In Pace Christi

Fr. Mariano was born in Trent on 18 May 1923. He entered the Comboni novitiate at Venegono where he took first vows on 7 October 1941. He did the scholasticate in Verona and spent two years in Rebbio assisting elderly confreres ad returned to Verona where he made his perpetual profession on 7 October 1946. “From 1947 to 1950 – he recounts – I taught at the apostolic school in Brescia. From 1950 to 1955, I was in England: I spent one year in London and four in Newcastle upon Tyne where I took a degree in political economy.

I spent the years from the end of 1955 up to 1972 in Uganda, except for two periods of holidays in Italy. From 1955 to 1959, I was in Nyapea as chaplain and teacher at the college run by the Sacred Heart Brothers.

In 1960_, after my first holidays, I was sent to Mons. Cesana, then bishop of Gulu, to start the new ‘Comboni College’ in Lira, where I spent 8 years, up to 1968_, when I was transferred to Layibi College.

I have spent all my life among books and teaching but, despite this, I think I have done some good to a large number of students who are now emerging in Uganda as leaders of the country”.

“What is it that unites an old missionary to one who is young? – wrote Bro. Jorge Fayad who was in Uganda in the eighties – Passion for films. Fr. Mariano was a real expert and knew many actresses and actors; he shared with me some of his spiritual vision. We used to meet for a chat and I came to understand his personality. This helped me to feel at home at Mbuya. Thank you, Fr. Mariano for your presence in my life and my missionary work”.

In 2012, Fr. Mariano returned to Italy, staying first in Arco and then in Brescia. Since 2016, he lived at the Bro. Alfredo Fiorini Centre in Castel d’Azzano where he passed away on 28 November 2020, a victim of the coronavirus.