P. Giacomo Spagnolo
Rotzo (Vicenza), 31 gennaio 1912
Parma, 22 marzo 1978
Educatore di Missionari e Fondatore delle Missionarie di Maria (Saveriane). Di anni 66. Sepolto a Parma
Nato a Rotzo (VI) il 31.I.1912 da una semplice e povera famiglia, a 11 anni entrò nell'Istituto Saveriano di Vicenza per gli studi ginnasiali. Compiuto il Noviziato a Parma, emetteva il 30.VIII.1928 nelle mani di Mons. Conforti i Voti religioso-missionari.
Per la sua particolare fede e per la forte convinzione nello spirito missionario, benché di salute un po' cagionevole, venne ordinato Sacerdote l'11.XI.1934.
Trascorsi a Roma alcuni anni di studio, ove si laureò in Missiologia presso l'Università Urbaniana, fu come insegnante prima nella Casa Saveriana di Poggio S. Marcello (AN) e quindi a Parma. Qui, a soli 31 anni, venne nominato nell'agosto 1943 Rettore della Comunità della Teologia. Le difficoltà della guerra fecero risaltare le sue doti di formatore e di persona atta alla direzione delle anime.
Ricoprì in seguito diversi ruoli all'interno dell'Istituto Saveriano:
- Consultore Generale e Prefetto degli Studi per più di 20 anni;
- Di nuovo Rettore della Teologia;
- Delegato per le Scuole Apostoliche d'Italia, dal dicembre 1963 alla primavera del 1968, ruolo che svolse con pazienza e lungimiranza avviando tra le varie Case uno stile di collaborazione basato su periodici incontri tra gli incaricati dei settori formativi.
Un secondo amore egli perseguì nella sua vita, dopo l'amore per l'Istituto Saveriano: l'Istituto delle Missionarie di Maria (o Saveriane). Dalla Quaresima del 1942 egli andava pensando alla realizzazione di un sogno che lo stesso Mons. Conforti aveva in progetto: dare vita al ramo femminile della Famiglia Saveriana. Ciò fu possibile grazie alla decisiva collaborazione della Signorina Celestina Bottego: nel settembre 1945 nasceva la nuova Società Missionaria che egli sempre seguì, anche come rappresentante ufficiale dell'Istituto Saveniano.
La sua attività rimane pure legata al movimento laicale missionario chiamato dal 1977 C.A.A.M. (Centro Animazione Azione Missionaria).
Dopo il 1968 poté dedicare tutto il suo tempo alle Missionarie, alle quali oltre alla sua parola saggia e paterna donò l'esempio luminoso degli ultimi mesi di vita quando, sapendo di essere affetto da male incurabile, seppe vivere come "chi sta per arrivare in porto ed in attesa festosa del Bene che sta per arrivare...", come egli ripeteva.
Si addormentò nel Signore Mercoledì Santo mattina il 22 marzo 1978.
Fr. Giacomo Spagnolo
Rotzo (Vicenza), 31 gennaio 1912
Parma, 22 marzo 1978
Fr. Giacomo Spagnolo died at the Mother House of the Xaverian Sisters in Parma on March 22 1978, of lung cancer. He was 66 years old, born on Jan. 31 1912 at Rotzo di Asiago (Vicenza).
He was the oldest of nine children, and entered the Xaverians at Vicenza when he was 11 years old. Since childhood, he had cultivated a special devotion to our Lady and had entrusted decisive moments of his life to the Blessed Virgin. When he was quite young, his health was frail. At the end of Novitiate, he professed religious missionary vows in the hands of the Founder Bishop Conforti on Aug. 30 1928.
His personal faith and his strong conviction in the missionary life were the guiding reasons for admitting him to the priesthood ordination. In a letter to the Superior General, he wrote: “The greatest grace for which I pray daily is to be ordained a priest as soon as possible. I know that I am not worthy. It is not I who wish to become a priest. My vocation does not come from me, it is Jesus who calls me. I await your phone call informing me to take part in the retreat before ordination. If this does not happen, it will be the first grace which Our Lady denies me. At the beginning of the year I promised Our Lady to take the name of Mary as my middle name if I am ordained this year.” (Letter to Fr. Amatore Dagnino, on Aug. 20 1934). Though weak in health, surprisingly he was ordained priest on Nov. 11 1934. Mindful of his promise, he thereafter signed his name Giacomo Maria Spagnolo.
Fr. Spagnolo continued his studies at the Urbaniana University in Rome, where he received a doctorate in Missiology. He first taught at the Xaverian House at Poggio S. Marcello (Ancona) and then in Parma. He had a sharp intellect and intense spiritual life. He used his many talents generously and with finesse. People who approached him discovered in his smiling eyes an extraordinary tenderness and uncommon degree of goodness and humility. At the young age of 31, Fr. Spagnolo was named Rector of the Theology community on Aug. 1943. During the difficult period of World War II, he excelled in his faith formation and his spiritual guidance.
After this service, he took up other ministries in the Xaverian world. He was elected General Consulter and Prefect of Studies for over 20 years. Again, he served the Theology community as Rector. He was then Delegate for Apostolic Schools in Italy, from Dec. 1963 to the spring of 1968. He worked in this field with patience and endurance, inviting the confreres to collaborate more frequently through regular meetings of formation personnel. He also worked in the lay missionary movement of Parma, called CAAM from 1977 (Center of Animation and Missionary Action).
The second love of Fr. Spagnolo’s life and dedication was certainly the founding of the Xaverian Sisters, Missionary Sisters of Mary. In fact, from Lent 1942 he was able to begin the realization of a dream expressed by Bishop Conforti in a letter to Propaganda Fide (July 2 1927). Fr. Spagnolo had never before thought of founding a community of religious women. Fr. Spagnolo prayed for guidance, and mentioned his dilemma to Fr. Turci. On July 2 1943, the feast of the Sacred Heart, Fr. Spagnolo wrote in his diary: “A few days ago I was thinking about ‘the foundation.’ Suddenly I thought of Celestine Bottego. She seemed to be the right person to give birth to this foundation… Fr. Turci was surprised that we hadn’t thought of her before.” Celestina Bottego showed her willingness to collaborate in this project, and her unworthiness, too. At Easter, she received a greeting card from Fr. Spagnolo. It was a simple holy card representation of the Velasquez crucifixion with a single word inscribed on it: “Tutto = All.” That Easter message touched her deeply. In Sept. 1945 the new Missionary Society was born, and Fr. Spagnolo followed this foundation as “the Father” and as the official representative to the Xaverians.
Thus, from the summer of 1968, Fr. Spagnolo spent all of his time and energy in the guidance and formation of the Xaverian sisters, through his wisdom and paternal words, and especially through the enlightened example of the last few months of his life when he was diagnosed with a tumor on his lungs. He would say that he was living as “someone who has almost arrived to the port, in expectation of the great feast of the Good that will come soon…”
He passed away in the morning of Wednesday of Holy Week, March 22 1978, at the Mother House of the Xaverian Sisters, in viale Omero. During the liturgy of Holy Thursday at San Lazzaro, Bishop Gianni Gazza commemorated important moments of Fr. Spagnolo's life. His funeral, presided by Superior General Fr. Gabriele Ferrari, took place at our Mother House (viale S. Martino) on Good Friday, attended by Xaverian sisters, priests, brothers, and friends.
