GIOVANNI VALLARSA (priest)
BORN: Chiampo (Vicenza) - 14.11.1918
FINAL PROFESSION: Verona - 15.11.1939
ORDAINED: Rome - 11.7.1943
DIED: Verona - 18.7.1994
AGE: 76
He entered the Congregation at the age of 12. He had his postulancy and novitiate in Verona. He made his first profession in Rome where he was also ordained a priest. He obtained a degree in Canon Law and was taught our Candidates. He followed the difficulties and upheavals of the life of our Apostolic School after the Second Worlds War and he was also appointed bursar. In 1958 he was put in charge of the oratory of our parish in Pavia. As from 1959 he exercised his priestly ministry in various Stigmatine parishes: Pavia, Milan (S.Croce) and Battipaglia. The church and parish buildings of Aversana in the valley of the river Sete, are the fruit of his zealous work. He was very welcome by people because of his kindness, especially by the poor. He was able to help everybody with kind words of encouragement.
In 1978 his intense apostolic life marked by generosity, had a sudden turn. He was affected by Parkinson disease. He moved to the community of San Leonardo in Verona and had to be confined tp a wheel chair. He carried a very heavy cross.
The life and sickness of Fr. Giovanni have not been an absurd event. The Lord asked much of him, because he knew he could carry the heavy burden of suffering.
