He was involved in mission promotion at Darfo, Milan and Bologna. In 1975 he went back to Kenya and was involved in pastoral work in Kiangonyi, Gaturi and Kerugoya. He was the pastor at Gaturi from 1977 to 1983 and supervised the renovation of the decrepit old people’s home. The renovated home had spacious private rooms and all the necessary services. At the same time he was very much involved in building chapels at the mission out-stations. 

From 1983 to 1987 he was assistant pastor first in Ichagaki and then in Tetu. Here he saw Wamagana for the first time. It was one of the largest chapel schools in the mission. He devoted himself to the school and built schools and stone houses for the priests and sisters. With the help of friends who came to visit him in Africa, he built one of the most beautiful churches in the diocese and dedicated it to Our Lady of Parabita (his hometown). He had an acute social conscience and built a school for handicapped children – one of the few in Kenya. In a letter he wrote to Father Piero Trabucco, the Superior General, to thank him for his financial help, he said: “On the same day the school was inaugurated we established the “Friends of Allamano.” This association will sponsor and support the school, as well as spread knowledge of and devotion to our Founder is highly esteemed by all the Christians at Wamagana.

“With this work I believe I have fulfilled my obligation towards him who made it possible for me to become a missionary. Next year I will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of my ordination; in these fifty years my greatest accomplishment has been this school for the handicapped. For this I thank God, Our Lady and our Founder” (December 11, 1996).

This was not the extent of his work in Wamagana – at great expense he had wells dug that would provide water and electricity to the mission and the people.

His work and his forthright, affable personality made everyone his friend. The celebration of his Golden Anniversary in 1997 was a veritable triumph that celebrated all his many works.

His health was in decline – the first signs of cancer had appeared in 1988 and cancer would eventually take him to his grave. In 1999 he returned to Italy and began his long Calvary in the Motherhouse infirmary. He went to the House of Our Father on January 23, 2001.

His funeral was celebrated on January 26^th. Father Clemente Barlocco presided at the celebration and spoke about Father Giannelli’s life. His talk was a well documented disquisition on “Who was Father Giannelli” for our Institute and for the young Church of Nyeri. He spoke of his virtues and his shortcomings – but above all he spoke about his great merciful heart, the gift he made of himself, his fidelity to his vocation, his affection for all he met – especially the poor, the vulnerable and those who could never pay him back.

Hours before his death he was still thinking about the handicapped children at Wamagana – he left them his few possessions. 

His body was taken to his hometown, Parabita, and now rests with his loved ones near Our Lady of Parabito.

Fr. Clemente Barlocco

and Fr. Giuseppe Mina

TESTIMONIALS

An Instrument of Charity

Father Antonio Giannelli has left us forever, he was a small man but great missionary. His big heart, unshakable faith, slightly rebellious and playful spirit made him a formidable channel of charity and love.

He created two important centers of hospitality in a very short time in 1950’s Kenya: a house for abandoned old people and a refuge for children with serious motor and psychological problems. They were two stars in a constellation of goodness. He gave himself unstintinvly to others regardless of their race, religion or political beliefs.

Federico Cesarani

Tireless Missionary and Great Friend

I remember as if it was only yesterday. I felt emotion and a little apprehension when my husband, William, and I landed at Nairobi. We were both doctors and we had been invited by Father Antonio Giannelli to spend time at his mission in Wamagana (Nyeri).

Impressions crowd my mind as I think back to that time: new and exotic smells, the general confusion that surrounded us – but most of all I see the reassuring smile and liveliness of “Father Generi” as everyone affectionately called Father Antonio. 

A trip lasting a few hours brought us to Wamagana at the foot of Mount Kenya. During that short trip we came face to face with the whole of Africa: poverty and majesty beyond anything one could imagine. Those were days filled with activity: William worked in the hospital at Mathari, we visited nearby villages and had a chance to see all Father Antonio had done. We made many other visits to Kenya, and encouraged by Father Antonio made joyful changes in our life in Italy: we renewed our political commitment and took up volunteer work. He was a tireless missionary and a great friend. There of great sadness in these last years – the premature death of William, my husband, and now the death of Father Antonio. 

Dear Father Antonio I will return to Kenya with the spirit you taught me, with your Jambo in my heart. It will not be like those happy days of yours when I watched you look lovingly at the children in school, or witnessed your superhuman efforts to provide the disabled with a dignified and acceptable level of assistance.

Doctor Leda Schirinzi

BROTHER GUERRINO VOLPATO

1915 – 2001

Brother Guerrino was born in Piombino Dese (PD), the son of Giuseppe Volpato and Regina Montin. He entered the Institute in 1928 and consecrated himself to the Lord with religious profession in 1935. He then spent thirteen years in Italy as porter, commissionaire, gardener, sacristan, etc. in a variety of communities: Turin, Casellete, Cereseto and Parabita.

In 1948 he left for the Pirané mission in Argentina where his missionary spirit found expression among the impoverished natives and outcasts of Chaco. In a letter to Father Vittorio Sandrone, Vice-Superior General, he wrote: “I work with Father Burati teaching catechism to the young people and am on my feet from six in the morning to seven at night. Along with the catechism I am very much occupied with household tasks – all of this makes time fly … I am tired but I am happy … My rheumatism has disappeared. Since my arrival in the missions I have had a chance to learn so many things. I bless Jesus and thank our Lady, the Consolata, that I am a religious and a missionary of the Consolata” (August 1, 1948).

In a spirit of sacrifice and charity he did all he could to meet the many material needs of his people; with spiritual and brotherly advice he prepared them to receive the sacraments. He was so filled with priestly spirit that people called him “Padre Hermano” (Father Brother). In a letter to Father Fiorina, the Superior General, he wrote: “Certainly, Most Reverend Father, when I see how badly priests are needed I would almost wish to be one myself so that I could go and preach the word; I suffer enormously when I see those who are priests not bother to do so …” (June 29, 1956).

In 1958 Brother Guerrino returned to Italy where he dedicated the remainder of his life to serving the Institute in a variety of capacities. From 1959 to 1963 he was the porter at the house in Turin and the assistant to Father Gaudenzio Barlassina. He served as porter in Rome (1963 – 1971) and then returned to the Motherhouse to work, he collaborated with CIM and was the sacristan of the Church of the Founder. In his humble position he served the Motherhouse day and night. “I am happy to welcome all of our confrères who arrive and say farewell to those fortunate ones who leave.” In 2000 after a series of heart attacks he retired to the house at Alpignano. It was there that the Lord called him home on January 30, 2001. 

Cheerful and helpful he had great spiritual rapport with simple people – he could put them at their ease and nurture their hope. His prayerful spirit and love of the liturgy were outstanding.

Father Gottardo Pasqualetti, the Regional Superior, presided at his funeral Mass. Many of his relatives came from all over Italy and Father Guido Guerra paid homage to our brother during the homily. His remains now lay in the cemetery at Alpignano.

Fr. Giuseppe Villa

TESTIMONIALS

Padre Hermano

Brother Guerrino was at the Casa Beato Giuseppe Allamano for about a year – he had not asked to come here since he hoped to end his days at the Motherhouse where he had lived for almost thirty years. We knew each other for many years – from the time at Comotto. He was remarkably consistent – I noticed no changes when he arrived at Alpignano. He found it difficult to adjust to the restrictions his several heart attacks forced upon him. I saw him pushing around the serving carts to be helpful. Father Riccardo Rossi was especially attached to him – Brother Guerrino was always there to offer his quiet, patient and smiling help. 

Brother Guerrino came from the house at Pederobba. He made his first profession in 1935 and some years later he was sent to Argentina. He arrived there just as our foundation was getting underway. He came to know and love Pirané passionately – the Chaco, the grassy plains, the treacherous rivers and the poor and abandoned natives who lived there. One thing the Fathers at the mission immediately noticed about Brother Guerrino was his concern for the spiritual welfare of those he met. He did all he could to meet the material needs of these destitute people but was always quick to bring up the subject of salvation, of Jesus the Redeemer and of Mary, his mother. He loved Mary with the simplicity of a child. He was so devoted to preparing people for the sacraments that they began to call him “Padre Hermano” (Father Brother). As far as I can recall none of the other brothers was ever called this.

He performed a variety of tasks at the Motherhouse: acting as porter and guestmaster, running errands, driving … but his favorite job was working as sacristan in the Church and caring for the Founder’s chapel. 

When we happened to travel together on public transportation I was always charmed by the way he greeted everyone – as if they were his friends. He could always reprimand those who were acting badly in public – but he did it with so much grace that the mischief-maker usually asked his pardon. He sometimes asked me to celebrate Christmas Mass in run-down neighborhoods and I could see that he was respected as a genuine friend of the poor.

People often gave him large or small amounts of money to give to the poor – and he was always scrupulous in seeing that the money reached the needy.

He would attend prayer meetings – charismatic or otherwise – it didn’t really matter to him as long as people were praying. In his own way his life was centered around prayer, God and Mary his mother. He was never absent when a local feast of Our Lady was being celebrated. He would later tell me all he had seen and how much he had enjoyed it. I never saw so many people in our chapel as I did at his funeral on January 31. They were not just relatives – but many, many who learned of his death and came to bid him farewell, thank him and say a prayer for him. We realized then that “Father Brother” was a genuine minister of consolation and reconciliation.

Fr. Giuseppe Mina

Trusted Collaborator

Brother Guerrino arrived in Argentina several years before me – I came to the promised land in December 1952. Brother Guerrino was waiting for me at the Paraguay River port of Formosa to take me to Pirané. He had the advantage of three or four years of working in Argentina and acted as my guide and interpreter. We spent four years together working first at Pirané and later at El Colorado on the Bermejo river at the southernmost boundary of our parish.

Brother Guerrino was always at my side as a collaborator; he handled the practical aspects of our work, sought out assistance, organized meetings and celebrations, launched projects, etc. People trusted his ability to organize things. Without being asked he took responsibility for the people who lived in settlements, and taught the children catechism and songs. He was indefatigable traversing the country roads, visiting ranches and seeking out the people who lived all over the grassy plains. He pastoral zeal was straightforward and unaffected and he was not at all embarrassed to go from door to door and invite people to novenas and feast day celebrations. 

He was very able at finding help and official support for our various projects. He would go to the military and provincial authorities without hesitation and few could refuse his requests on behalf of Pirané or one of our other settlements. His humility, conviction, simplicity and innocence were irresistible – even the hardhearted gave in to him. 

Simple people called him “Padre Hermano” (Father Brother). He was responsible for many religious marriages; he could convince those involved in common-law marriages to regularize their situation with relative ease. His was the apostolate of the practical: he was the one who prepared the Masses, baptisms, marriages, funerals and then at the appropriate time call in the priest to do his part. With very little education but a good deal of common sense Brother Guerrino handled a great many responsibilities.

He had great confidence in the priests he worked with. During long horseback rides together or the periods of rest in between he would talk with candor, seeking and giving advice and spiritual counsel. Whether he traveled on foot or on horseback the rosary was always in his hand – he was a classical missionary.

He was an affectionate man, and as a good Paduan he never lost his sense of humor. Now that he has gone – I hope to meet him once again, waiting for me at the gate of heaven as he did so many years ago in Formosa.

Fr. Guido Guerra