Father Tarcisio was born the son of Luigi Rossi and Letizia Montalti at Roversano (Forlì) on August 16, 1922.  He entered our Congregation in 1934, made his religious profession in 1943 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1947.
   In 1949 he left for South Africa.  He was awarded a BA degree at the University of Cape Town.  In 1952 he was assigned to Kenya where he worked for eleven years in the area of education.  He was director of a teachers’ college in Kamwenja and supervisor of Catholic Schools in Nyeri.
   He wrote to Father Domenico Fiorina, the Superior General, to express his satisfaction for the work he entrusted to Our Lady’s care: “I am very happy here and my only desire is to instil a spirit of apostleship, prayer and dedication in these teachers.  For this reason we have established the Legion of Mary and I will do all I can to make sure Our Lady is in charge.  I thought of consecrating the school to the Immaculate Heart of Mary because I believe that when Our Lady is sovereign all will go well” (December 8, 1952).
   In 1960 he established the high school in Kerugoya of which he was director until 1967.  In 1968 he built the complex at Sagana where he also launched a technical school for boys.  In 1970 he left Kenya to be the Delegate Superior in England.  He held this position until 1978.
   He was then assigned to Ethiopia where he was the director of high schools in Nazareth, Diredawa and Wonji in the Meki Vicariate.  At Wonji he was also the parish priest.  When it came time to leave in 1992 the Christian community expressed their thanks and presented him with a plaque that read: “Thanks to you, Father, the weak flame of a community of only 150 Christians in this parish that greeted you on your arrival has developed into a glowing light with more than 6,000 faithful.  More than 1,500 people were brought back to physical and spiritual life through you.  Your conduct – love and charity – is an example that will guide us in living out the Gospel you proclaimed in our midst.  We call down heavenly blessings and thanks on you and the Consolata Congregation.  With enormous gratitude, the faithful of Wonji.” (September 22, 1992).
   From 1992 to 1997 Father Tarcisio was the pastor of Gambo and then in 2001 he was the Vicar General and Administrator of the Vicariate of Meki.  He then went back to pastoral work in Gambo.  Age and work took their toll.  In May, 2005,  he returned to Italy and went for treatment at Cottolengo.  There in the presence of his brother, Father Giancarlo, he returned to our Father’s house.
   His funeral was held on Wednesday, September 7, at Alpignano.  Father Edoardo Rasera presided.  Afterwards Father Francesco Cialini accompanied his body to San Carlo di Cesena where it was buried on Friday.  Hew was 83 years old, a religious for 61 years and a priest for 58.

The Editors of Da Casa Madre

In May 1997 – the 50^th anniversary of his ordination – Father Tarcisio Rossi wrote a circular letter to his ordination classmates in which he describes his own life as a missionary.

“Long ago in 1947 after ordination I returned to Cereseto during those troubled post-war years.  I would be involved in study, parish work in Forneglio di Crea and teaching;  then in Turin – examinations and the university. 

In Cape Town: three years of study and teaching in the world of Africa: an atmosphere of racial turmoil and cultural conflict.

In 1952 I was assigned to Kenya: 18 months of teaching and school work in the framework of an English colony, the blood and suffering of the Mau Mau uprising, the arrival of independence.  Brief vacations, the ordination of my two brothers: Alfonso (who left for Argentina) and Giancarlo (Kenya).  I loved Kenya, the Christian journey, growth in faith.  I loved the people and the young people I was sent to work with.

Then from 1970 to 1977 England and … Ireland.  Days of joy and authority (?), of concern and deep bitterness (?) My God you want me for yourself!

And then an unexpected assignment: Ethiopia: Diredawa, Nazareth, Wonji, Gambo.  I discovered the gift of God: the parish, the poor, the hungry, workers, the boundless plains, sugar cane.  There were thirteen years at Wonji with a Communist and Godless government.  At Wonji we were loved: new churches, schools, children to feed, work camps, all day long, day after day with them … the Christian community grew.

On the side – guns, espionage, anger, sacking … but also crowds traveling towards God, Churches bedecked in color, baptisms … My God, what a gift you gave us!

Then Alfonso left us.  He died of leukemia on October 13, 1983.  The last stage – Gambo? The hospital, the leprosarium, the parish.  I see my church crowded on Sunday: young people … hundreds and hundreds.  Previously they were Muslims.  Now they are with HIM!  Thank you, Lord,  Forgive what you know.  Give me the joy of serving you always.  Thank you for the co-workers you have given me, for Stallone and Parisi – now dead – they were my friends.  We are grateful to you for having brought us this far.  May no one be missing at the final appointment.

Remain with us, Lord, evening is drawing on.”

TESTIMONIALS

Homily delivered by Father Edoardo Rasera at the Funeral

Father Tarcisio never spoke much about what he was doing or had done in his life as a missionary.  He loved to recall the time he spent in England as a superior; he underwent a genuine conversion that moved him to devote his missionary life to God and to the proclamation of the Word.  When he was asked to return to the missions he was 56 years old.  It was only logical to think he would return to Kenya where he had worked so successfully organizing schools, working in the school at Kerugoya or the foundation in Sagana – instead he was asked to go to Ethiopia.  At the time Ethiopia was a mission with much political trouble and learning a new language is especially hard for those who are no longer young.  He accepted his superiors’ decision and set off to work in Ethiopia.  He learned the language.  His lively intelligence and a clear understanding of his goals as a missionary helped him in this. The apostolate and the commitment to proclaiming the Word was always his first priority.  He was a great organizer.  He had done much building: schools, orphanages, churches … Each undertaking focused on a single goal: God.  Everything else was only an instrument to achieve that goal. 

Father Tarcisio spoke a great deal about his missionary commitment, his ministry of the Word – but never about his commitment to the welfare of the poor.  In the Gospel parable the man who received five talents doubled them;  Father Tarcisio multiplied a hundredfold the gifts he received from the Lord.

At the Wonji Mission he established a beautiful Christian community and several catechumenates;  he organized and stabilized welfare activity; it was a mission where he was very much at home.  At the height of his success when he was 69 years old he was asked to leave everything and take responsibility for the Gambo mission.  He spoke to his superiors and explained the difficulties he would face taking on so complicated and problem filled mission at his age.  He was inclined to refuse this assignment but he added: “if the superior writes a letter telling me to go, I will go.”  His superior wrote the letter on the spot.  He read the letter without comment, asked for twenty days to put his affairs in order and then departed for Gambo.

He never complained about or regretted that decision.  He worked with dedication at the new mission and never went back to Wonji lest he make it more difficult for the new superior.  It was evidence of his detachment.  At Gambo he organized a hospital, schools and a leprosarium.  And if all this activity was not enough he started building new chapels and helped launch a new mission in Arsi Neghelli – a small city some 18 km from Gambo.  He worked on all these projects up to his final months. 

What caused Father Tarcisio’s death?  He was worn out.  Like the widow in the Temple he gave all he had and the Lord called him home, “Well done good and faithful servant;  because you have been faithful in little things I will put you over many.”

What one does or builds is not really much if we consider the objective needs of poverty;  it is not really much if we consider the brief space of time we are allotted.  But if we are faithful in these small things the Lord will make us sharers in His abundance – Communion with Him.  Our life will merge into His – this is the reward we will be given.

Father Tarcisio chose God rather than the works of God – and for this he was blessed even in the work he did for the poor.  He lived as a poor man and as such was able to share so much with the poor.

Committed to training Catholic leaders

I met Father Tarcisio Rossi in 1967: it was an intense and instructive meeting.  He was headmaster of the Congregation’s high school in Kerugoya.  The Bishop of Nyeri, Msgr. Cesare Gatimu,  had given me the task of taking a census and drawing maps of the schools built by the diocese that were to be handed over to the government.  On my trek through the various administrative districts within the diocese of Nyeri I came to Kerugoya Boys’ Secondary School.

Father Tarcisio gave me a warm welcome.  He was humorous but discreet.  We visited the school together and spent time in the classroom building.  Although it was only recently built it did not still conform to government norms.  The dormitory building needed many improvements but the dining room and kitchen met government requirements.

Finally we visited the church at the center of the school.  It was beautiful and spacious;  it had a large sanctuary and two sacristies.  We sat on a bench and he spoke to me:  “In a Catholic college such as this the church helps develop the Christian life students began at baptism through spontaneous prayer and voluntary participation in the celebration of Mass.  Religious studies following government directives are not enough to make genuine Christians.

The majority of students in this school are Catholics and it is only fair to give them a chance to grow spiritually.  This is why there is a church only for them at the school.  For this there must be a priest chaplain who takes seriously the practice of religion and the training of future Catholic leaders.”

This was the missionary spirit that he always maintained at Kerugoya – when he went to Sagana to establish the still existing technical school and when after a long stay in England he left for the missions in Ethiopia.  I like to remember him in this way.  While I was working with schools in Kenya I tried to put his teaching into practice …

Father Antonio Giordano

Founder of the Kerugoya School

On September 18, 2004 we celebrated the 45^th anniversary of the Kerugoya Secondary School for Boys.  A large number of people from all over the region came together on this occasion.  It was a beautiful, festive and joyous event.

The school was established in 1960 by Father Tarcisio Rossi who was its director until 1967.  It began with a small group of students and soon was the best school in the area.

It was built on a solid foundation:  to prepare through study men of tomorrow, men capable of assuming responsibility in life.  The school had a motto: “Follow the way: three Ds leading to 3 Ss” – Discipline, Diligence and Dignity lead to Success, Sanctification and Strength.

Msgr. Peter Kihara, the Bishop of Muranga, was invited to the celebration and he wanted Father Rossi to preach the homily.  Father Rossi spoke with great simplicity and clarity: he emphasized personal responsibility, a commitment to study and the serious intention of building not just one’s personal future but the future of society as well.  This future would be based on Christian values.  “Without Christian values there is no future – neither for yourselves nor for society.”

Commenting on St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (3,16-21) he added: “You know you are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you … God’s presence in you should be the basis of your success in life;  it should give you the strength to persevere in doing good.  Do not be deceived! If any of you thinks he is wise in the ordinary meaning of this word he must first become foolish: there is no point in boasting about human accomplishments.  Only God has significance in our lives.  You are the temple of God therefore you must allow God to form you psychologically, mentally and spiritually.”

He concluded with the words of St. John’s Gospel (15,9-15):  “These things can only be accomplished if you remain in God’s love.  Love of God and love of neighbor.  There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s brothers.”

After the celebration some of Father Rossi’s former students offered testimonials and spoke of their success in the government, in business and in public affairs.  They remembered with pleasure all he had done for them: not just his teaching or slogans but above all his example. 

Msgr. Peter Kihara and Father Chege the parish priest of Kerugoya thanked Father Rossi for his work teaching young people and preparing them for the future.  The Director too expressed his gratitude to Father Rossi who had come all the way from Ethiopia to be present at this celebration.

After the speeches the Bishop presented Father Rossi with symbolic gifts: a beautiful wood sculpture that represented every day life according to Kikuyu tradition;  he was then named a “Kikuyu Elder” and invested with the symbols of Kikuyu culture.  He was also given the tradition gift of a goat.

A plaque commemorating the 45^th anniversary of the school was unveiled.  Along with the relevant dates and the school motto it bears an image of Father Rossi.  Thus he will remain forever at the Kerugoya School as an example of the good things the Lord accomplishes through those who love Him.

Brother José Miguel Reyes