The busy Cimatti seminarians
Seminary Cimatti spent a long period of seminary time, almost ten years, at Valsalice in Turin.
A seminarian is someone who attends a seminary to study and become a priest. Cimatti had been a seminarian before,
but this time he added an incredible amount to his already existing list.
As well as his studies at Valsalice he also had to attend the universities of Parma and Turin to obtain his teacher's qualification,
which made for a very busy time.
Valsalice was a Salesian formation house, a normal school and a high school, where philosophy and theology were taught for the priesthood.
As a seminarian, Cimatti carried out his research and, due to a shortage of teachers in schools, taught Italian, mathematics, physics and
Latin at the normal school, chemistry at high school,and music wherever he could.
One former student wrote the following about Cimatti's seminary before he went to university:
"The young Professor Cimatti's lessons were always perfectly prepared. He always started and finished on time. He was never irritable,
but taught with a cheerful and clear attitude. His lessons made us forget the boredom of other classes."
At the same time, teachers, university students, and seminarians
In 1899 the Valsalice Academy was officially recognised as a school by the state. From that year onwards,
anyone wishing to teach at one of the academy's schools had to be qualified.
Seminary Cimatti was already 20 years old and taught all kinds of subjects, but he did not have any qualifications.
So during the summer vacation of 1899, he studied privately for three months at the Parma Conservatory, and on July 7, 1900,
he passed the exam to become qualified to teach choral music.
From that day on, he was referred to as "Maestro" (Teacher), as if he was the only teacher.
At the same time, in the same year, 1899, he entered the University of Turin to obtain a qualification in natural sciences.
He attended early mass every morning, and then went to university using a pushcart that went to the Turin market every day.
For four years, he taught at the Valsalice Academy in the afternoon, and devoted himself to chemical research and experiments at the university in the morning.
He took the university exam on July 15, 1903, and became a doctor in natural sciences.
After completing this, I had hoped to settle down and study to become a priest, but my pedagogy teacher at the normal school was no longer able to teach.
His superiors once again asked him to attend the University of Turin to obtain a degree in pedagogy.
Of course, he readily accepted, but at the same time, he also continued to prepare for the priesthood as a university student and seminarian.
Priestly Ordination
At the age of 26, he was ordained as a priest on March 18, 1905, by Bishop Giovanni Cagliero.
The ordination ceremony was also attended by Fr. Michael Rua, who was the Superior General of the Salesian Society, and he gave him words of encouragement: "Be the light of the world and the salt of the earth."
This day was an unforgettable one for Father Cimatti, and he received many words of congratulations from his new priest.
I will quote only two of them here, from his students.
"I have never seen a teacher like Father Cimatti in the Salesian Society."
"Father Cimatti is a copy of General Rector Michael Rua, who is a copy of Don Bosco."
Cimatti Museum Father Marsilio
May 6, 2021
To the index page of Father Cimatti's life
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