In Pace Christi

Fr. Ettore Pedrini (16.10.1921 – 21.03.2015)

Fr. Ettore Pedrini was born in Trento on 16 October, 1921. He entered the novitiate of Venegono, made his first vows in 1940 and two years later his perpetual vows. He attended the scholasticate in Verona, Rebbio and again in Verona, where he was ordained priest on 7 July, 1946. After the ordination, he spent two years in Trent as vocation promoter.

He was then assigned to Uganda and sent to London for the study of English. In Uganda he worked for nearly sixty years in different parishes: in the mission of Lira-Ngeta (1950) as parish priest, then as chaplain and teacher at the Senior School in Nyapea (1951-1953), where several of his pupils became government members.

From 1954 to 1956 he went back to England where he attended the Goldsmiths College in London, where he obtained his BA University degree and the MEC (Ministry of Education Certificate) that was necessary to teach or direct an institute of higher learning in Uganda.

Back in Uganda, for a year he was a teacher at the TTC Lira and in charge of the parish. From 1958 to 1981 he was director of the T.T.C. of Lodonga (St. John Bosco TTC), in West Nile: “As a teacher and president of the Institute of Science of Lodonga – wrote Fr. Ettore – I had the privilege of helping in the formation of a fine group of Christian teachers (more than 400) who still love God and practice their faith and who are like the good seed scattered in cities and remote villages, wherever there is a school. Our teachers have helped us more than anybody else in proclaiming the word of God, and I think we should try to help them, because they consider us as their friends”.

Then, for 22 years, he worked in Arua-Ediofe in various commitments: as superior, treasurer and engaged in ministry.

He returned to Italy for health reasons, staying mainly at Arco. Then, in February 2007, he was again assigned to Uganda. Fr. Ettore was already 87 years of ages but very thrilled to return to the parish of Ombaci, West Nile, engaged in ministry.

In 2009 he was definitely assigned to the Italian province, first in Arco and then, in care, in Milan, where he died on 21 March, 2015.

Fr. Antonio Solcia, who lived with him for more than 30 years in Lodonga and Ombaci, remembers him as “a great man and a holy missionary, a person of strong character, not afraid to defend his opinion if he thought it was right. He was a man of great intelligence, he loved to read and carefully chose books. Equipped with a great memory, he self-taught various languages: English, German, French and Swahili.

He had a great love for the people that were with him, he treasured their freedom of thought and admired each person’s talents. One of his hobbies, a bit out of necessity, was the mechanics. He had a well-equipped garage and kept himself up-to-date by reading even books on mechanics. In the field of education he has been a true pioneer, a giant. All the teachers who studied with him remember him with great affection and esteem.”

In the funeral homily, Fr. Lino Spezia, besides emphasizing his work in teaching, to which Fr. Ettore devoted much of his life and of his missionary energies, also added: “Fr. Ettore had great confidence in the young people he met and encouraged them to conjugate their Christian formation with the culture and commitments they were assuming in society and in the parish.”
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 266 suppl. In Memoriam, gennaio 2016, pp. 20-24.