Justo Antonio Lofeudo, apostle of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

Justo Antonio Lofeudo was born in Argentina to a family of Italian origin. He is a missionary to the Missionary Society of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and is the apostle of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. His ministry has been mainly linked to Italy and Spain. He arrived in Hungary for the first time in 2014 to help with the establishment of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel of the Piarists order in Vác.

Three thousand chapels of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration throughout the world

Through the Eucharistic mission, some three thousand Perpetual Adoration chapels throughout the world have been set up so far, out of which 1,300 in the United States, where this movement has already been going on for 50 years. Further chapels operate in Iraq, Syria, Nepal, and Kazakhstan. Since 2003 Father Lofeudo has established 60 Perpetual Adoration chapels in Spain. In his homily at the Holy Mass celebrated in 2018 in the St. Gellért church of Kelenföld, Budapest (Hungary), he talked about the incredible transforming power of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. “Perpetual Adoration is God’s gift to the men of our days. In the chapel God transforms us into a better person, quietly and without fuss.”

“I could have reached a managerial level, but I was not created for that mission”

Although Justo Antonio Lofeudo had been baptised, he did not practice his religion. He built a successful career as a chemical engineer, was employed by multinational companies and had the privilege to travel around the world. “I still have memories of the years of working in Brazil. I was young, my career was rising, might be said, everything was perfect. (…) I well remember that very day: I left the office to take a walk. While strolling around the streets I asked myself: why was I born on this earth? I was clearly aware that going ahead on the same path in my work I can nicely move up in the company hierarchy, up to a managerial position. Still, I knew that I had not been created for such, since every time I had succeeded something, an afterward feeling of a huge emptiness came along with it.” – said Lofeudo in one of his testimonies.

Far away from God for 35 years

He was about thirty when he realized that he did not have the slightest intention to fight any longer for material purposes. He moved to Italy, and his mind was full of questions on the order of the Universe. He started a two years fasting, meanwhile he understood that he wanted to get closer to God. “I got messages from the Blessed Mother in a variety of places. I experienced it in Verona for the first time. Then in 1989 I moved to Bergamo. In those days I was working as a consulting engineer. One day I had to travel to Torino for some work I had to carry on, but the business meeting was cancelled, giving me an opportunity to wander around the city. I started with a visit to the St. John Cathedral where the Holy Shroud of Turin was kept. I arrived at the Cathedral around 4-5 p.m. Just a few people were in. A priest was inside the confessionary reading a book. First I went to see the Shroud, and I really sensed the relic was genuine. I must admit that in my earlier, non-believer life period, I thought of it as being a counterfeit only.” Lofeudo was just standing in front of the Shroud and all of a sudden he felt the urge to go to Medjugorje. But before –as he thought so- then and there was the time and the opportunity to make a confession. He was feeling ashamed of spending 35 years far away from God.

“I took a few steps back and forth towards the confessionary, but I did not leave the church. After all, I’d got a final push from “somebody” up there, and I had found myself inside the confessionary. I told the father I was on to confess all my sins. He told me: OK, just kneel down. And I told him I wanted to confess my entire life, and after 35 years I confessed. Afterwards the father told me that my greatest sins amongst all was being far away from God for long years. He meant it for consolation, but he was right. He blessed me, gave his absolution and in that moment I burst into tears. “He patted my shoulders and said: Don’t be sad, the Church embraces not only the saints but also the sinners.”

New Vocation

So, Father Lofeudo travelled to Medjugorje, and this journey has completely changed his life. “I left behind all my past sins because of the Our Blessed Mother” – as he wrote it later. Father Lofeudo returned to Medjugorje the same year on Christmas, and chose priesthood as his vocation. He studied philosophy and theology with the Dominicans. Shortly after his consecration he received the call for the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration that had been preceded by his meeting with Father Martin Lucia in Argentina. In those days Lofeudo had run radio shows and was asked to make an interview with the Father. Their meeting and talks resulted in the opening of 3 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapels in Buenos Aires, and Lofeudo had a strong urge deep in his heart to devote his entire life for this purpose.

The fruit of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration: saved lives

The apostle of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration ministers mainly in Italy and Spain, and does his best to initiate the Eucharistic Adoration in as many locations as possible. Justo Antonio Lofeudo is of the belief that plenty of fruits are evolved by the Perpetual Adoration. Just take a look at the first Perpetual Adoration chapel that has been established in the pretty rough district of Madrid, which has become a far safer area, thanks to this initiative. It happened one night in the city of Prato, Italy: while the parish priest was praying in front of the Eucharist, a troubled woman entered the chapel. She was crying and sobbing and told that she had been about to head for a bridge to jump off, but missed the direction and started to follow a light that led her into the chapel. She then experienced the soul’s light, Jesus Christ, who has been the resurrection and life – as she worded it. She understood what an insanity it would have been to commit suicide, just because she felt lonely and lost her job.

As to Father Lofeudo, the main difference between the traditional prayer and the Eucharistic Adoration is that by the latter one we, as a community, express our greatest respect for God. We preach his Kingdom, God the King of Kings and bear witness of that to others, even to the atheists.

Father Justo Antonio Lofeudo delivers his lecture “Renewal of parishes and dioceses through the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration” on 8th September at the Hungexpo Congress and Event Centre.

To listen to the apostle of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration please consult our website for registration.

Source: radiomaria.at, ujember.hu, magyarkurir.hu, youtube, szentgellertplebania

Photo: Magyar Kurír