In Pace Christi

Fr. Angelo Confalonieri was born at Seregno, a small town in the province of Milan. The spirit of initiative, so common among those people, would strengthen the great faith which he received from his family and the Christian community. It would become his trump card as a man and as a missionary. At seventeen he entered the novitiate at Venegono and two years later consecrated himself to God and the missions by his religious profession.

He went to the Verona Mother House for three years of high school. After that he went to Venegono for theology. On 31 May 1958 he was ordained priest in the Cathedral of Milan by Cardinal Archbishop Giovanni Battista Montini, the future Pope Paul VI. At the age of twenty-six he left for Sudan, but it was the time when missionaries were being expelled from that country.

In 1963 he was again in Italy working in vocations promotion and formation, based at Barolo, in the house that was intended, with Carraia, to become the second high school for Comboni candidates in Italy.

In 1969 he left Italy for Canada (Brossard, Québec), where he worked in missionary animation until he was appointed to the then region of Togo (1978). He made many friends who were of great help to him in Ghana in financing social works. Today he would be called a ‘loose cannon’, but for him there was no doubt whatever: it was a question of helping the poor.

Informing his regional superior, Fr. Nazareno Gaetano Contran, of his imminent arrival, he wrote: “I have been told that I shall be going to Abor. I am happy to hear about it (I am not sure if the others will be so happy). I shall, however, do my best. In a way I was sorry to leave Canada, but deep down I was happy to do so. Better to have only happy memories of Canada.”

He repeatedly asked Fr. Contran for news about Abor mission or Ghana in general: “The situation regarding religion, politics, social situation, poverty and so forth. Before leaving I would like to publishing an article in the local paper of Seregno. If you prefer, just write the article, about two newspaper columns. I will be forever grateful. You know well I am no journalist.”

On 20 September 1978 he arrived in the Region of Togo. He worked in Ghana, since he already knew English as well as French. In Ghana, and especially at Abor, he dedicated the best years of his missionary life. He really fulfilled his missionary dream.

He threw himself into the work of evangelisation with dedication and zeal, busying himself with the catechumenate, the formation of catechists and visiting the communities in his continual endeavour to be near the people.

His was a somewhat traditional missionary method, but it bore spiritual fruit with the birth of new communities and material benefits in the form of churches, schools and other structures. He was unusually creative and with his feet firmly on the ground and clarity of vision, he worked ceaselessly and untiringly.

He wanted things done right and paid attention to detail, making sure that buildings were not only well built, but also beautiful to look at. That was how he worked up to the end. It was to his credit that the buildings for a new parish at Mafi Kumasi, a subsidiary community of Adidome, were begun. He was always ready to welcome others, to listen to them and make them feel at ease with him. This he did despite his neuralgias and consequent headaches, which for years made his life a Calvary. When he was in pain, he would never bother others, but he simply withdrew by himself until the pain eased. Then he carried on as if nothing happened.

He gave his all, especially to the poor and the needy, in particular to handicapped children. He started the St. Theresa Centre for the Handicapped at Abor, which assists children until such time as they are able to fend for themselves. The Servants of Charity (Guanellians) took over this work from him at his request. This shows the provisional attitude by which he lived, and his detachment from things he might well have regarded as his own.

Fr. Angelo proved himself able to conceive of other ecclesiastical resources, which could replace him in some of his commitments and do even better than he was doing. He knew how to translate human development into action and founded the craft school of St Agnes, helping needy students and apprentices, and cooperating with the social services (education and health).

It was he who first thought of a Comboni presence at Accra, the capital. He bought a small house at Kaneshie to ensure that those confreres who came from the Volta Region for shopping would be welcomed and had a place to rest. Little did he know that, after some time, the Comboni Missionaries in Ghana would establish precise at Kaneshie their Centre for missionary animation.

He felt he belonged to the province and even if he was not always present at general meetings, he studiously participated in zone meetings. He preferred to show he belonged to the province in more “sensible”, if hidden, ways. Whenever asked to contribute financially to provincial projects, he never refused. One example is sufficient to demonstrate this: the acquisition of the site at Cacaveli, where the provincial house and the Brothers’ postulancy were built. The complete list would be rather long.

Doing away with any speculative approach, he showed his membership with the local Church by cooperating very generously with the bishop and the diocesan clergy. When asked to contribute to the finances of the diocese, especially to the establishment of the new diocese of Keta-Akatsi, he placed himself at the service of the diocese and of its bishop, Mgr. Anthony Adanuty Kwami. It was Mgr. Anthony who visited Fr. Angelo at the Ambrosoli Centre in Milan, where he had been admitted, and stayed with him right through the last five days of his life. Fr. Angelo regarded the diocesan priests as his brothers and knew how to be there for them and to help them. The building of the cathedral church of the diocese of Akatsi is due to his effort in finding financial support, while the architectural expertise was provided by Bro. Virginio Negrin.

Fr. Angelo had the gift of creative intelligence, which led him to foresee and organise, step by step, the self-sufficiency of the projects and of the works he established with particular attention to the needs of the people, so that they might, by their own means, run things independently.

He had a missionary style which may no longer be fashionable today, but the testimonies of his African confreres are unanimous in the praise of a man who understood people. He easily became involved in Comboni vocation promotion and in all priestly and religious vocations, both male and female. Some of our African confreres received the faith from him through baptism and it was his example that inspired their calling to the missionary vocation. He welcomed the Comboni candidates and knew how to use their talents in the work of evangelisation. The novices who spent time with him will not easily forget him. He will certainly intercede for us from heaven, so that the Lord of the harvest may call Comboni missionaries from Ghana who will be both holy and capable.

Fr. Angelo could see the funny side of his own and others’ limits. He spoke his mind openly and did not hesitate to say what he thought.

Having built up a wide circle of close friends, in Italy and in Canada, he never lacked financial means. He dedicated his free time to his friends, writing personally and promptly to thank everyone who sent donations. Fr. Angelo succeeded in this way to involve a great number of people in his missionary work, presenting it to them with enthusiasm. This assured the growth of support for the work he was doing. He also inherited the friends of Fr. Cuniberto Zeziola, his predecessor at Abor, and these became benefactors of the Comboni Missionaries and friends of the local Church. He was never afraid to send requests for financial assistance, like our Founder, when it was a question of helping people in need.

We have inherited the example of a man who was faithful to the mission and who gave his all for the sake of the Gospel. His final days of suffering were a time of purification from those human faults and failings which make evangelisers into persons specially privileged by God’s merciful love.
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 232 suppl. In Memoriam, ottobre 2006, pp. 107-116