In Pace Christi

Fr. Giacomo Molinari was born in Corna Darfo, in the diocese of Brescia, Italy, on 10^th October 1931, exactly fifty years after the death of St. Daniel Comboni. He was baptised the same day. He attended school in his own village. He entered the Comboni seminary of Brescia for secondary and high school. He then moved on to the Novitiate in Gozzano, where, on 9^th September 1950, the feast of St. Peter Claver, he made his first vows. Immediately afterwards, he went to Rebbio (Como) to begin his theological studies, which he continued from 1953 in Venegono (Varese), where on 9^th September 1956 he made his perpetual religious profession. The following year, on 15^th June, he was ordained a priest.

He was immediately appointed to the missions of North-East Brazil. On 1^st July 1957, he arrived at the parish of Loreto (BNE), where he was appointed deputy parish priest, then parish priest. This was only first of a long series of missions, parishes and communities in which he would work for 56 years: Alto Parnaíba, Sambaíba, Tasso Fragoso, São Domingos do Azeitão, Pastos Bons… He would remain in the North-East of Brazil until November 2013.

At the beginning of 2013, Father Giacomo felt a bit tired. In fact, he was ill. Having asked for some time to rest, he spent two months in the community of Teresina. In March, he moved to São Luis where he stayed until November. In the meantime, there has been the unification of the North-East Province with the South Province. New perspectives are presented to him, but his health had not improved. Reluctantly, at the age of 84, he decided to return to his homeland. On 1 January 2014, he was present in Verona, in the department dedicated to elderly and sick missionaries. In June 2016 he was in the new centre for the elderly and sick dedicated to Bro. Alfredo Fiorini, in Castel d’Azzano (Verona). Never one to stand idly by, he offered to help with any service that was still possible for him to perform. On 1 September 2021, he was appointed deputy superior of the community. He died there on 21^st January 2023, after a brief period in hospital due to cardiac arrest. He was 91 years old.

We had to prepare his obituary, consulting his personal records in the archives. E-mails were sent requesting news about him and we were immediately inundated with messages of sympathy and gratitude, praise and admiration. People wanted the fact but, in the end, the only real “fact” was himself because of his life spent totally for others, his joyful character and his availability to serve. Here are some of the messages received.

Testimonies

The first is a dated testimony from Father Luigi Zadra: «I met Father Giacomo when I arrived in Maranhão in 1978. He was busy in the parish of Loreto, very far from mine, but we always met on the occasion of diocesan meetings. He was a wonderful person, gracious, friendly and sober. He didn’t like to show off, but he was always attentive to everything that was discussed in the groups. He followed the pastoral plan that was planned together. His love for the mission was always very creative, both in expounding the Gospel and in living it. He had a special love for the poor. Wherever he has been, he has sown love.”

Gregório R. dos Santos, from Viseu (Portugal): «The best memories I have of him are his kindness and the delicacy in the way he treated and assisted people, the elderly and the bedridden sick, with frequent home visits, bringing them the Eucharist, comforting them and often giving them financial help».

Fr. José Manuel Guerra Brites confirms: «Father James was always smiling… He was liked by all. He was very generous with the people who asked him for help, to pay the bills for medicines, gas and energy… he was incapable of saying no».

Raimundo Nonato Rocha dos Santos, provincial superior of Brazil: «Father James was a simple person, discreet and loved by all... His contribution was great to the formation and growth of the Basic Ecclesial Communities (CEBs) and to the strengthening of the Church in Maranhão. I express my gratitude to God for the beautiful testimony that Fr. Giacomo gave us during his life spent in evangelisation».

Father Claudio Bombieri. «Father Giacomo was known and loved above all by the poor. He was the personification of the “open-handed missionary”. In his case, charitable giving was proverbial. His generosity was not manifested only in material terms but extended to the personal relationships he had with people. He always focused on the essentiality of life and exercised mercy in a way that only he knew. His availability had no time limits. At all times he was willing to collaborate or lend a hand. Dedicating yourself to others was his way of life. In debates, discussions or formal meetings he rarely intervened, and he never fell into the trap of idle arguments. However, he always showed an inner, emotional openness that led him to accept and support choices, priorities and options decided by the group, even when he didn’t entirely agree with them. He had a crystalline soul that only the pure in heart possess».

Celebration

Even during the funeral mass, celebrated on the morning of 24th January in the chapel of the community of Castel d’Azzano, Fr. Antonio Guglielmi, of the community of Palermo, who worked with Fr. Giacomo in Brazil, did nothing but underline the great humanity and kindness, availability in missionary service and the welcoming spirit of his former mission companion.

Father Renzo Piazza, superior of the community, in his homily, went so far as to say: «Father Giacomo’s life was full of light, which today we want to deliver to the hands of the Father. His passage among us was marked by his humble and industrious deeds, by his simple and evangelical works which appear to us today as a light that should not be placed under a bushel, but on the lampstand, so that it sheds light on those in the house. It is a duty for our community to express our gratitude to God, first of all, and to Fr. Giacomo for what he was among us, first in the community of the Mother House and then in that of Castel d’Azzano».

Father Renzo continues: «Sick among sick brothers, he knew how to read reality and accept the limits imposed by health and by years and, wisely, he made the choice of being of service here, an elderly man among other elderly people. He continued to be a priest to the end: he proclaimed the Word and animated the liturgy, with a regular, prepared, measured service, without frills, without trying to show off. He was always available for the service of the Word both at home and in the parishes or in the Neocatechumenal communities. He animated the Listening to the Word group every Thursday. He was sought after by confreres and priests for the ministry of reconciliation. He was always praying. And he prayed a lot».

In addition to proclaiming the Gospel in word and deed, he continued to distinguish himself as a man of service. «He was the vice-superior of the community, reliable and attentive to one and all. As long as he had an iota of strength, he was the companion of Fr. Fabio Gilli, who was blind, pushing his wheelchair, praying the office of readings and vespers with him, reading him information from Familia Comboniana, taking an interest in correspondence with the family, friends and benefactors of the confrere. This he did every day, every morning, every afternoon… for 5 years! Truly, he transformed the retirement home into the place of his commitment: at a time when so many rest their oars; he did his utmost in service».

The conclusion of Father Renzo’s homily was pleasantly to the point. «You will be missed, Father Giacomo. We have seen your good works and today we give glory to the Father who is in heaven. Certainly, your light will no longer shine in this house. But let’s not shed any tears. Your example has left its mark. As the song goes: You are blazing a path, another will follow you.

Dear James, they gave you the name of two apostles and we don’t quite know which of the two was your patron saint, James the Greater or the Less. We like to think that it is not the eldest, the “son of thunder”, that the mother wanted to be seated in the place of honour, on Jesus’ right ... Today we would like to entrust you to James the Less, because he is called “the brother of the Lord” and - as we read in today’s Gospel – brother of the Lord is whoever does the will of God. Just like you! And you, St. James the Less, brother of the Lord, do not be offended if you have to make some space next to you for a “twin”. Take him by the hand and present him to your illustrious Relative, so that he may be recognised by him as a faithful disciple, friend and brother because, like him, he loved and served. Ask him to stay close to Him and to us forever».

After the funeral Mass, Father Giacomo’s body was then transported to his village, where the final rites were celebrated, followed by the burial.