Monchelato P. Pio Spiridione

P. Pio Spiridione Monchelato

Altissimo (Vicenza), 29 luglio 1908
Parma, 3 agosto 1980

Missionario in Cina per 18 anni ed in Brasile per oltre 20 anni. Di anni 72. Sepolto a Parma

   P. Pio - così egli desiderava essere chiamato - era nato ad Altissimo (VI) il 29. VII.1908. Entrato nella Scuola Apostolica a Vicenza nel 1921, fece il Noviziato a Parma, presso la Casa Madre dei Saveriani, ed emise la Professione nel 1926 nelle mani del Fondatore.
Il 20.II.1932 fu ordinato Sacerdote a Parma nella Chiesa di S. Vitale dal Vescovo Missionario Mons. Calza, assieme ad altri 9 Confratelli.

  Nel luglio 1932, a 24 anni, partiva per la Cina, dove lavorò ininterrottamente per diciotto anni, fino all'espulsione nel 1950.

  Dopo un breve periodo trascorso in Italia, nel 1951 fu inviato a Glasgow in Scozia per una probabile destinazione agli U.S.A. Ma nel 1952 fu invece definitivamente destinato al Brasile, per il quale partì il 14.VII.1953.

   In Brasile lavorò in varie città: Antonina, Curitiba, Morretes, Warta, Centenario do Sul, Londrina.

  Nel 1963, dopo un periodo di riposo in Italia, fu mandato a Belèm (Amazzonia) come Vicario Generale di Abaetè, prestandosi nel ministero a Barcarena ed a Belèm. Nel 1966 fu nominato Amministratore Apostolico di Abaetè fino all'arrivo del nuovo Vescovo Prelato Mons. Frosi.

   Negli anni 1968-69 fu in Italia, come addetto al ministero nella Casa Saveriana di Napoli Posillipo.

   Nel 1970 egli è di nuovo in Brasile Sud dove lavora a Piraju fino al 1975, poi a S. Mariana ed infine ancora a Piraju. Nel 1979 si ritirò alla "Domus" di S. Paolo, dedicandosi al ministero e all'accoglienza dei Confratelli, rimanendovi fino al suo rientro in Italia per malattia.

   Ricoverato in Ospedale a Parma nel luglio 1980, i medici dopo aver tentato invano di curarlo fumo costretti ad amputargli una gamba. Il giorno seguente all'intervento chirurgico, il 3 agosto 1980, il P. Pio spirava, mentre veniva trasportato alla Casa Madre. I disturbi circolatori che da tempo accusava ad una gamba si erano seriamente aggravati, fino a portarlo alla tomba in modo repentino.

   Padre Monchelato era molto apprezzato dai Confratelli per la sua bontà e bonomia, che lo rendevano amico di tutti. La sua bontà e serenità furono molto apprezzate anche durante la degenza all'Ospedale di Parma.

English

Fr. Pio Spiridione Monchelato

Altissimo (Vicenza), 29 luglio 1908
Parma, 3 agosto 1980

Fr. Pio (Spiridione) Monchelato died on his way to the Mother House from the Hospital of Parma, on Aug. 3 1980, following an amputation of the leg and complication of blood circulation. He was 72 years old, born on July 29 1908 at Altissimo (Vicenza).

He entered in the Xaverian apostolic school at Vicenza in 1921, and after the year of Novitiate at Parma, he professed religious vows at the hands of our Founder, on Aug. 29 1926. Msgr. Calza ordained him a priest on Feb. 20 1932 at the Church of S. Vitale on Feb. 20 1932, together with other 9 confreres.

At the age of 24, in July 1932, he left for China, where he worked for 18 years until his expulsion in 1950. He wrote: “I was well impressed with all the works of the mission. They are truly oasis in the desert, where you can nourish your soul and breath some heavenly air. We hope that these oasis will expand, so that many more souls will find redemption…” (Letter to the Superior General, Aug. 25 1932)

And then, from Y-chwan-hsien: “There are places that have not seen us for over 10 years. Some I visited them myself, others the Christians approached me and invited me to go to see them, such as Tong-ts’uen, which is a good Christian community with many hopes for the future… Without catechists and extraordinary expenses, this year I was able to baptize about hundred people, gathering them in three different locations. And this for different reasons: it is good for them, to witness the faith of other Christians, and it was easier for us to get there.” (1937)

In June 1942 he followed the same sort of his other confreres, and was sent to the Concentration Camp of Sichwan until the end of the war, summer of 1945.  A confrere wrote: “He loved his bicycle, and used it frequently not only to visit the various Christian communities on the mountains of Kung-hsien and South Loyang (70-150 miles away), but also for the surprise visits to the confreres in Loyang and Cheng-chow, who welcome them with open arms. Together with him, there were Frs. Zotti, G. Stefani and Br. Germano who would join in the long bicycle trip.”

After a brief period in Italy and at Glasgow (Scotland), he left for Brazil on July 14 1953. He served there in different communities: Antonina, Curitiba, Morretes, Warta, Centenario do Sul, and Londrina. After a brief period in Italy in 1963, he joined the Northern Brazil region at Belčm, and worked as Vicar General of Abaetč, sharing in parish ministry in Barcarena and Belčm. He was also Apostolic Administrator from 1966 till the arrival of the new bishop, Msgr. Frosi.

He spent two years at Napoli – Posillipo in 1958-59, in pastoral ministry.

Fr. Pio went back to Brazil South in 1970, where he served in Piraju until 1975, then S. Mariana, and again in Piraju. Fr. Pozzato, parish priest at Pirajů, wrote about Fr. Pio: “I can attest that his dedication for the sick and the aged was admirable indeed. He would conquer hearts with his calmness, his sweetness and his smile. Many of the parishioners would approach him for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He was ever faithful to the daily visits to the hospital or the nursing home, making sure that all who were close to death would receive the sacraments.” (1975)

In 1979 he is at the Domus of S. Paolo, sharing in the ministry of the house and welcoming confreres with his gentleness, serenity and goodness. He finally returned to Italy in July 1980 where he undergoes a very delicate amputation of the leg, but without success; he died as he was brought home to the Mother House from the Hospital of Parma.