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Fr. Cesare Posocco (1931 - 2006) PDF Print E-mail
Written by Fr Pietro Trabucco, IMC   
Friday, 18 May 2007
Fr. Cesare Posocco, IMC
1931 - 2006

Cesare Posocco, son of Ernesto and Rosa De Nardi, is born on May 17th 1931 at Carpesica, a small village perched on a pleasant hill near Vittorio Veneto. Having concluded his primary schooling, Cesare is immediately introduced to the world of work. When he was 20 years old, his Parish Priest presented him to the Superior of the Seminary for Adult Vocations in Rosignano Monferrato as a young man who “has always been good mannered and well admired and loved in the parish, exactly for his serious behavior”.

The first report on young Cesare is written by Fr. Tolmino Redighieri, Rector of the Seminary, in 1954 when he officially received his clerical dress. In it some of his most characteristic elements are already made evident: great interest to the life of the Institute, deeply felt piety, sufficient educational achievement when he keenly endeavor in his studies. Fr. Redighieri’s assistant, Fr. Giuseppe Brambilla, adds his own opinion to the of the Rector: “He will be successful. He just needs to be encouraged in his studies”.

The report for his admission into the Novitiate describes him as well balanced and thoughtful, generous and active. The Rector recommends him for the Novitiate wth the following expressions: «As for his studies he will be barely sufficient, though he is a “grown up person” in the complete sense of the word and he will be very useful in the missionary apostolate. He shows to have an exceptionally practical intelligence and lots of common sense».

P. Mina Giuseppe, Novice Master, approves Cesare to his Religious Profession because he has lived this formative period of his life with generosity and docility, he has proven to be committed to his spiritual life, and has been a person of “an easy and jovial life together”, he has demonstrated to be responsible and interested in his work and in all other tasks, having a spirit of sacrifice and self denial.

The study of philosophy and theology turns up to be for him a hard bone to chew. Though he goes through periodical discouragements, nevertheless he is able every time to start over again and with renewed commitment bring his studies to completion. He dreams of the mission, away from the books, when he will be finally able to give himself totally to the others. Even his educators are convinced of this and they approve him for Ordination. They state that the candidate is gifted with good will, has a good heart and “out in the field he will turn out to be a good missionary”.

He is ordained to the priesthood on March 30th 1963 in Turin by Card. Maurilio Fossati. By November of the same year he is already in Bogotá, ready to start his mission.

Unfortunately his arrival in Colombia marks also the end of further information on his life and activities kept in his file in the general archives. Nevertheless the archivist has found forty pages written by the late Fr. Ersilio D’Errico, the result of three separate interviews, and which Fr. Giuseppe Fusaroli, with great patience, was able to put in writing. We entrust ourselves to them in order to know how was the mission of Fr. Cesare, his apostolic style, the challenges and problems he had to face. I let therefore the words themselves of Fr. Posocco, after retouching and summarizimg them, tell us his missionary adventure in Colombia.

«I left for Colombia on 23rd October 1963, with the ship Amerigo Vespucci. There were three of us: Fr. Augusto Tedesco, Fr. Calvi Vittorio and myself. We disembarked at Cartagena where we did finalized our required documentation and from there we continued our trip to Bogotà. We were welcomed at Vergel for the study of the language. Bogotà appeared to us as a true earthly paradise, with its gardens, fruit trees, springtime climate. Nevertheless we remained at Bogotà just a short time since we were sent to Tocaima tp continue our study and practice of the language.

My first true assignament was Armero. Fr. Battello and Fr. Pivato, though different in their apostolic styles, welcomed me in a brotherly manner and made me feel at home. Armero was, in those days, a much politicized town. Among the inhabitants it was still alive the memory of the thirty men killed in an ambush right at the entrance of Armero and that of the Parish Priest, Fr. Ramírez, who was knifed to death because he did not agree with the ideas of the dominant party. It was after those regrettable events that the Consolata Missionaries were called to bring serenity and peace to the town. Years later when the Consolata Missionaries had already left the parish, Armero was destroyed by the Ruíz glacier: an incredibly huge tragedy!

After two years in Armero, I went to Guaduas. It was a hard experience for me due to the difficult relationship I had with the Parish Priest. In 1966 I am finally assigned to Albania, in Caquetá, a parish founded by Fr. Fusaroli and grown up from nothing. From Albania I was attending also to the mission of San José del Fragua, a more active town where the people had initiative and was enterprising. Roads were very bad, especially during rainy season. Life was not easy in Caquetá, nevertheless there was a lot of enthusiasm and difficulties were easily overcome. There were situations when I could not agree with the local authorities, as it happened when I addressed the Inspector with the loudspeakers placed on the bell tower and opposed him for opening a house of prostitutes in town. It was then the Bishop, knowing well my bad character, who would come and even out my contentions with the local authority.

When Fr. Carlo Massano arrived, then I was able to devote myself completely to the care of San José del Fragua, where I always felt happy. I carried on the work started by Fr. Fusaroli, comleting the construction of the Church and the parish house. I was even able to build the College thanks to the help received from friends and benefactors, though the greatest help came from the local people. They cooperated actively, especially by offering their work free of charges. At San José I was very committed to the education of the indigenous people who were completed neglected by the government. I also had some relationship problems, especially with the military.

From San José I tried to start the mission of Yurayaco, which is located deep into the forest, a distance of eight hours by horse. In 1972 we built the chapel and a small parish house. Today Yurayaco has become a true town. The Bethlemite Sisters have arrived and the road has been built.

In 1979 I left San José and was sent to Solita to substitute Fr. Livio Dalzocchio. They were three difficult years on account of the guerilla whose chiefs were suspicious of me since I knew many of the guerilla people coming from the Fragua area. I also happened to have to flee during the night because the army chief was looking for me. I went to Florencia and Bishop Serna brought me to the colonel to whom I related all the bad things done by his soldiers. I remember that I finished my presentation saying: “You must understand, Sir Colonel, that a priest has a duty to stay with every body, guerillas and army soldiers alike,. I do not belong to anybody, not to the army nor the guerillas. I am at the service of God and of people I am not against anybody”. The colonel then gave me a letter to carry always with me so that the soldiers would not importune me at the various check points on roads and rivers. At Solita it was hell, because I was caught in between two fires. There were times when I had to go and buy medicines for the guerillas. I had difficulties in providing the food for the College where 120-130 boys lived. Nevertheless at Solita there was no need of constructions. My main work was the pastoral care of the town and the rural communities. At the beginning the people seemed to be disinterested, but afterwards we became friends and there always was good collaboration. The situation was heavy because of the guerilla, but we could work all the same. After three years, due to a gastric ulcer, I had to go back to Bogotá and take a holiday period in Italy.

I returned to Colombia after a few months and was put in charge of Paujil and Unión Peneya, being aided by Fr. Pessotto. I took care especially of Unión Peneya, where, through the active collaboration of the people, we were able to build the new church and repair the parish house.

In 1990 I had to remain in Italy to assist my sick mother. Once I returned to Colombia, I remained in Bogotá at the Consolata Parish. After that I worked as parish priest of N. S. of Fatima in Manizales for two years. Then I returned again Bogotá where I remained till my definitive return to Italy.

Meaningful has been the experience of working in a poor area of the Capital, on invitation of Card. Rubiano, at Santa Bernardita. I used to have much work, because the people were looking for me especially for the care of the sick. I used to spend one day a week at the regional house in Modelia, together with the confreres. I was able to start a great number of “Eucharistic ministers”, the “group of the sick”, catechists. I was the parish vicar of an area with about 40.000 inhabitants. I had much work, I was in good health and felt happy, even though at times I felt somewhat tense due to to some construction works. I got sick and during my illness very many people came to visit me in the hospital. Since I was not getting any better, in the end I was forced to return to Italy where I was hospitalized in Turin ».

Thus ends the presentation of Fr. Cesare. The illness and inactivity mark the last days of his life, which he is having at the house of Alpignano. When he is no longer able to speak, due to his surgical operations, his days become days of prayers and of offering of his sufferings for the Institute and the people he has loved so much and to whom he has given all of himself, in his personal style.

The Lord has called him unto himself on 16th July 2006. His body rests in the cemetery of Vittorio Veneto.

Fr. Piero Trabucco, IMC
Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 May 2007 )