, Nuzzo-Maria Grimaldi è passato alla Mariapoli Celeste per grave infarto. (…) E’ impossibile riassumere una vita intera di lunghi decenni spesi nell’amore ai fratelli e nell’edificare l’Opera, in poche parole. (…) La Madonna Lo accolga. Ha lavorato in silenzio, con impegno, con coscienza, con responsabilità proprio per Lei, per la Sua Opera.”

Nuzzo-Maria era nato a Siracusa il 27 maggio 1929. Le annotazioni scritte da Nuzzo stesso sul primo periodo della sua vita, sono costellate dalla presenza di Maria. “Dopo la guerra ripresi la mia attività nella Congregazione Mariana (…) che servì tanto ad inculcarmi l’amore e la devozione per la Madonna. E ciò mi ha aiutato tanto, specialmente durante gli anni della prima gioventù in cui ti trovi davanti alle prime scelte da fare…”