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Father Michele Merlone (1928-2005) Print E-mail
Written by Editors of Da Casa Madre   
Monday, 23 October 2006
Father Michele was born in Piobesi Torinese on July 30, 1928, the son of Francesco Merlone and Caterina Borlengo. In 1948 he entered our Congregation from the Turin Seminary where he was a second-year theology student. He was an only child and it was difficult to win his parents’ approval of his entering a missionary congregation but he believed “that if the Lord deprived them of the comfort of his presence He would reward them some other way and give them the strength to bear their cross and gain merit.”
The Rector of the Turin Metropolitan Seminary gave the young Michele excellent references when he sought admission to the Consolata Missionaries. “I believe I can say in conscience that he is an excellent young man; his intentions are good, he has considerable intellectual ability and applies himself diligently. He has shown great interest in the missions; I believe that he will commit himself to the missions with zeal.”
The young Michele, in fact, proved to be exactly what the Rector had foretold: he embraced the religious life with fervor and won the approval of those involved in his formation. In 1949 he made his religious profession and in 1952 he was ordained to the priesthood. He worked in Italy for fifteen years as assistant and professor at Benevagienna and as treasurer/publicist in Rosignano.
His father’s death died in 1967 (his mother had died earlier) prompted him to ask for permission to go to the missions. On May 25, 1967, he wrote to the Superior General: “I am grateful to the Major Superiors who have let me work in Italy for fifteen years so I could be close to my aged parents. With both sincerity and emotion I would dare to ask you, Most Reverend Father General, to all on me finally to go to the missions where there is so much more work and so many less workers than here in Italy. I am now 39 years old: maybe I can no longer hope to go to Africa but at least Latin America where I’m sure I can still do much work. Waiting still longer might make me miss all the ships and planes going to the missions.”
And so Father Michele was sent to Colombia to be the assistant pastor in Manizales and Bucaramanga. He was happy to be carrying out his missionary vocation; he saw it as his path to holiness: “I thank the Lord, Our Lady, the Consolata, and you Father General for having sent me to Colombia. My passage on the ship and airplane was great. I renew my commitment to personal sanctification and apostolic work in the future” (Letter to Father General, December 12, 1967).
In 1970 he was the pastor in Manizales and one year later at the Consolata Parish in Bogotá. In 1979 he assumed responsibility for the Parish of St. Teresina in the same city. From 1985 to 1989 he was the Assistant Pastor at the Parish of the Twelve Apostles in Bogotá. In 1989 health problems forced his return to Italy. After two years in Turin he retired to the house in Alpignano.
On October 22 at 12 o’clock with Father Genta at his side he returned to Our Father’s house. He was 77 years old, a religious for 56 years and a priest for 53. His funeral was held on Monday, October 24, 2005. Msgr. Aldo Mongiano presided, assisted by Father Saverio Garello, the regional vice-superior and by Father Tullio Bosello, his ordination classmate. Msgr. Franco Peradotto, a classmate in the seminary, was present.
In his homily Father Tullio Bosello repeated what Msgr. Franco Peradotto said: “Father Michele was the cleverest of the class” and the testimonial of the cardinal archbishop of Bogotá: “Father Michele was an authentic Consolata Missionary and a magnificent example for the priests of the diocese.” He was a pastor in a parish on the outskirts of the city.
At Alpignano he was a silent example of faithfulness to the small commitments and devotion to the practices of community life. When asked about his health – he always said “I am well.” In his holograph will he wrote: “I offer my person and my life to the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Mary for the conversion of all non-believers in the world and for an increase in priestly, religious and lay missionary vocations.”
Fathers Mondin and Bosello accompanied his body to its burial in the cemetery in Piobesi.

Editors of Da Casa Madre
Last Updated ( Monday, 23 October 2006 )