Memorable moments in Father Luigi’s life were conveyed to the parishioners. Some of the facts that were mentioned are:
1.Fr. Luigi was born on October 1st, 1935 in Cellarengo, Italy, next to Torino. So we gathered that he turned 74 this year!
2.On October 2, 1959, fifty years ago, Fr. Luigi made his vows to be a Consolata Missionary, along with his friend Fr. Peter Schiavinato, whom he replaced in our Parish.
3.He was ordained a Consolata priest on March 18, 1961 in Torino.
4.Fr. Luigi spent some thirty years in Africa from 1965 to 2002, with the exception of two years in England and the rest in Italy. During that time, he built two seminaries: a Diocesan Seminary and a Consolata Missionary Seminary. To this day, they produce many labourers for the vineyard.
5.Like Pope John Paul II, Fr. Luigi took a bullet to the shoulder. He was shot by robbers who came to steal at the mission. He spent six months in the hospital to recover.
6.Despite all these difficulties, Fr. Luigi loved Africa, he loved the people and he loved his work among the poor. He also hobnobbed with the rich and famous. The much loved and first President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, as well as his children, knew Fr. Luigi and attended Mass at his church. Cardinal Rugambwa, the first Cardinal in all of Africa, was a great supporter of Fr. Luigi and his seminary.
7.On July 31, 2002 he was transferred to Toronto as the Superior of the Consolata Missionary Centre, which post he held for six years until 2008, before coming to St. Andrew’s Church as Associate Pastor.
The reception was attended by almost 250 parishioners as they celebrated his golden anniversary of religious life.
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