In Pace Christi

Fr. Luigi Bano (16.01.1933 – 27.08.2008)
Fr. Luigi Bano was born at Borgoricco, Padova province, on 16 January, 1933. As a boy, he joined the Padova Apostolic School of the Comboni Missionaries (1945-1947) and then the secondary school at Brescia (1948-1950). He did his novitiate at Gozzano, Novara province (1950-1952), where he took his first vows on 9 September, 1952. He studied philosophy at Verona (1953-1955) and theology at Venegono (1955-1959). He was ordained priest in March, 1959.
While in the London Province learning English and doing specialised studies, he took a course in botany and zoology in London, at the same time teaching at our Sunningdale seminary (1959-1961).
He was then assigned to the Ethiopia-Eritrea (EE) province where he also taught (science, pedagogy and history of philosophy) and was appointed vice-rector of the Ethiopian seminary of Asmara (1961-1965). He later participated in the Renewal Course in Rome.
In 1966 he was assigned to the LP as teacher and spiritual director of our secondary school students at Dumfries, in Scotland (1966-1969).
Early in 1970, he returned to the EE province and the mission of Gondar where he dedicated all his energy to the small number of Catholics there as teacher, parish priest and director of the schools in the area. At the end of his first year in Gondar he wrote: “I find myself here, taking the place of the late Fr. Pio Ferrari, who died in August, in a position where, to tell the truth, one would need a quite different preparation. However, with the help of God I have succeeded up to now and I hope to be able to carry on. The worst problem here in this mission station is that the nearest Catholic churches are to be found, one 500Km and the next 700Km from here. Given the limited pastoral work, due to the scarcity of Catholics, we might have a greater impact on society if the confreres are be better occupied, that is engaged in some social work such as a kindergarten or technical school even in the outskirts of the city”.
When he was transferred to Dilla, in Sidamo province, he worked as director of schools, then as local superior and parish priest. In 1983 the Salesians took over that mission.
Fr. Luigi moved first to Dongora, as rector of the diocesan seminary and for parish ministry; he then moved to Tullo as director of schools, assistant parish priest and community bursar.
In 2002 he returned to Italy on vacation and was assigned to the Italian province. He spent the rest of his life in the community of Cordenons, helping with missionary animation and as local bursar.
There he passed away on 27 October, 2008. After the funeral at Cordenons, the remains were taken to the church of St Eufemia, in his native town. There he was buried alongside his relatives.
At that time Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, provincial of Ethiopia, was in Italy for a meeting and attended the funeral Mass at Cordenons and the final burial where he thanked Fr. Luigi’s relatives for their commitment to the missionary efforts of the Church. In a special way he thanked Fr. Luigi for his long years of dedicated missionary work especially in the Awasa Vicariate: “Fr. Luigi, we have admired your generosity, your patience and your desire to teach and to share your knowledge. You used your talents even as a water diviner for our wells. Thank you for the generosity with which you helped the poor. Thank you for learning our languages well, especially Amharic, to better communicate the Gospel to our people. Thank you for your serenity and your spirit of acceptance”.