P. Angiolo Poli
Firenze, 3 settembre 1903
Massa-Cozzile (Pistoia), 5 agosto 1969
Missionario in Cina Insegnante e letterato di Dio in Italia, di anni 66. Sepolto a Parma
Nacque a Firenze il 3.IX.1903 da modesti genitori che vivevano nella Frazione di Bagno a Ripoli. Completate le Medie presso le Scuole Pie di Firenze, entrava nello Istituto Missionario di Panna il 3.IX.1919, emettendo la Professione religioso-missionaria il 25.VIII.1922 e ricevendo l'ordinazione Sacerdotale nella Cattedrale di Parma per le mani del Fondatore il 7.IV.1928.
Attirato molto dallo studio ("Sento fame di libri" scriveva), insegnò per tre anni lettere ai giovani studenti missionari di Vicenza.
Il 27.IX.1931, assieme ai PP. Sinibaldi, P. Pozzobon, Vaccari e M. Frassinetti, nella Chiesa di S. Pietro Ap. in Parma, riceveva il Crocifisso nell'ultima funzione di partenza presieduta da Mons. Conforti, partendo per la Cina di lì a pochi giorni.
In Cina rimase ininterrottamente per ben 22 anni, svolgendo attività pastorale a Loyang, a Tien-tsin, dove si prodigò enormemente per alleviare i disagi della popolazione nella terribile inondazione dell'estate del 1939 che causò migliaia di vittime.
Bloccato dagli avvenimenti bellici, dal maggio 1942 al maggio 1945, dovette trascorrere tre anni di concentramento a Sichaw dove alleviò i sacrifici dell'obbligata convivenza, creando composizioni poetiche che leggeva ai Confratelli. Terminata la guerra lavorò a Ling-pao e quindi di nuovo a Loyang.
Gli ultimi anni di permanenza in Cina furono marcati da profonda sofferenza: domicilio coatto, prigionia ed infine condanna ed espulsione.
Nell'autunno 1953 ritornava in Italia e dopo un breve periodo di riposo in famiglia, fu assegnato alla Casa dello Studentato Filosofico di Desio ove si impegnò nel ministero e nella propaganda missionaria portandosi in varie parrocchie della Brianza con un motociclo che guidava in modo originale ed azzardato: certe sue avventure meccaniche e stradali sono rimaste celebri...
Da Desio passò ad Alzano, a Piacenza e poi a Montecatini dove visse gli ultimi anni nell'operosità del ministero e della preghiera. La morte lo colse per improvviso collasso la mattina del 5 agosto 1969.
Fr. Angiolo Poli
Firenze, 3 settembre 1903
Massa-Cozzile (Pistoia), 5 agosto 1969
Fr. Angiolo Poli died of a heart attack in the morning of Aug. 5 1969 at Massa Cozzile di Montecatini. He was 65 years old, born at Florence on Nov. 3 1903, coming from a family who lived in Bagno a Ripoli.
After grade school, he joined the Xaverians in Parma on Sept. 3 1919, welcomed by the Founder. At the end of the Novitiate, he professed religious-mission vows on Aug. 25 1922. Fr. Angiolo was ordained at the Cathedral of Parma, by the hands of our Founder, on Apr. 7 1928.
Fr. Poli loved books, and was sent to teach to the Xaverian students of Vicenza for three years. On Sept. 27 1931, he received the Crucifix by the hands of Bishop Conforti, his last mission departure ceremony before his death, at St. Peter Apostle church. Together with him, headed for China, were Frs. Sinibaldi, P. Pozzobon, Vaccari and M. Frassinetti. In the summer of 1931, upon receiving his assignment to China, he replied: “The news has touched me much, though I waited for it for a long time. I prayed with more fervor Jesus, the Queen of the Apostles, St. Francis Xavier, so that they assist me now.”
Fr. Angiolo worked for 22 consecutive years in China, in pastoral activities at Loyang, and at Tien-tsin during the terrible flooding of the Summer of 1939 which caused many victims. In May 1932 he is at Ju-chow. He moved to Tientsin in the summer 1938 during the Chinese-Japanese war. Then, he went to Pecking in June 1940. He was able to start the journey back to Honan with Fr. M. Frassinetti only in July 1941, after a long stop at the Yellow River, and thus reached Loyang.
Because of the war from May 1942 to May 1945, he spent three years of concentration camp at Sichaw; yet during this difficult period, he composed many poems to the delight of the confreres who were spending time with him. After the captivity, Fr. Poli served at Ling-pao as a nurse, and then at Sian. Finally he worked at Loyang, from the beginning of 1949 until the fall of 1953, his expulsion from China. His last years of residence in China were affected by many personal sufferings: house arrest, imprisonment, and finally expulsion from the country.
In the fall of 1953, he returned to Italy, where he took some rest in the family, and then was assigned to Desio, the Philosophy house at that time. He served in the pastoral ministry, and the missionary propaganda in many parishes of the Milan area, with his famous motorcycle, faithful companion of many scary and dangerous adventures.
From Desio, he moved to Alzano, to Piacenza and finally to Montecatini, always working in parish ministry. It was at Montecatini (in both locations of our houses) where Fr. Poli excelled in his qualities, for his dedication to the confreres, his abundant ministry, and his prayer life. For years he served faithfully at two convents of sisters and in other ministerial capacities.
Death came suddenly one early morning of August, following a heart attack. May he rest in Peace.
