Organ Prelude     "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place" - Johannes Brahms

Pastor James L. Proper

Pastor:     Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we ourselves have received from God.

Entrance Hymn     "All Creatures of Our God and King"

Words of Welcome by Pastor Proper

The Choir

"Introit and Kyrie" - Gabriel Faure     performed by the Choir

The Liturgy of the Word by Pastor Proper    

P:     The Lord be with you.

C:     And also with you.

P:     Let us pray.

P:     O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our brother and friend, Giuliano. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us your aid, so we may see in death the gate to eternal life, that we may continue our course on earth in confidence until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before us; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:     Amen

Federica Camagnari

Il Cantico di Frate Sole - San Francesco d'Assisi
    as recited by Federica Campagnari

Altissimu, onnipotente, bon Signore,
tue so' le laude, la gloria e l'honore et onne benedictione.
Ad te solo, Altissimo, se konfano,
et nullu homo ène dignu te mentovare.

Laudato sie, mi' Signore, cum tucte le tue creature,
spetialmente messor lo frate sole,
lo qual'è iorno, et allumini noi per lui.
Et ellu è bellu e radiante cum grande splendore:
de te, Altissimo, porta significatione.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per sora luna e le stelle:
in celu l'ài formate clarite et pretiose et belle.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per frate vento
et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo,
per lo quale a le tue creature dài sustentamento.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per sor'aqua,
la quale è multo utile et humile et pretiosa et casta.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per frate focu,
per lo quale ennallumini la nocte:
ed ello è bello et iocundo et robustoso et forte.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per sora nostra matre terra,
la quale ne sustenta et governa,
et produce diversi fructi con coloriti flori et herba.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per quelli ke perdonano per lo tuo amore
et sostengo infirmitate et tribulatione.
Beati quelli ke 'l sosterrano in pace,
ka da te, Altissimo, sirano incoronati.

Laudato si', mi' Signore, per sora nostra morte corporale,
da la quale nullu homo vivente pò skappare:
guai a quelli ke morrano ne le peccata mortali;
beati quelli ke trovarà ne le tue sanctissime voluntati,
ka la morte secunda no 'l farrà male.

Laudate e benedicete mi' Signore et rengratiate
e serviateli cum grande humilitate.

English translation:

The Canticle of Brother Sun - Saint Francis of Assisi

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, all praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through all you have made, and first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and through whom you give us light.

How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor; Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

All Praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, bright, and precious, and fair.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers wind and air, and fair and stormy, all the weather's moods, by which you cherish all that you have made.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious and pure.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten up the night. How beautiful is he, how cheerful! Full of power and strength.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains us and governs us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy are those who endure in peace, By You, Most High, they will be crowned.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, From whose embrace no mortal can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your will! The second death can do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks And serve him with great humility.

Joseph Mathieu

In Remembrance by Joseph Mathieu

It was probably the week before Giuliano died that we were driving to dinner together. An opera aria was playing on the radio and he began to sing along. I asked him how he knew this particular aria. He thought a moment and said “I haven’t heard this opera since I was a child when my mother would take me to La Scala.” “Isn’t it funny how I still remember those songs from so long ago.”

Several of us were fortunate enough to have heard the stories of Giuliano’s youth. Like the time, during the German occupation when, as children, he and one of his cousins, smuggling food for their families, were on their way back from the country; a plane was flying toward the train firing its ammunition. They both lowered their heads facing each other and when the plane had passed Giuliano raised himself up to discover that his cousin had been shot through the neck, inches from his own head. She was dead. He had many such stories of death and near death around him.

Having learned that life was so fleeting, he decided to pursue only that which he loved. During the war, survival took all of one’s energy and resources. After the war, he insisted on continuing his athletic activities begun before the occupation.

His first love was dance, but that was not possible unless you were rich or well connected. His family was neither, his father having lost his business as a result of the war. He discovered roller-skating and focused his energy and talent in that pursuit. This led him to win the Italian roller skating championship. It was also about this time that he discovered ice-skating. He easily translated the roller-skating skills to ice. Within a few years he was on his way to the Olympics representing the Italian Ice Skating team.

After the war, his mother who was Italian of Spanish descent had received word from the Spanish government that family property in the Basque region of Spain could be acquired for the cost of back taxes. The property also came with the aristocratic title of Countess; which would have made Giuliano a Count. Well that certainly explains the aristocratic air about him. He was of noble birth! But who had money after the war to buy property, even if it did come with a noble title.

Later, Giuliano auditioned for Holiday on Ice and was accepted in the chorus of skaters. It wasn’t long before the producers of the show noticed his talent and creativity. Within a couple of years he was not only a principal with the show and Sonia Henni’s skating partner, but was originating and choreographing his own numbers as well as other numbers in the show.

With Holiday on Ice he traveled throughout Europe and South America. Spending several months at a time in each country he learned the language and customs adding several languages to his native Italian and the classical Greek and Latin he learned in Italy. These included English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and Swedish. Which he learned on a dare from a Swede who said he could never learn it. That was Giuliano; never tell him it was impossible, he took that as an opportunity to prove you wrong and usually did.

That was one of the characteristics his students saw when he became a professional ice-skating instructor after retiring from the ice show. After settling first in the Mid-West and later in California where he lived the remainder of his life, he tried to instill in his students a sense of reaching beyond what you thought you were capable. It is a trait that brought more of his students to National Championships than almost any other skating instructor before or since. His finest example included American Olympic gold medallist Scott Hamilton. He taught the basics of good form and style to a very young and determined Scott.

As many of you could attest, he didn’t stand on ceremony or diplomacy if something was wrong and needed to be corrected. His sense of good and proper behavior, style and good living was well known by many of you who attended any of his dinner parties. He enjoyed living a fine life and sharing it with his friends.

He was one of the kindest and most generous people. If you were struggling with a problem, whether a deep emotional issue or simply which color chintz curtains to put up in your kitchen, he led you gently toward the choices that were best for you. If he didn’t agree with your decision he never imposed his will (too much), and ultimately respected the decision you made. Even if later you discovered that he was right after all, he never said, “I told you so”. You just learned to trust him next time.

Although he successfully beat cancer into complete remission twice, the last few years of his life were spent struggling with minor medical problems. He nevertheless kept his productive drive and stayed involved in the lives of those he cared about.

As he wound down his ice-skating career, he taught Italian to eager and enthusiastic students fascinated by his command of languages and his stories of life in Italy and his world travels. In fact the day before he passed, he taught a small group of Italian students in his home. No one could have imagined that 24 hours later he would no longer be with us.

We remember the special lessons that seem tailored-made for each of us. The good people and the love he shared with them became a surrogate family to him. Yet he never forgot his cousins, who also immigrated to America. Pucci who passed away several years ago; and Luisa, who is here with us today, brought him much joy. He felt a remaining special bond with Luisa and her husband Ross, and their son Douglas and his family. They were his connection to Italy and his history.

We shall not forget his nobility and grace and the special memories that he leaves with each of us. His quiet generosity should come as no surprise, for he was after all a most noble gentleman. He may not have actually inherited the title but to us he will always be Count Giuliano Grossi de Basquenes.

"Sanctus" - Gabriel Faure     performed by the Choir

The Prayers

P:     Let us pray.

P:     Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion, in the mystical body of your Son jesus Christ our Lord. Give to your whole Church in heaven and on earth your light and your peace.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     Grant to us who are still in our pilgrimage, and who walk as yet by faith, that your Holy Spirit may lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     Grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     Grant to all who mourn a sure confidence in your loving care, that, casting all their sorrows on you, they may know the consolation of your love.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     Give courage and faith to those who are bereaved, that they may have strength to meet the days ahead in the comfort of a holy and certain hope, and in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     Grant us grace to entrust Giuliano to your never-failing love which sustained him in this life. Receive him into the arms of yourmercy, and remember him according to the favor you bear for your people.

C:     Hear us, Lord.

P:     God of all grace, you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to bring life and immortality to light. We give you thanks because by his death Jesus destroyed the poer of death and by his resurrection has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Make us certain that because he lives we shall live also, and that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from your love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever.

C:     Amen

The Communion Liturgy

P:     The Lord be with you.

C:     And also with you.

P:     Lift up your hearts!

C:     We lift them to the Lord.

P:     Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:     It is right to give him thanks and praise.

The Word of Institution by Pastor Proper

Rosario Scarfeo (husband of Giuliano's cousin Luisa)

"The Lord's Prayer" - Malotte     performed by Rosario Scarfeo

Distribution of Communion

"Agnus Dei" - Gabriel Faure     performed by the Choir

Commendation

P:     To the living-
                        Death is a wound. Its name is grief.
                        Its companion is loneliness.
                        Whenever it comes - whatever its guise,
                        Even when there are not tears -
                        Death is a wound.

            But death belongs to life -
                        as night belongs to day,
                        as darkness belongs to light,
                        as shadows belong to substance,
                        as the fallen leaf to the tree.
                        Death belongs to life.

            It is not our purpose to live forever.
            It is only our purpose to live.
            It is no added merit that a person lives long.
            It is of merit only that one's life is good.

                            Kaddish

Lori Stinson

"Pie Jesu" - Gabriel Faure     performed by Lori Stinson

P:     Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Giuliano. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.

C:     Amen

P:     Let us go forth in peace.

C:     In the name of Christ. Amen.

"Va Pensiero" - Giuseppe Verdi     performed by the Choir