In Pace Christi

Fr. Michele Rosato was born on 7 May 1913 in Sant'Angelo all'Esca, a small town in Irpinia, in the province and diocese of Avellino. In 1936, early in his priestly life, Fr. Michele was working in this town as a diocesan priest. Because he had a degree in Canon Law, he was also helping in the diocesan office, assisting his bishop, Mgr. Bentivoglio, who had assigned him to teach at the diocesan seminary.

Following up on some contacts he had had with the Comboni Missionaries of Troia, Fr. Michele eventually decided to join them. Fortunately, his bishop did not oppose his decision and in 1943 he entered the noviciate of Venegono. From 1946 to 1961 he worked in South Sudan, first in Kapoeta among the Toposa and then in Chukudum among the Didinga. He started his missionary work with great zeal, learning the language so well that he eventually published a Didinga grammar and dictionary. There were many conversions, a large group of catechists who were well prepared, and also the first seminarians who became priests.

In 1961 he was suddenly expelled by the Moslem government of Khartoum, but instead of retiring to Italy, he chose to go to Uganda among the Karimojong. Since he knew Toposa, very similar to the Karamojong language, he could start his work of evangelisation immediately. The ministry of Fr. Michele had a great influence on the pastoral development, also thanks to his extended safaris in the many villages of that region. He was a man of great zeal and pastoral commitment.

In 1994, because of his precarious health after 47 years of missionary life, he decided to return to Italy. There he continued the work of mission promotion, especially with the publication of his book: “My 40 Years in Africa.”

Fr. Michele died of heart failure on 24 October 2002 in Verona. After the funeral, the body, accompanied by the parish priest Fr. Ciriaco Vozella, was taken to his native Sant’Angelo all’Esca. The entire population was there to meet the hearse. It was Saturday evening and the vigil lasted until midnight.

On Sunday morning at 9.00 Mgr. Antonio Forte of Avellino, always in close contact with the diocesan missionary activities, together with another hometown missionary Fr. Raffaele Cefalo, presided over the solemn funeral , and described Fr. Michele as a charismatic example of missionary commitment.