We’d love to share with you the true story of how the AIL decided to open a house at the University of Illinois. We do believe that God leads the course of events in our lives, and this will show you a clear example of how God had a hand in this story.
A few years ago there was a young seminarian from the Diocese of Peoria, Tony Dittmer, who was sent by his Bishop to study theology at the North American College in Rome, Italy. During his years of formation there he was given the office of visiting the little children in a pediatric hospital right next door to the NAC. During that time he became good friends with a married couple whose 6 year old boy was sick with leukemia. The couple was of Italian origin, but they had also lived in the United States. Tony took advantage of the possibility to communicate with them in English, and enjoyed the time he spent with the little Americo and his parents.
One day, during his visit to the hospital, Tony realized that Americo wasn't there anymore; he was told that the child had improved and was sent back home. Unfortunately, Tony didn't have a way to get a hold of the family, so he thought that the only way for him to stay in touch with Americo would be to pray for him. A couple of months went by, and one day during his jogging Tony happened to pass by the hospital and see the door of the morgue open. He stepped in to say a prayer and comfort whomever he found, and then realized that it was Americo who had died.
During the following weeks and months Tony kept in touch with Stefania and Luciano (Americo’s parents) by visiting them in their house outside of Rome. It was during one of those visits that Stefania mentioned to Tony her desire to have him meet her cousin, Patrizia, a young woman who belonged to a new religious community called the AIL. Thanks to Stefania’s invitation, Tony became a very good friend in our community; he visited us several times during his 5 years of study in Rome. We became friends and started sharing goals, ideas, prayer time… his friendship has always meant a lot to us and we all grew together along our own paths. Then the day of his ordination to the priesthood came, and after finishing his STL in Rome, Tony went back to the United States to the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois. He arrived with a strong desire in his heart: to have some of us AIL in his parish at Holy Cross in Champaign to give a mission.
So during a three month tour around the U.S. giving parish missions and retreats, four of us from AIL spent a week in Fr. Tony’s parish. It was during that time that our visiting sisters were introduced to Monsignor Swetland, the head chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Illinois. After few minutes of conversation he dropped the question: “would you consider opening your first house outside Italy here at the Newman Center in Champaign?” Our four sisters left Monsignor’s office with the promise that they would pray and think about it. After a couple of months of discernment within our community, we decided that it was worth trying this new enterprise. In September of 2000, four AIL took off from Rome, headed toward Champaign, IL. It was the beginning of an adventure that we still consider an amazing blessing for us all.
On December 8th, 2000, our four sisters renewed their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience during a solemn Mass in front of a huge congregation at St. John’s Catholic Chapel at the U of I. At the end of the celebration, in the presence of the former Bishop Myers and of several priests, Fr. Tony Dittmer explained to the whole assembly the story that we just shared with you. Then he invited Americo’s parents to join him at the ambo and to face the congregation so that they could see the result of the death of their little boy. Needless to say, there was a very special feeling in the air. After the mass was over, Bishop Myers came to bless our convent here on campus, which we dedicated to Americo. Even now, on the wall outside our convent, you can see the plaque that says “this house is dedicated to Americo Capogna.” This is how God opened several doors to show we AIL that His project for our community goes beyond the boundaries of Italy, and that even in the U.S., there's a lot of apostlate waiting for us.