“Instaurare Omnia in Christo"
"To Gather All Creation In Christ”
Paul, Ephesians: 13

Father Anthony Ciavarro, 1940/08/30-2018/02/13, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was predeceased by his parents, Alfredo Francesco Ciavarro, (Fucciarelli), 1901-69, and Rosalia Salciccioli, (Bucci), 1903-63, and brother, Angelo, 1936-37, of Gagliano Aterno, L'Aquila, Italy.

Father was grateful to Almighty God for his many gifts: life, faith, sacraments, especially Orders, family, friends, pets, benefactors, students and parishioners.

Father Anthony graduated in 1958 from Cathedral Boy’s High School, Hamilton, in 1962 from the University of St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto with Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and History, in 1964 from the Grand Séminaire de Québec, L' Université Laval, Québec, with pontifical degrees Bachelor of Sacred Theology and in 1966 with a Licentiate in Sacred Theology, summa cum laude, with the thesis "The New Creation: Biblical and Theological Perspectives 'to Gather All Creation in Christ' (Paul, Ephesians, 1:13-14) by Our Stewardship of Nature,” in 1966, from University of Montreal with certificate in Catechetics and from the Ontario College of Education with Specialist Certificate in History and English.

Called by the Church to ministry, he thanked God for the gift of Holy Orders. Father was ordained a deacon at St. Michael’s Cathedral, Toronto, on the feast of Pentecost by Archbishop Philip Pocock in 1965. He was ordained a priest on the 25th anniversary of his Baptism, Passion Sunday, March 26, 1966 by Bishop Joseph Ryan who graciously accommodated his ailing father, at his home parish church of Saint Anthony of Padua for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton.

Father enjoyed the diversity of his ministry appointments as associate pastor in Hamilton at St. Lawrence 1966-69, St. Anthony of Padua 1969-74, St Charles Garnier 1974-76, St. Eugene 1976-79, Cathedral Boy’s High 1966-73, and Newman chaplain at McMaster University and Mohawk College 1973-76. He also served as chaplain to the Order of The Sons Of Italy in Ontario Trieste Lodge, as a Third Degree member and chaplain to the Knights of Columbus Council 3881, Oakville and as a Fourth Degree member of the Bishop Reding Assembly 1981, Oakville. He was called to the pontifical Equestrian Order of The Holy Sepulchre In Jerusalem as Knight Commander, KCHS.

As pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Burlington 1979-89, St Andrew, Oakville 1989-2001 and St. Eugene, Hamilton 2001-13, he aimed to implement the directives of Vatican II calling all the baptized to holiness and active participation in the evangelizing mission of the Church through various programs, especially RENEW, using small faith communities, "domestic churches," assembled around a common goal.
He was gratefully indebted to all who participated on parish councils,
parish liturgy, evangelization, social, administrative and outreach commissions; parish ministry committees, teams and small faith communities through which they joyfully offered their time and talent to celebrate and continue the mission of the Church entrusted to them at baptism to continue Jesus Christ's historical presence.

Father Anthony especially rejoiced in the special gift of God's love in the New Creation which realizes Isaiah's vision of complete harmony restored between all members of God's creation.
Isaiah 11: 6-9,
"The wolf will live with the lamb,
the panther lie down with the kid,
calf, lion and fat-stock beast together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear will graze,
their young will lie down together.
The lion will eat hay like the ox.
The infant will play over the den of the adder;
the baby will put his hand into the viper's lair.
No hurt, no harm will be done
on all my holy mountain,"

Paul, Romans 8: 18-23,
"The sufferings of the present are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us. Indeed, the whole created world eagerly awaits the revelation of the children of God...because creation will be freed from its slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God."

Our call to stewardship is a call to achieve God's plan, fulfilment of all creation in Christ, by our collaboration.

Paul, Ephesians, 1:13-14
“the mystery of His will......
that He set forth in Christ,
as a plan for the fullness of time,
to gathers all things in Christ,
things in heaven and things on earth.”

Father Anthony wishes to thank God for the blessing of:
his saintly parents, for the gifts of their love, faith, hospitality and Christian witness and for the blessing of the Colangelo,
Salciccioli, Manente, Bucci, Fucciarelli, Fabrizio, Falconi, Erdman, Day, Steeves and Celeste family members, and especially to Dr. Ross Allega, all, for their love often joyfully celebrated around a banquet table; for his teachers for their dedication; for the Bishops and Pastors for their leadership; for associates for their kind and generous assistance; parish and school staffs for their dedication, expertise and generous readiness to go that extra mile; and for the support of loving friends for the privilege of journeying with them on this pilgrimage for each revealed something new about God.
Thanks to Rosalia his mother, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Therese of Lisieux, Jacques Maritain, Etienne Gilson, Meister Eckhart, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Pope St. John XXIII, Henri Nouwen, and Pope Francis for their inspiration; and to all, whom he had the distinct privilege and honor to serve, for their patient indulgence, for forty nine years of the truly joyful experience and the blessing of meeting Christ in the church communities which their faith made present.
Paul, in Romans 8: 18-23, gives us a vision of Jesus redeeming not just humans but the whole creation. Our final homecoming involves not just human beings but the universe's complete renewal in the resurrection. Our call to stewardship is a call to achieve this divine plan. Fulfilment in Christ is through the collaboration which He solicits from us in the work of Creation and fulfillment of all creation in God. We help complete it by the work of our hands.

Paul, Ephesians, 1:13-14
“the mystery of His will......
that He set forth in Christ,
as a plan for the fullness of time,
to gathers all creation in Christ,
things in heaven and things on earth.”

To celebrate this Lordship of Christ over all creation, Father Anthony observed the ancient tradition of the blessing of animals, popularized by St. Francis, near the feast day of the saint, October 4th, and feast of Christ the King. They allow us to experience even now our unity with all creation in God. Their friendship is a down payment of future glory, the anticipation, the foretaste, the realization, even here and now, of the harmony/justice of the new heavens and new earth. Their loss in death brings us that "certain hope" Paul describes, the "pia affectio" of Aquinas which enables us to wait in expectation for our joyful reunion in the new and eternal Jerusalem.
Being, beauty, goodness, unity, truth and love, the transcendentals, describe God philosophically. Father especially valued the joyful experience of the face of God as Creator, merciful Saviour, Lord, and friend made present daily by the presence, beauty, goodness, integrity, forgiveness, acceptance, love and friendship of his dear companions and treasured gifts of God: the German Shepherds Rachael, Leah, Aaron, Miriam and Annie, the Australian Shepherd, Lily; the birds: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Lucy, Rosalia, Adam, Eve 1, Eve 2, David, Sarah, Mary and Joseph. They were for him a constant and living sign of the Christian Covenant, like a peace rainbow of the New Creation.

Appreciation is extended to the pastor of Holy Rosary, Reverend Martin Vallely, for his kind hospitality, to Bishop Douglas Crosby, to Mgr. Murray Kroetsch, to all the Liturgical ministers, and to all for your kind prayers.

Heartfelt thanks to the health care staff of Joseph Brant Hospital for professional and compassionate care during the last few weeks of Father Anthony’s life with special appreciation to doctors and nurses on unit 7S100 especially nurses Bailey, Barb, Kylie, Riccardo and Michael for their extraordinary kindness and generosity of spirit.

Visitation on Sunday, February 18, 2018 at Holy Rosary Church, 287 Plains Road E, Burlington, Ontario, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Vespers for Deceased at 7pm.
Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, February 19, 2018, at 11 am at Holy Rosary Church, 287 Plains Road E, Burlington, Ontario, with reception to follow
Committal at the family plot in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, at 11 a.m.
If desired, memorial donations to assist the abandoned through the dedicated work of the Oakville and District Humane Society (or any organization that does not euthanize) or to the Good Shepherd, Hamilton would be greatly appreciated.

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