In Pace Christi

Fr. Luigi Penzo was born on 28 September, 1925, at Adria, in the province of Rovigo. He joined the Comboni Institute, entering the apostolic school at Brescia. He did the novitiate at Venegono Superiore, took his first vows in 1943 and was ordained priest on 16 April, 1949, in Rome. His monumental theological thesis, “The Eucharist: the mystery of the altar in the thinking and life of the Church …” was written and discussed in Latin with professor Piolanti and was awarded top marks “cum laude”.

After gaining his degree in theology, he spent two years in England teaching the novices in Sunningdale. He spent a further two years teaching and working in mission promotion at Venegono and then left for Sudan where he stayed from 1955 to 1964, as professor, formator and spiritual director at the diocesan seminary of Tore River.

He was assigned to the Curia in Rome in 1964 and worked there for eleven years, first as General Secretary in charge of ongoing formation and then, from 1969 to 1975, as Assistant General. After the 1969 Chapter, he initiated and organised the Renewal Course. He wrote numerous articles which were published in the MCCJ Bulletin and in Combonianum (formerly the magazine of the Scholastics of Venegono) on formation and the Sacred Heart.

He again left for Africa in 1976 and taught at the Apostles of Jesus’ seminary in Kenya. He wrote at that time to the General Superior, Fr. Tarcisio Agostoni: “together with Fr. Cefalo, we have begun to visit all our communities to present the 1975 Chapter Documents and to explain the Directory which is due to be discussed and approved at our next Regional Assembly.”

The Addis Ababa agreement between the government of Khartoum and the rebels of South Sudan (1972) facilitated the gradual but slow return of missionaries. Consequently, in 1979, Fr. Luigi was again sent to Sudan to teach at the seminary of Bussere (Wau). Inconsistent military achievements and divisions within the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA) resulted in the displacement of entire populations from one zone to another as they sought to flee from the calamities of the war. Many missions had to be closed and abandoned. With great insight and clarity, Fr. Luigi wrote to the then Superior General, Fr. Salvatore Calvia: “Having spent the past three months in the South, I am now convinced that the Sudanese Church has an extremely urgent need of foreign missionaries, even if some local bishops and priests are not aware of this need or its urgency. Really, almost everything here needs to be rebuilt: from seminaries to the religious life, from parishes to Christianity itself.”

For ten years, Fr. Luigi worked at the catechetical centre of Wau in the parish of Mary Auxiliatrix, forming full time co-operators for their own parishes. He wrote regularly to the superiors in Rome, informing them of the work of the missionaries, the dangers they faced, the projects, priorities and, in the difficult times brought about by the war, of tribalism, tired and hungry refugees, the wounded and the dead and the fear of military attacks on the city of Wau. In 1986, he wrote: “In this disastrous situation, the people feel a great need for God and come to us for help and comfort. As never before, I thank God in these times for making me a missionary in Sudan and for the consolation of being able to do some little good.”

In 1995, Fr. Luigi was assigned to the province of Khartoum where he worked until 2007, mostly as a professor. In 2007, he returned to Italy for medical treatment. In 2008, he was assigned to the province of Italy staying alternately at the houses of Milano and Gozzano. Fr. Luigi died in Milan on 29 January, 2011.

A testimony by Fr. Salvatore Pacifico:

I think that in the case of Fr. Luigi we must hear not only the confreres but also the people, from the Cardinal of Khartoum and other bishops to the poor who used to ask him for some little help. He was above all else a priest and a missionary who was close to the people.

I would like to underline especially three aspects which, in my view, characterised his priestly and missionary ministry: his dimension as formator, his pastoral and apostolic zeal and his care for the poor. All his life he combined these three dimensions no matter what his service at whatever time or place.

“Above all the formative dimension”. He began his priestly life as a formator, first, among the Comboni scholastics at Rebbio, and then, as professor, vice-rector and spiritual director of the seminarians at the major seminary at Tore, in Sudan. The effects of this first priestly experience lasted all his life: in the seminary, in organising the Renewal Course at Institute level and in the Pastoral centre (PALICA) of Wau. In fact, all his relationships with others seemed to be dominated by his concern to communicate Christian values.

He was Assistant General during the period which saw the reunion of the two Comboni Institutes. While in that office he made a substantial contribution to the drafting of the Rule of Life, giving prominence to the charismatic rather than the juridical dimension. All his life he took every opportunity to bring out certain aspects of the Comboni way of life which seemed to him to be particularly important, starting with the central place of the Sacred Heart to which he was very devoted. The Bulletin of the Institute bears constant witness to this. He was always available to preach spiritual exercises and retreats. He was much sought after for spiritual direction. Various African religious Institutes sought his help in writing or updating their Rule of Life.

Then there is the “pastoral dimension or apostolic zeal”. Whatever work he was doing – seminary professor, Assistant General, in charge of ongoing formation in the Institute – he always combined his “official” work with that of direct pastoral service: at Bussere and in the area of the Baggari, in Rome (where he ministered in some parishes and attended neo-catechumenal meetings), in Khartoum (the Christian community of Izba). Even in the last period of his life, at Gozzano, he made himself available for pastoral work in the local parishes. He could not live without an apostolate.

Lastly, there is “The care of the poor”. The economic help he gave them was limited: one or two Sudanese pounds. It was a gesture of love, not a solution to a problem. He was above all a listener, speaking words of consolation and helping by his prayers. He confided in me that he learned his care for the poor at home in his family.

It was towards the end of the nineties that the first symptoms of prostate cancer began to appear. He was happy that he did not need an operation and carried on teaching at the seminary as if nothing were wrong. In 2008, the cancer began to create serious problems and his provincial persuaded him to return to Italy. I do not think he agreed wholeheartedly with this but he accepted it with a spirit of faith. His one great desire had been to die in Sudan and be buried alongside his colleague and close friend with whom he taught in the seminary, Fr. Vittorino Dellagiacoma. As recently as a few months ago, he said to a visiting confrere from Khartoum “take me with you to Sudan”.
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 249 suppl. In Memoriam, ottobre 2011, pp. 6-17