Father Alberto Bona spent his whole life working in financial administration.  He was not a man of words but of actions.  He has left no written record of his life.  What speaks for him is his vast amount of humble, hidden work for the financial support of our missionary family.   He was a missionary in the “background” – devoted to humble, unseen but necessary and important work that made it possible for others to work in mission territories.

We have some evidence of the early years of his priesthood when he was a military chaplain during the war in Italy and Croatia.  He wrote economic reports every month to the Vice-Superior General, Father Vittorio Sandrone.  He spoke of the dangers and fears of war but mostly of his apostolate among the soldiers: Masses, catechism, first communions, confirmations … these gave him much spiritual joy.  He describe the void, the sadness he felt being away from the community and his strong desire to live in community again.

Nostalgia at Christmas (December 12, 1941): “The great feast of Christmas is fast approaching and my thoughts go back to my dear family, our Congregation where I celebrated this feast so joyfully for so many years – I have precious memories of these holidays.  Unfortunately obedience forces us, soldiers, to spend these beloved family holidays so far from where our heart would have us be.  Be assured, beloved Father, that in spirit we are with you, and together with you we offer our first homage to the newborn King.  Please think of me at that moment and pray the Child Jesus to look after me, his poor son.”

Joys of the apostolate (August 4, 1942): “There is no shortage of work – the troops for whom I am responsible are many and widespread.  July 12 was an unforgettable day for all of us: Confirmation for 33 of my soldiers … Forgive me for talking about details of my life as a soldier.  Perhaps a father is happy to hear even the less important events of his child’s life.  This is my purpose in writing these things.”

Love for Our Lady, the Consolata (July 2, 1942): “Externally the Feast of our dear Mother, the Consolata, was not impressive.  I hardly had a chance to say Mass!  But my spirit was with all my confrères in so many houses who had the good fortune to celebrate the feast with the solemnity of past years.  May she soon grant us the victory that will bring our scattered brothers once more together in her maternal home.”

Willingness to work:  on September 2, 1944 he was at home with his parents but his hear was in the Motherhouse in Turin which had been destroyed by bombs.  He longed to do something for the Congregation.  He wrote to his friend, Father Boetti, “Tell Father Gallea he can depend on me: as soon as there is work to be done I will be there as always:  if he wants me right now he need only write and I will leave immediately – on foot if necessary.  I don’t know how to live away from my Congregation.”

Father Alberto Bona left us an account of thirty days at the front in Sicily, entitled “Ore d’agonia in terra di Sicilia [Hours of Agony in the Land of Sicily]”.  He wrote of the difficulties he experienced in person – bombs, the Allied landing, the thousands of dangers encountered in the continuous re-positioning, the deaths of his comrades, his ministry of consolation with the wounded and dying, the great flight to the north and finally his return home and meeting with his mother on August 13, the Vigil of the Assumption. 

His diary closes with these words: “Thus in the arms of my mother these thirty days of genuine agony come to a close.  They were also days of grace and blessings from God.  I touched his hand up there in heaven where he is our most loving Father.  There is also a creature more powerful than all others, the Mother of God, our Mother Mary … she works miracle after miracle to grant happiness to those who trust in her.  To them (God and Mary) be raised words and actions of eternal thanksgiving.”

The Editors of Da Casa Madre