1910-2003

Father Feyles was born in Riva di Chieri (TO) on November 2, 1910, the son of Federico Feyles and Francesca Vergnano.  Our Father Founder received him into the Institute in 1923.  In 1929 he made his religious profession and was ordained to the priesthood in 1933.  His first assignments (1934 to 1949) were as a teacher, assistant director, chaplain and prefect at Rovereto, Varallo, Vittorio Veneto, Fiuggi, Parabita and Turin.  He was a military chaplain for one year in 1940.  In 1949 he left for Argentina and remained there for eleven years primarily engaged in missionary and pastoral work in Rosario.  In a letter to the Superior General, Father Fiorina, on September 8, 1952 he wrote that he was “a wandering helper (vagus supplente) available to all pastors for preaching and extraordinary assistance.”  These were difficult years that provided little satisfaction.  In another letter to the Father General in 1956 he wrote,  “The mission of the sower  involves continually emptying one’s sack while striving to refill it with confidence and the mercy of God.”  The difficult times he experienced, however, were an occasion for spiritual growth as he later confessed. “During those years of transition my prayer life and my humility grew stronger as did my faith and trust in God.  There were so many souls to lead to holiness and so much evil in the modern world hat one could feel helpless, but still confident enough to ask the Lord’s support.”

He returned to Italy in 1960 and was the spiritual director at the Minor Seminary in Bevera.  “I am happy – not because I think the job suitable – but because of the chance to devote myself more fully to prayer.  I now have the opportunity and I will do my best not to disappoint the Lord who has both given me this desire and provided the circumstances to satisfy it.” (a letter to Father Fiorina dated March 13, 1961).

From 1961 to 1969 he worked in Spain (Ribadeo and Madrid) in vocation and mission promotion.  He struggled with the enormous financial and personnel problems afflicting the Delegation and visited schools and seminaries.  The  vocation crisis that would later explode was already apparent but in spite of this he succeeded in attracting young people to missionary work.

He returned to Italy and worked in the houses at Turin, Rovereto, Biadene and Bedizzole as a collaborator and confessor.  From 1975 to 1978 he was in Spain (Madrid) once again and in  charge of the Mission Exhibition.  He then returned to Italy and held various jobs in Olbia and Genoa.  He was then assigned as a chaplain to the “Mary Zegna” Cottolengo Rest Home in Trivero and continued in this position until his definitive retirement to Alpignano in 1995.

He returned peacefully to Our Father’s House on March 6, 2003 with Father Genta at his side.  His Funeral Mass was held the following day.  Msgr. Aldo Mongiano, who presided, spoke about Father Domenico’s simplicity, generosity and what good company he was.  His death marks the disappearance of one of the pioneers of our Italian, Argentinean and Spanish foundations.  After the Funeral Service he was buried in the cemetery at Alpignano.

Father Giuseppe Villa

and the Editorial Staff of Da Casa Madre

TESTIMONIAL

I met Father Domenico at  Casa Beato Giuseppe Allamano where we lived next door to each other for years.  He was the very picture of a man at peace and bore up admirably under the changes and problems age causes all of us.  He had been received into the Institute by the Founder when he was thirteen years old on October 4, 1923.  It was an encounter that made a lasting impression upon him.  He loved to reminisce about Father Founder’s visits to the Motherhouse and meetings with the students in St. Paul’s Minor Seminary.  The Founder would smile and chat with the minor seminarians as a father and as a friend.  He would tell them how they could become missionaries after his own heart.  Others had already described these meetings to me but no one could recount so much detail as Father Domenico. 

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1933 and appointed an assistant and professor of Italian and Latin.  He became quite proficient in Latin – at his funeral one of his nieces mentioned how much he had helped her with that subject.   He did everything with enthusiasm.  Often at our gatherings he was outspoken in expressing his thanks to God, the Founder and so many others.  His homilies at Mass  were exuberant – perhaps even over the top. 

He went to Argentina at the very beginning of the Consolata mission to that country and endured all the obstacles pioneers usually face.  If he was such a live-wire at 85 one can only imagine what he was like as a young man!  Later he was sent to Spain where our work was also just beginning.  His job was to find a “location” and his account of the adventures that marked this endeavor were entertaining.  He never mentioned the hardships he encountered,  but rather dwelt on the joy of proclaiming the Good News, his love for Our Lady and devotion to the Father Founder.

He then became a chaplain at the “Mary Zegna” Cottolengo Rest Home in Trivero and spent meaningful years in this job.  At Casa Allamano the postulants from Via Arnò asked him to give conferences, retreats and talks.  He liked being with young people and his enthusiasm for the missions as well as his acquaintance with the Founder made him a popular guest.

In his last years he would remark at breakfast that death was near.  It became a running joke we all enjoyed.  When he was genuinely under the weather he would remain in his room and tell Father Genta it was time to order a coffin – and then break into laughter. 

Those who knew him well admired his generous attitude towards life and its vicissitudes.  Although he often complained he didn’t know how to pray, he spent his days in uninterrupted prayer.  He had the gift of tears and was profoundly sensitive.  He could combine genuine fervor with the disarming, innocent smile of a child.  His genuine peace was a sign of the happiness few people achieve. 

He was proud of being the oldest member of the Consolata Institute.  He knew it was a position one did not hold for long – he went to bed every night expecting the end before morning.  He was the very image of a joyful Consolata missionary and son of Father Allamano.  He managed to meet with Father Antonio Bellagamba, Vice-Superior General who had come to the Casa for visitation.

At 4:15 AM on March 6, 2003 at the beginning of Lent he died.  We were being marked with ashes as pilgrims at the same time he was entering the House of Our Father where he would enter the glory reserved for those who had followed the Lord Jesus.

He was laid to rest in the cemetery of Alpignano next to those many missionaries who had gone before him.

Father Giuseppe Mina