P. Francesco Sinibaldi
Civitella S. Paolo (Roma), 16 febbraio 1899
Massa e Cozzile (Pistoia), 26 marzo 1980
Missionario in Cina, in Giappone ed Economo Generale. Di anni 81. Sepolto a Parma
Nato a Civitella S. Paolo (Roma), era entrato giovanissimo nel Seminario di Amelia (TR) fino a quando venne chiamato alle armi allo scoppio della grande guerra, nel corso della quale partecipa a numerose azioni belliche.
Al termine del conflitto, a 22 anni, entra nell'Istituto Missionario Saveriano emettendo la Professione religioso-missionaria l'anno dopo, il 31-X-1922.
Ordinato Sacerdote dal Fondatore il 24.II.1927, dopo 4 anni di attivita pastorale in Italia, partiva per la Cina il 30.IX.1931 ricevendo il Crocifisso nella Chiesa di S. Pietro a Parma nell'ultima Funzione di partenza fatta da Mons. Conforti.
In Cina amò intensamente quel grande ed operoso popolo, per il quale profuse le sue migliori energie.
Nel 1938 veniva nominato pro-vicario apostolico nella Diocesi di Loyang e più tardi Superiore Regionale delle Missioni Saveriane in Cina.
Costretto dall'avvento di Mao-tse-tung ad abbandonare la Cina, nel 1949 passa alla nuova Missione Saveriana del Giappone, dove svolse intensa attività pastorale per sei anni.
Nel Capitolo Generale del 1956 veniva eletto Economo Generale della Congregazione Saveriana: in seguito fu nominato Rettore della Casa Madre.
Dopo 10 anni di tale attività, durante i quali ebbe a seguire i notevoli lavori di ampliamento dell'edificio dell'Istituto a Parma, si era ritirato a Massa e Cozzile (PT), alla fine del 1966.
Stroncato da improvviso attacco cardiaco, decedeva all'Ospedale di Pistoia il 26 marzo 1980.
Fr. Francesco Sinibaldi
Civitella S. Paolo (Roma), 16 febbraio 1899
Massa e Cozzile (Pistoia), 26 marzo 1980
Fr. Francesco Sinibaldi died at the Hospital of Pistoia on March 26 1980, of massive heart attack. He was 81 years old, born on Feb. 16 1899 at Civitella S. Paolo (Prov. of Rome, Dioc. of Nepi).
He studied in the minor Seminary of Amelia (Terni) until the beginning of World War I, when he was called for military service and joined in many battlefields.
At age 22, he entered the Xaverian congregation at Parma, in 1921, and professed religious missionary vows on Oct. 31 1922. Bishop Conforti ordained him priest on Feb. 24 1927, and after 4 years of mission animation and pastoral work in Italy, he departed for China on Sept. 30 1931, receiving the Crucifix from the Founder at St. Peterís Church in Parma, at his last Departure Ceremony before his death.
While in China, he worked intensively in that large territory, giving all of his energies especially in the Diocese of Loyang. He was elected apostolic pro-vicar and later on became the Regional Superior of the Xaverian Missions in China. He wrote to the Superior General: "The new burden of being religious superior worries me quite a bit, for I am one of the youngest in this mission, and I donít know if the older confreres will accept me. I promise you that I will do my best so as to reach all confreres. Yet, I repeat, I need your prayers, that the Lord will guide me with wisdom, so that the task I am about to take I will accomplish it with worthiness." (Letter, Oct. 22 1937)
And during the Japanese war: "The gossips against us are diminishing in this period. From last winter we started to provide a daily meal to over 5,000 refugees through the financial help from a US commission. Local authorities do not see us well, but we have alleviated them from a huge burden, which they could not fulfill except through our help. As you can see, even in the midst of many trials, the Lord has been very good to us and blesses abundantly our work." (May 25 1940)
With the advent of the communist regime, he abandoned China and moved in the new Xaverian mission field of Japan, where he served for 6 years. He had arrived in the port of Kobe just before Christmas 1949, together with Frs. Marco Ronzani and Gaetano Cocci, the first group of Xaverians in Japan. Fr. Sinibaldi became the first Regional Superior, and helped guide the new foundation, from its very beginnings in the district of Kishiwada, Osaka, and in the area of Miyazaki.
In the month of July 1951 Fr. Sinibaldi took part at the General Chapter, and was confirmed Religious Superior of Japan. In March 1952, he was also elected Regional Superior of the missions of Asia, which included China, and the new foundations of Indonesia and Bangladesh. But practically speaking, he was not able to take care of this responsibility, except for the mission activities in Japan.
At the General Chapter of 1956, he was elected General Administrator of the Congregation. He later also served as the Rector of the Mother House. At the end of this 10-year activity, during which he oversaw the enlargement of the Mother House in Parma, he retired at Massa e Cozzile (Pistoia) from 1966 until his death of a sudden heart attack on March 26 1980 at the Hospital of Pistoia.
