In Pace Christi

Modesto was born in Mombaroccio, in the province of Pesaro Urbino, on 18^th October 1927. While still very young (1939), he entered the Apostolic School of Riccione, run by the Comboni missionaries. The following year, he moved to the new seminary in Pesaro (in Villa Baratoff), where he experienced difficult times due to the ongoing war. There, with his companions and teachers, he had to take refuge in safe places during the frequent bombings.

On 12^th September 1945, he entered the novitiate of Venegono Superiore. After two years, on 9^th September 1947, he made his first religious profession. For the three years of philosophical studies, he went to the Philosophical Scholasticate of Rebbio (Como), and then moved to the Theological Scholasticate of Venegono Superiore for theology. On 9^th September 1953, he took his final vows and, on 12^th June 1954, he was ordained a priest in the cathedral of Milan by Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster.

A few weeks after his ordination, he was assigned to Mexico and destined for the House of Sahuayo, to assume the office of Professor and Prefect of the Apostolic School.

In Mexico, Father Modesto remained for 42 years, interrupted by 2 years in Spain, spent in the community of Corella (July 1977 – June 1979) as local superior. Wherever he went, he left his mark and a fond memory.

In Mexico, Father Modesto was mostly involved in seminaries, first as a professor or prefect of studies, later also as a formator in formation houses such as the pre-postulancy, postulancy and novitiate. From 1958 to 1960, he also had the satisfaction of being assistant parish priest of the parish of Santa Rosalia.

From July 1986 to 1995 he was provincial treasurer at the provincial headquarters of Ciudad de México. Those who met him testify that they have never found a more free, welcoming, and generous bursar than him.

In 1998, when he was already 71 years old, he was asked to serve in the province of Italy. He then returned to the house in Pesaro – 53 years after leaving it as a seminarian! – And he remained there for another 25 years, until July 2022.

The superior of the house was Father Renzo Piazza, who says: “I was with Father Modesto from 2011 to 2015. Pesaro was the house for Ongoing Formation in the province, and many confreres recognised it as a welcoming community. It was he, Father Modesto who was the heart of the hospitality. He opened and closed the gate, prepared the chapel for mass, went to celebrate in the nearby parishes, went to buy bread, answered the telephone, and acted as a concierge. And it was always he who prepared and cleared the tables in the refectory. If the phone rang during lunch or dinner, he was the one who would hurry to answer it and then return to the table, often finding the food cold. It was he who distributed the various services requested. Once a week he used to go ‘on a mission’ to the hospital, to celebrate the Eucharist in the mental hygiene department... When groups of confreres arrived for a gathering or assembly, he registered attendance and assigned the rooms... And while he was doing all this, not once did he ever complain or show any anger; and he never raised his voice. He did this for over 20 years!

On 22^nd June 2014, Corpus Domini Sunday, he celebrated the 60^th anniversary of his priestly ordination. He had wanted an intimate celebration, with close relatives. His homily was beautiful.

“I have a special memory – Father Renzo further testifies – of that anniversary party and of the Eucharist that he solemnised that day. In his homily, Father Modesto never used the pronoun ‘I’, nor did he use a verb that had a direct reference to himself. Yet, he would have had every right: we were celebrating 60 years of his priesthood. No! He spoke only about Jesus, never about himself. This is a real missionary!”

“When I left the community of Pesaro to come to the ‘Brother Alfredo Fiorini’ Centre in Castel d’Azzano in 2014, he greeted me with the following words: ‘Dear Renzo, courage for your new ‘mission’. Go and work in the ‘peripheries’ of life!”

In July 2022, Father Modesto also arrives at the ‘outskirts of life’ of Castel d’Azzano. Father Renzo remembers: “But he did not place himself on the margins of the new reality, but rather in the middle. He brought with him the ‘holy vice’ of serving. Just one example will suffice: for two years he was literally ‘the bodyguard’ of his confrere Father Piero Lampetti, ready to ‘serve’ him in all his needs. With the many confreres of the Centre, he celebrated his 95^th and 96^th birthday.”

In the last weeks of his life, he suffered serious health problems. On the night of 9^th January 2024, he suffered a serious collapse. On the morning of 10^th January, around 8.30, Father Modesto suddenly left us, lovingly assisted by members of the Castel d’Azzano community and the service staff.

On 12^th January, the funeral was celebrated in the chapel of the Centre, in the presence of family and friends and some confreres from nearby communities, including Father Fabio Baldan, provincial superior. The superior of the Centre presided over the celebration.