Why did I choose this theme?
This is because on October 9th of this year, a Salesian brother named Artemide Zatti was canonized in Rome by Pope Francis.
What is the relationship between Father Cimatti and Brother Zatti?
Three things can be said: both were Salesians, both were contemporaries and both were missionaries.
Friar Zatti ｜ Father Cimatti
contemporaneity： Born in 1880 ｜ Born in 1879
Death in 1951 ｜ Death in 1965
Missionary work Argentina ｜ Italy and Japan
Don Bosco of the Poor｜ Don Bosco in Japan
Click below to view the PowerPoint presentation "The Monks and Father Cimatti."
「修道士とチマッティ神父」
"Biography of Father Cimatti" written by Father Crebacore
According to Father Crebacore's biography of Father Cimatti, while Vincenzo was attending elementary school in Faenza,
he would spend his afternoons at the Salesian Oratorio in the town.
While the older children practiced singing, Vincenzo would sleep and play on the shoulders of his brother Luigi,
who was ten years older than him, under the supervision of the elderly Friar Paulino.
According to Father Cimatti's own words, in May 1882, when he was three years old and Luigi, then thirteen,
were with his mother when they saw Don Bosco, who was visiting Faenza.
His father passed away in March of that year, and the family began to struggle financially.
However, it seems that Luigi was lured by some bad friends and ended up wandering around town instead of helping his mother.
One night, Luigi had a dream in which his father scolded him with an angry face.
The dream had such an impact on Luigi that he stopped talking, even though he was usually a noisy person.
He was working as a helper in a shoemaker's shop, and the owner noticed him, asked him the reason, and recommended that he go to the Salesian Oratory in Faenza.
The shop owner's son was already attending the oratorio, so he took Luigi there.
In this way, both Luigi and Vincenzo came to know the Salesian Society and, over time, a Salesian vocation began to develop in them.
Luigi became a monk and served in the Italian chapter for five or six years before being sent as a missionary first to Mexico and then to Peru, where he died at the age of 60.
He was also blessed with musical talent and devoted himself to liturgy and music in the chapter where he lived.
It seems that they left fond memories wherever they went. They both lived in Italy until Vincenzo became a priest, and they kept in touch.
It seems that Luigi continued to write letters to Father Cimatti even after he went to South America,
but unfortunately there are no letters left at the Cimatti Museum.
However, two things are known: first, after Father Cimatti was sent to Japan, Brother Luigi asked his brother to ask that he be called to Japan as well.
Father Cimatti's reply was always the same: "Work where your superiors send you."
Second, the news of Luigi's death in Peru came three months late, causing great sadness to Father Cimatti.
This also shows that Father Cimatti had a deep connection and interest in the monks and prayed for them.
The first Salesian missionaries sent to Japan were six priests and three brothers.
At the end of 1925, the first group of Salesian missionaries was sent to Japan. It consisted of nine members: six priests and three brothers.
It is said that Father Cimatti was particularly considerate of these three brothers.
Their names are Giovanni De Mattia (37 years old), Luigi Guaschino (32 years old) and Alfonso Merlino (24 years old).
The missionaries spent 1926 studying the Japanese language.
After three months of study, the monks gave up the classes and began studying on their own.
However, they appeared to be able to converse in Japanese better than the priests.
De Mattia was mentally unstable and returned to Italy after only two years, where he died at the age of 40.
Luigi Guaschino worked in Japan for many years before returning to Italy and dying in 1972.
Alfonso Merlino was the youngest, working in Japan for about 10 years before returning to Italy, where he continued to pray for, promote,
and collect donations for the Salesian Province of Japan, before dying in 1986.
He corresponded with Father Cimatti throughout his lifetime (until 1965), and 110 of his letters of reply remain in the Cimatti Museum.
Brother Merlino worked at the Salesian branch in Mikawashima. Here we introduce Father Cimatti's reply to one of Merlino's letters.
Through it, we can see how much Father Cimatti valued the Salesian brothers. Father Cimatti was the type of person who always replied to people's letters.
“Carissimo Merlino, May 1, 1927
Your letter shows your beautiful heart.
Your daily efforts bring me comfort.
Mary, Jesus and Don Bosco are very happy with you.
I am truly grateful for your dedication to Father Piacenza (the past priest of Mikawashima Church) who is currently ill.
Continue with patience, for the Lord, who sees all things, will reward us.
Please pray for me too."
Cimatti Museum Father Marsilio
November 6, 2022
Go to the index page of Father Cimatti's life
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