In Pace Christi

Bro. Bruno Guardini left us on 11 October 2003, after a two-year Calvary due to a tumour. He had begun to feel a lot of pain in his ribcage in June 2001; the following month he began to vomit, especially at night, and in September the tumour was diagnosed. On that occasion, to Bro. Bruno who wanted to know what was wrong with him, the doctor answered: “Here in Maranhão there is nothing we can do; try in Italy: there they may perhaps help you.” Bro. Bruno did not leave Brazil immediately. To avoid possible confusion in the handing over of his job, he wanted to personally hand over the financial administration of the province of Brazil Nordeste to his successor.
On 12 October 2001 he bid good-bye to Brazil and to his friends with a Mass and a community dinner. In Italy he was taken to Verona, but all attempts to cure him were in vain. Before dying, he wanted to return to Brazil to see his friends. There he celebrated the second anniversary of his previous departure from Brazil with a Mass that he planned according to his wish. He himself gave the homily, saying among other things: “I do not have everything I want, but I love what I have. God, may your will be done. God gives us trials, but also the strength to bear them.” This Mass was celebrated on 5 October 2003, the day of Comboni’s canonisation. The end of Bro. Bruno’s earthly life was fast approaching. He returned to Italy to prepare for his death, though he probably would have preferred to have died in Brazil, among his Brazilian friends.
Bro. Bruno was born on 4 September 1949 in Negrar (Verona). As a youngster he entered the diocesan seminary of Verona, but he was sent home for “insufficient ability for classical studies.” He then decided to become a Comboni Brother. He took his first vows on 9 September 1969. In 1972 he was sent to Brazil Nordeste to teach mechanics in a technical school. However, once in Brazil, he never had a the opportunity to do what he had been sent to do for a variety of reasons, not least that of a change of understanding on the role of the Brothers that took place in the province and in the diocese of Balsas.
Bro. Bruno faced a personal crisis, from which he recovered most brilliantly when he was assigned to the parish of Pastos Bons. Here he struck a deep friendship with the other two members of his community and started a very fruitful pastoral activity among the youth. He soon became the youth ministry’s coordinator in the entire diocese of Balsas and implemented many rewarding activities in the field of formation.
In 1980 he left Pastos Bons and his pastoral activities to become the provincial treasurer and resided in São Luís. He dedicated himself to this new job with enthusiasm and tenacity (which he demanded from himself as well as from others) meticulousness and transparency in financial matters. He continued his involvement in the financial field also in Italy where he was mission procurator from 1985 to 1992, when he returned again to Brazil. There he was again made the provincial treasurer of Brazil Nordeste.
Now that Bro. Bruno has left us for the Father’s house, we remember his ability to make lasting and deep friendships. It almost seemed impossible that that huge 130 Kg man, with a big voice that made people tremble, could have so many friends, could be so sensitive and capable of many little acts of kindness. All this did not keep him occasionally from getting upset and growling back, but afterwards, once things quieted down, he would admit his blame and apologise, not so much in words, but with visible signs of service and friendship. He was the so called “burbero benefico”. When he was asked something while he was working, his first impulse was to refuse, even in an abrupt way, but then he would do what had been asked from him. It would have been easier to say “yes” with some pleasant words and then do nothing about it or come up with some reasonable excuse, but it was not in his character to do so. He was the type that resembled the son mentioned in the Gospel, who said “no” to his father who wanted to send him to work in the fields, but then he repented and went.
Bro. Bruno always placed himself at the service of others with generosity and at personal cost, even though at times he did it in a rather rough manner. Despite the fact that he was the “Orso bruno” (brown Bear) he was able to make many friends. These friends will miss him and will remember him always. Thanks, Bruno, and may you rest in peace.