Fr. Guido is a Xaverian who has just celebrated his 50 years of priesthood. He was ordained at at the Church of Our Lady of Pity in Cambridge, MA on Feb. 2 1956, in Holliston, MA. He is now 77 years old, and reflects on his long mission experience in Sierra Leone and Italy.
have many things to tell, and lots of memories and experiences of these 50 years of priestly life. Unfortunately my memory betrays me, lately! Events in my life come up to me in disorderly fashion… I’m sorry, and I ask for your understanding from all, together with a prayer.
Our Lady at night…
One memory I could never forget is the origin of my mission vocation. Following my fifth grade, I went for a retreat at a Monastery in Cingoli, Italy, to pass the text so that I could proceed for my future studies. This is how things were done in Italy at that time! There was in that monastery a distant relative of mine, who is now retired bishop and missionary in Ethiopia. He studied there to be a “friar.” In the room were I stayed, there was a simple statue of our Lady, and I remember waking up in the middle of the night, and feel as if our Lady would bless me. It might have been a dream, yet I know that my wish to be a priest started from that simple event, on that night.
Once home, I spoke with my grandmother, who took the role of mother to me. My mother died when I was three years old. My grandma told me: “there has always been a priest or friar in our family!” She encouraged me: she would take me to Mass. We would walk that mile and half to Church, even during snowy and rainy winter days.
The tears of grandma
Following the example of my brother and of Fr. Costantino Mogliani, who was from my home town, about 9 years older than me, I decided to enter the Xaverians at Poggio San Marcello, about 15 miles from my home. My grandma was indeed a strong and decisive person, and though she dreamed of me as priest, she would have her misgivings about my missionary life, because I would be far away from home! But, she would continue to repeat that phrase “there has always been a priest or friar in our family!” My brother decided to move on, and change lifestyle; I continued on, and here I am thinking back at my missionary journey.
When I was told that I would leave for the USA, I asked the driver of the car to leave quickly, because I did not want to see my grandma’s tears. They were indeed big tears of love, from her, who was a strong and decisive woman: she tried her best to hide them, as best as she could… She was my grandma and my mother, all in one, and she was 89 years old at that time. Four years later she passed away at a beautiful age of 93.
Assigned to Africa, through the USA
Fr. Giovanni Gazza, the Superior General of that time, asked me to continue my own theology studies in the USA. I reached the USA through the “Maria Costa” boat, in 1952. It was a cargo ship, who went back and forward to Italy after the war, bringing to Italy grain and other goods. I remember how we did not have anything to eat with us. Luckily, we stopped in Spain, and we were able to buy 5 gallons of wine for the rest of the journey!
On Feb. 2 1956, I was ordained priest at the Church of Our Lady of Pity in Cambridge, Mass., together with Frs. Joseph Zanardi and Romano Rolli. It was at the hands of Msgr. Jeremiah F. Minihan, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston. Soon after, I was call back to Italy with the assignment to Japan. I remained in Italy instead for about 2 years, and in 1958 I sailed the seas with a new assignment: Sierra Leone, in West Africa. Here we go again:
Marseilles, Algeria, Casablanca, and my final destination: Freetown. This time, though, I did not forget the wine! I served in Sierra Leone until 1974.
Those were the beginning years of our presence there, with lots of difficulties in adjusting to the place, the costumes, the new surroundings. We built churches and schools, and we worked together with the people in their catechetical preparation, and in direct proclamation of the Gospel.
The ministry of Gratitude
I came back to Italy in 1974, where I was asked to serve in various Xaverian communities. The years my memory remembers best are the six years in Salerno, Southern Italy; the two years of secretarial service to Mons. Gianni Gazza, former bishop in Brazil and bishop of Aversa; and the years of manual work in remodeling Tavernerio, a Xaverian house in Northern Italy which serves as a retreat facility.
And finally, it’s about 11 years that I live in this beautiful area of the Liguria region, at the Xaverian house in Genoa. I have been helping in the correspondence office through personal letters and visits to our benefactors. They are about 8,000, and the work is never finished. They call on me in very special moments of their lives, especially when they want to receive the sacraments, or during times of illness. I also continue to hear confessions at a parish near by. This is my ministry of thanksgiving and gratitude: a letter, a phone call, a visit… Everything is offered at the daily Eucharist and in our daily prayers.
I pray for everyone daily
Today I seem to be doing very little, because of my failing memory, my poor eyesight, and my difficulties with hearing. Yet, I give the little I can, in house and with friends. I am thankful to them for such great love in supporting all missionaries, and sustaining my priesthood. They are the ones who allow us, through their prayer and support, to continue our mission the world over. I pray daily for everyone, and I am an active part of the mission, even through my limited abilities, in communion with missionaries and friends.
Before I conclude these few thoughts, I like to recall that about 2 years ago I asked Fr. Joe Zanardi, who spent many years in Mexico, to celebrate together our 50th of priesthood together. Unfortunately, God had other plans. God called him home on Nov. 12 2005, at the eve of our anniversary, to celebrate his eternal priesthood in heaven. Fr. Romano Rolli
preceded us in death in 1996, and of the three young Xaverians who were ordained on that
Candlemass day of Feb. 2 1956 at Cambridge, Mass., remains only one… You guess!
(From Xaverian News - Missionari Saveriani)