In Pace Christi

The life of Fr. Salvatore may be summed up in two main chapters: that which concerns his priestly and missionary ministry among Moslem peoples, and that which tells of his role in the Institute of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus. In this Institute, where he chose to live and was formed, he was first a young member involved in teaching, then a community superior, assistant and secretary general and then, for six years, Superior General.

He was born at Berchidda in Sardinia on 23 August 1924, and was still very young when he revealed his intention of dedicating his life to the service of the Church. He entered the seminary at Ozieri where he completed four years of secondary school (Gymnasium).

During that time he had developed his vocational choice and was admitted to the junior seminary of the Comboni Missionaries at Brescia. He entered the novitiate in October 1941, and took his first religious vows on 7 October 1943, at Venegono (Varese) where he also completed his secondary education. It was during this period that, encouraged by one of the professors, he began to study the Arabic language.

In October 1945, he moved to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urbanian University. Besides obtaining a licentiate in theology, he continued to study Arabic with the help of Mgr. Pietro Sfair, a Lebanese. When he was sent to Lebanon for a formal course in Arabic, he realised that he already had a good knowledge of that language.

On 16 April 1949, he was ordained priest at the church of San Carlo ai Catinari, in Rome. He was about to commence his missionary life.

In September of that year he was sent to Zahle, Lebanon. He felt very much at home in that Comboni community founded to assist confreres in their studies and specific preparation to work in the Arabic world. He stayed there for six years and soon became superior of the community, in charge of parish ministry and assistance to the confreres coming to study Arabic.

In 1955, he was sent to England to complete his language studies. Knowing English and Arabic, he was now ready to go to Sudan. He was appointed to Palotaka in the circumscription of Bahr-el-Gebel. He later served at Torit and also worked in the seminary of Okaru. All of this was in view of a project to build a college at Juba, capital of the region, a “Comboni College” for the South of the country, corresponding to the well-known college of that name in Khartoum. Unfortunately, political disorder and the nationalisation of the schools rendered this impossible.

Aware of the situation and taking into account his knowledge of Arabic, his superiors sent him to Egypt where he worked for eleven years, first at Aswan and then in the school and parish of Hélouan. Those were years of intense missionary work where he combined his teaching commitments with those of ministry and the religious community.

In 1969 he took part in the General Chapter as elected representative of his delegation. He was appointed Secretary General and later Assistant General. He stayed in Rome for six years and took part in the following General Chapter of 1975, the eleventh in the history of the Institute. He then returned to Egypt as Delegation Superior and worked for four more years at Hélouan, again in the catholic school and the parish. He was also appointed National Secretary for Pontifical Missionary Works.

The XII General Chapter must be considered one of the most important Chapters in the history of the Institute. It began on 22 June, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart, with the reunion of the two branches – Italian and German - in which the Comboni Family had been divided. It then proceeded to prepare the new Rule of Life

Fr. Calvia was elected Superior General by the 79 Chapter delegates. He would remain in that post for the next six years (1979-1985). In that time he visited the missions, organised the centenary of the death of the Founder and did everything possible to see that the Rule of Life was put into practice. Besides Italian, Arabic and English, he also knew French and Spanish so he could communicate directly with all confreres and many civil and Church leaders.

Having finished his mandate as Superior General, he returned to Egypt where for a number of years he occupied various positions of responsibility. After three years at the Delegation residence, he was assigned to the parish of Hélouan (1988-1999) and then to that of Zamalek (Cairo). In 2001 he went to Milan CAA for reasons of health. He spent one more year at Zamalek before returning for good to Milan CAA, again for health reasons. There he passed away on 13 February 2009. (Fr. Pietro Ravasio)

Fr. Calvia’s funeral took place in Milan on 16 February with Fr. Teresino Serra, Superior General, presiding. Fr Teresino then accompanied the remains to Fr. Calvia’s home town. A great crowd of people attended the funeral there, including local civil officials and ten or more diocesan priests. The bishop of Ozieri, Mgr. Sergio Pintor, presided.

The moving words of the parish priest of Berchidda, Fr. Gianfranco Pala, are worth noting: “In the name of all of us, of all those who have known and loved you, esteemed and appreciated you, I again thank you for your life, so generous and self-giving. Thank you for your great example of simplicity, of prayer and undoubted love for your vocation. Now you live the mystery of ‘Life’ who guided and nourished your earthly pilgrimage; you now receive the crown of those who have not walked in vain the roads of life. Thank you.”

Fr. Teresino Serra remembers him thus: “Father Calvia was a missionary of few words and great talents who, for love of the mission could tackle any obstacle. He was a missionary who was poor in spirit. And God sows the seed of the missionary vocation in the hearts of the poor, because the poor have free hearts where the plans of God may take root.”
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 241 suppl. In Memoriam, luglio 2009, pp. 35-41.