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UNIVERSITA’ PONTIFICIA SALESIANA
FACOLTA’ DI TEOLOGIA
Istituto di spiritualita’
Il Beato Artemides Zatti
Research in the Process for the Cause of Sanctity
as presented in the document “Positio Super Virtutibus”
Esercitazione per il Seminario de Spiritualita’ Salesiana (TA2241)
Presenta al prof. Enric DAL COVOLO
dalli studenti Sebastian VALIYAPARAMBIL (15195 T)
e John ROCHE (15119 T)
ROMA
2005

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Introduction
When we were asked to select a person to analyse his sanctity basing on the process recorded in the
process of beatification, our choice fell on the person of Blessed Artemides Zatti for various reasons. Mainly
because of our eagerness to know more about him as a confrere whose name is still fresh in our minds after his
beatification. Secondly he is a person with whom we can identify ourselves with. Born and brought up in an
ordinary family of the time, accepting the call of Jesus to be a servant of his, as a lay religious he attained the
fruit of the universal call to holiness. Thirdly, in the Salesian congregation as we are looking for more vocations
to Brotherhood, to present his life as a model for any one to follow in their quest to serve God in others.
It has been a privilege for us to go through this document on his beatification and understand his
virtues and life that led him to be declared a Beaty. In his life we are struck by the depth of his trust in the divine
providence and his faith in seeing Jesus in the face of the sick and the poor.
In this work we present a short sketch of his life and virtues and the process of beatification as
presented in the document “ Positio Super Virtutibus”.
1. A Brief Biography of a Holy Man and Exemplary Religious
1.1. Infancy and early childhood (1880-1897)
Artemides Zatti was born on 12th October 1880 to Zatti Luigi and Vecchi Albina at Boretto (Italy) and
was baptised on the same day. He was the third among the 8 children (cf.Inf.7).It was a very religious family
and often thier life was an example for other Christian families around especially at Bahia Blanca later. He
entered the elementary school at the age of 6 in1886 and completed it in 1889. Then the situation in the family
forced him to become a day labourer at the age of 9 until his 16th B’day (cf.Inf. 22-23).
1.2. The first years in Argentina, Bahia Blanca (1897-1902)
In 1897 (Artemides is 17 years old) the Zatti family migrates to Argentina, Bahia Blanca where an
uncle of his, Giovanni Zatti, was already settled and who promised them of a better prospect in life and work.
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There too Artemides goes to work in a brick factory to support the income of the family. In spite of the
economic difficulties the family was going through, it is reported that Zatti family was a united family where a
sense of God and faith in Him prevailed (cf. Inf.32).
1.3. Salesian Exposure
Inspite of the anticlerical situation prevalent in Bahia Blanca, the Zatti family stuck to the regular
participation in the church liturgy and the sacraments. The parish to which they belonged, was under the care of
the Salesians and young Zatti became a volunteer assistant to the Pastor, Fr. Carlos Cavalli SDB, a man of piety
and remarkable kindness. The young Zatti used to attend masses and receive the Holy Communion at least on
every Sunday. In order to grow spiritually, following the advice from his spiritual director, Fr. Cavalli, he used
to join the pastor in his visits to the sick, funeral services, serving the mass and even perform the duties of the
sacristan whenever it was possible (cfr. Inf.36 ). This life and interior attitude of holiness, from the time he
reached Bahia Blanca, was growing into maturity in him during the period between 1897 -1900.
1.4. His Vocation
The vocation to be a priest was a natural outcome of his spiritual life and the desire to be at the service
of others. His contact with the Salesian community and the experience of the life of Salesians attracted him to be
a member of the Salesian congregation (cf.Inf.36.) Having received a book on Don Bosco from his pastor he
read through it with such eagerness that when finished he had a question in his mind: “Why don’t I become a
Salesian”?
1.4.1. The Salesian Aspirant at Bernal (1900-02) and Viedma (1902-08)
After having shared with his father his dream of becoming a Salesian priest, at the age of 20, he entered
the Salesian Aspirantate at Bernal, in the province of Buenos Aires, on 19th April 1900. His mother
accompanied him to Bernal and entrusted him to the director Don Bartolomeo Molinari with these words. “Here
you have my son, Father, he is good enough and I believe he will be obedient. But if he is not, use the wooden
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paddele!” (cfr. Inf. P39). Though he found life and studies difficult, he courageously immersed himself in the
life of the community.1
In 1902 young Zatti was detected to have tuberculosis and his entrance in to the novitiate was
suspended and the Superiors decided to send him to the Andes to rest and recuperate. But with the intervention
of Fr. Cavalli the pastor, Zatti was sent to the Salesian house at Viedma, where Fr. Evasio Garrone, a skilful
Salesian infirmarian, had a missionary hospital and the climate was more suitable for the sick person. This
change and sickness would radically change the course of future life and vocation of Artemides Zatti.
Zatti reached the Salesian house at Viedma on 4th March 1902, and was under the care of Fr. Garrone
for his treatment. Here too being an aspirant, Zatti fully immersed himself in the ministry of caring for the sick
with Fr. Garrone (cf. Inf. 51)
1.4.2. The intervention of Mary.
When Fr. Garrone detected the seriousness of Zatti’s illness, he told him to pray to Mary Help of
Christians to restore him to health, and to promise that his cure would be taken as a sign that he should dedicate
himself for life to the sick inmates of the hospital.2 He did that and remarkably regained his health. He said
about this: “ I believed, ... I Promised ..... I was Cured ...” (cfr. Inf. 75). From then on his future life was crystal
clear to him, and he accepted it enthusiastically. Here he decided to become a Salesian Brother and devote his
entire life in the service of the sick and the poor around.
1.5. His Years of Religious formation. (1904 -1911)
During the years 1902-1904, Artemidis Zatti was an ‘Aspirant’ and recuperating from his illness with
the assistance of Fr. Garrone. On 23rd January 1905 he applied to be admitted to enter the novitiate.
1 Remember that Zatti was already 20 years old and he had dicontinued studies after his elementary schooling
11 years back. His companions were much junior to him in age
2 Fr. Garrone also realized that he too is becoming too old to continue his work of looking after the sick and
was on the look out for some one to take up the responsibility. Having seen the dedication and interest of young
Zatti, he felt that Zatti is the right person to continue that work for the poor and the sick.
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Finally, in 1906, respecting his physical situation he was allowed to stay on in Viedma and be guided
by the master in his religious formation, though novitiate was not in Viedma. Meanwhile he continued his work
in the hospital.
On 11 January 1908, he made his first profession as a Salesian Brother after having completed two
years of Novitiate.3
On 5th June 1908, he wrote his will and testament bequeathing everything till his death to the then
Provincial, Fr. Giuseppe Vespignani of Bahia Blanca.
On 18th Feb. 1911 he made his final profession.4
During theses years of formation Zatti grew greatly in his spiritual life. He had an unfailing trust in
God and in the maternal assistance of Our Lady. He is never found complaining about his sickness or suffering.
All the letters he wrote to his family bear testimony to this fact. He always concluded his letters by thanking
God and Our Lady for all the gifts they have given him and keeping him well (cf. Inf. 74).
1.6. His mission. 1908-1951
Br. Zatti’s entire life was spent here in the St. Joseph’s Hospital at Viedma for the sick and the poor.
From 1905 his work became regular in the Pharmacy. After the death of Fr. Garrone in 1911, the
responsibility of the administration of the hospital was entrusted to Zatti by his Provincial placing much trust
and confidence in him. Zatti totally dedicated his life to the responsibility that was entrusted to him with all his
heart. This is affirmed in the letter of Mons. C.M. perez to the provincial: “After the death of Fr. Garrone, we
have a person who is totally dedicated to the service of the people” (cf.Inf.89).
After Giacinto Massini left the congregation in 1913, Zatti became the sole person responsible for the
Running of the St. Joseph’s Hospital.
3It was allowed by the constitutions, those who are going to be lay Brothers, to have a longer period of
Preparation.
4 It is very edifying to note all along his formation in all the stages- admission to Novitiate, First profession,
Final profession etc. - he had all the councils positive votes.
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Soon he qualified himself to be the official administrator of the Pharmacy. He enjoyed the deepest
respect of the patients and also of the health authorities.
During 1930-40 Zatti is elected the Vice-President of an association called “Circulo de Obreros
Catolicos” of Viedma .5
1.6.1. Life of Artemidis Zatti at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Since the existing hospital was in a bad shape, with the intervention of the then Rector Major, Fr. P.
Recaldone, Zatti managed to rebuild and inaugurate the new hospital building on 5th October 1915.
His whole life was devoted to the hospital. Day after day he laboured there with a dedication nothing
short of heroism. He was there for every work and was available to every one who needed him. He personally
attended to the sick, explained things to them and their people, he assisted the doctors in the operation, he
personally paid the people employed; in short he was the life blood of the hospital. Every poor person who went
there felt wanted and cared.
Br. Zatti cared for not only those who came to the Hospital but also the sick in and around the
neighbourhood. His regularity and availability to the sick and old in their houses became proverbial in the town.
Morning and evening he would leave the hospital on a bicycle to be available to the sick who has called him. He
always rendered his service as a charity to the needy. If anything was received for his service it would be spent
for the hospital.
1.7. The sickness and death. (1950-51)
Br. Zatti had been healthy and strong after having recovered from Tuberculosis. He always did
everything with serenity and joy even the hardest of responsibilities. But on July 19th 1950, at the age of 60, he
had a fall while climbing on a ladder to repair a broken water tank in the hospital. But then on he felt constant
5 It is an association of the members of the parish and citizens of the place and during this period the
membership became the highest. His presence and activities became an inspiration for others in their life.
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pain on his left side and he himself admitted that it was a tumour in the pancreas. He knew too that it had no
remedy for it!
On 27th February, at his insistence he received the anointing of the sick and the Viaticum. On 15th
March 1951 Br. Zatti returned to his Creator after having completed his mission in His service (cf.Inf. 201).
2. The Process of Investigation of the Cause of Sanctity
2.1. The Process Begins in the Archdiocese Viedma in Argentina
Brother Zatti’s cause actually began with the swell of faith surrounding his death and the immediate
recognition of his holiness among the people for whom he served. The formal process, however, was
introduced in 1976 for investigation into the holiness of Artemides Zatti as a man to be emulated in virtue and
faith. In 1976 the introduction of the process was requested by the Argentine Episcopal Confederacy. Within
one year, on 31st May, 1977 the bishop of Viedma applied to the Congregation to the Process of the Saints for
the authorization to start the process, which was granted one year later on 1st June,1979. On 22nd March, 1980
the Recognition Process is opened in Viedma. And on 24th May, 1981 the actions are put forward to the Roman
Congregation.
2.2. The Process of Investigation Officially Opens in Rome
On 10th December the remains of Brother Zatti were taken to the church of Sacred Heart of Jesus in
the parish of Saint John Bosco in Viedma. In March, 1985, after the favourable declaration of the Recognition
Process the Cause is given to the General Teller, who finished his report in June, 1990. Seven year pass as the
investigation is carried forward. On 7th July, 1997 Artemides Zatti is declared Venerable. All the preceding
decrees were published in the presence of the Holy Father on this occasion. Pope John Paul II declared that “as a
Servant of God his Cause has officially begun.” When the Holy Father agrees that a person has lived a life of
Heroic Virtue they are called Venerable. With the acceptance of a miracle, and following the Rite of
Beatification, they are called Blessed. With a second miracle and the Rite of Canonization they are called Saint.
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On 14th April, 1998 the Ecclesiastical Tribunal is established in Buenos Aires to study a presumed
miracle. And on 27th November the Congregation of the Process of the Saints approved of the actions.
2.2.1. The Miracle of Fr. Bosio, Argentine Salesian and Provincial
In 1980, a young Salesian priest, Fr. Carlos Bosio, entered his first year of theology in the province of
Patagonia. In March of that year he traveled to Bahia Blanca with his classmates and fell ill. At the hospital it
was determined that Fr. Bosio’s appendix had burst and an appendectomy was performed, but within three days
peritonitis and deadly gangrene developed. The gangrene advanced to the lungs, Bosio’s infectious fever rose,
and his body went into septicemic shock. Dr. Zabalza, the attending physician believed there would be no
possible way to save the young man.
On April 17, after telling Fr. Bosio’s parents to prepare for his immanent death after the immune
systems in their son’s body had totally collapsed, they stood vigil at his bedside. In the morning, Fr. Bosio
awoke from a coma without a fever and asked for food. Within one month of this amazing recovery, Fr. Bosio
showed signs of a complete cure.
Fr. Bosio fell ill precisely at the moment that Artemides Zatti’s cause for Beatification had been
introduced. Two Salesians of the province urged all their communities to obtain the grace of a cure by the
intercession of Zatti. So astounded by this turn of events, Fr. Agnello collected medical documentation to be
presented in Rome. Five medical experts agreed that the cure was impossible medically and this report was
voted upon favorably by the panel of theologians in Rome on 9 March, 2000.
2.2.2. Acceptance of the Miracle and Beatification
On 9th March, 2000 this miracle is accepted by the experts. On 24 April, 2001 Pope John Paul II
signed the decree of conclusion of the beatification process. On 14 April, 2002 Artemides Zatti was declared
Blessed.
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3. Particular Examination of the Charism and Virtuous life
of Blessed Artemides Zatti
The texts offered in the Positio are a compilation of sworn testimonies from those who knew of or
worked with Artemides Zatti. Much of the witnesses are those whose testimonies informed the work of Fr.
Entraigas who composed the first comprehensive biography of this Salesian coadjutor. The fundamental aspects
of his spiritualty are offered with a simplicity and directness which imitates the style of Blessed Zatti’s life of
virtue.
3.1. A Spiritual Profile
At the occasion of the promulgation of Zatti’s virtuous life as he was confirmed to be
“Servant of God” by Pope John Paul II, a summary statement was drawn which epitomized
the life of this saintly man and it is quoted here from the Positio: “Unanimously and without
reservation on the part of all the witness giving deposition for the Cause of this Servant of
God, Artemides Zatti, is the acknowledgement that heroic practice of one virtue: his entire
life was inspired only by the love of God and totally consecrated to the poor and the sick in a
total self-donation and sacrifice of his own life with great joy.”6
Dr. Peter Echay exclaimed, “The only miracle I have seen in my life was in the
extraordinary character of Zatti and the length to which he would go to watch over others.”7
But this capacity did not come without great cost. From his earliest days, as he aspired to
priesthood, he suffered a transforming humiliation upon his return to school. When
Tuberculosis hit him, he came to the brink of death and it was on this threshold that the
Mother of God restored him and sent him on his holy mission to this life dedication. It
seemed, from that moment on, Artemides calmly and completely gave his entire life, despite
6 Positio, Summ. Adds, p. 215. n. 875
7 Positio… Adds, p. 215. n. 875
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the personal defeat to turn away from studies to the priesthood and despite the often
overwhelming realities of his new mission: the repugnance of sickness and the adversity of
unrelenting poverty at the hospital of St. Joseph. The recurring image of this dedicated man
is Blessed Zatti riding in the cold and the rain on his bicycle, singing songs, totally available
to anyone sick and in need. Fr. Garrone characterized this image by asserting that to the
people, the beloved hospital was open anytime of day or not, whithout fail. It was, as Fr.
Garrone continued, his love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that sustained as he placed
every person and situation there calmly into the hands of God.
3.2. The Heroic Faith and the Prayer Life of Blessed Zatti
Faith for Brother Zatti has been characterized as his internal engine, an engine which drove him to
tireless and joyful service of the sick and the poor in the most adverse and discouraging conditions. And it was
this engine, also, which propelled him to his own personal sanctity, so marked by his persistent joy. Bishop M.
Perez wrote of this faith: “My impression of this man was that he was always with the Lord! His deep prayer
was the breathing of his soul, his behavior demonstrated a total dependence upon God, the primary object of his
life, with his complete heart, mind, and soul.”8 Witnesses elaborated this by insisting that this constant prayer
could be seen and heard as he rode his bicycle, attended to patients, worked with the doctors, dealt with the
people, and in whatever he did. By this, he gave witness to his total union with God at all times. Zatti wrote in a
letter home that his family in 1914, “In case any of you wish to find me, especially Mother, you can try to find
me in the sweet heart of Jesus any day. From 5:30 AM to 7:OO PM, this is where you will find me.” 9 His time
in prayer, before the Eucharist, and in the evening, became that place where he entrusted all to God and his
Mother. And this union remained with him at every moment. It was his Eucharistic Lord that he found in the
8 Summ., p. 43, n. 160
9 Summ., p 96, n. 106 (writings of Artemides Zatti)
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patients, going so far as to ask for clothing or materials for “the old man Jesus” or “for my twelve year old
Jesus!”10
As devoted as he was to the Eucharist, he was also keenly aware of his own personal sinfulness and
confessed regularly. His confessions often confused the confessors because he underwent great anguish to
accuse himself deeply and frequently. But this never spilled over into his joyful mission. He put the will of God
first before all other endeavors and his prayer guided him to free himself from sin, accept any trial, and trust in
God. In a letter to his parents after his sickness, he told them that God needed even fools and that he would be
spared to accomplish the will of God. But the life of faith was not merely the jurisdiction of private prayer or
within the hours of prayer in the chapel, his life of prayer was demonstrated repeatedly in the way he handled
individuals at the hospital. As cited above, he considered every patient to be Jesus himself and treated that
person in that manner.
The great Fr. Peter Berruti of the Superior Council made a visit to Patagonia and filed this report: “This
hospital is truly a miracle of Providence…Brother Zatti is a man sent by God…The hospital is a prodigy of
God’s care. I cannot understand how it can actually carry on.”11
3.3. Heroic Hope
There are many virtues which must be attributed to Blessed Zatti, but perhaps the most characteristic
and important virtue demonstrated throughout his life and ministry is hope. With the poverty and sickness of
the people around him, Blessed Zatti’s hope became a beacon of light for countless people lost in the darkness
of their own lives. It is said that Blessed Zatti often attended to the dying spreading this living hope and joy. He
would often tell them that their greater life was still to come and give them consolation in their fear. Even in the
10 In the Biography of Br. Artemides Zatti, An Angel Becomes a Nurse, stories are recounted in which Br. Zatti
refers to his patients as Jesus. “On one occasion, a poor man arrives covered with rags. He is treated and
receives medicines, but he cannot depart wearing again his tattered clothes. Zatti asks a family: ‘Don’t you have
clothes to lend to the Lord?’ They bring out some worn out items. He adds, ‘Don’t you have better ones? To
the Lord we must give the best we have.” Another time a local native shows up dirty and bent over. Zatti
shouts to the nurse, ‘Sister, get a bed ready for the Lord.’”
11 Summ. P. 226
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face of his own death, he was totally at peace and believed in the power of God to keep the important work of
attending to the poor going after his death. He radiated hope in every enterprise, never discouraged, even in the
face of dire poverty. Where administrators and doctors would panic, Br. Zatti trusted. In fact, he would collect
from those who could pay, but he promised care to the penniless as well.
3.4. Heroic Love of God and Charity toward All
What has been mentioned here is already evidence of the virtues of a profound love of God and
undying charity toward all others, especially the sick and the poor. Added here are merely a few citations of
witnesses to further illustrate this “driving engine” within Blessed. Zatti. “To me, the clearest sign of his love
of God was found in his profound mercy. And he found this mercy in the joy of his Salesian vocation. This
mercy won the hearts of the doctors, patients, nurses and benefactors. They felt the affection of Br. Zatti in all
he did, in every struggle, and in every success.
3.5. Heroic Prudence
Every day Brother Zatti had to deal with people from every level of authority and walk of life. He
encountered destitute patients, learned doctors, construction workers, government officials, his own religious
community, and countless others. Because his work was always among the poorest, his life was dedicated to
many endeavors to find materials and better conditions for the patience, better treatments for their illness, and to
expand and build the poor little hospital of St. Joseph. His was not an insular existence but one that demanded
interaction with people in every avenue of business and administration. And witnesses confirm that he managed
his audience and his meetings with the consistency and delicacy appropriate to every situation. This required
heroic patience and prudence as the path was never easy or clear, but he was untiring in his search for what was
most helpful to the sick and the poor. In fact, some witnesses testified that his prudence was even supernatural,
it was so strong and consistent. Testimonials have been offered describing his dealings with officials,
government authorities, religious authorities, and more. And the evidence is one of complete prudence and
wisdom. A case is remembered when Brother Zatti had to go out and among the poor families where there was
much despair and anger. Whenever he went into these dangerous areas, he seemed to inspire confidence and
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drive away fear. There was much human misery wherever he went, but his goodness inspired much confidence
in him. His manner was prudent and wise, saying what needed to be said to fight off diseases of both body and
soul. But this was done in such a fashion as to be acceptable to nearly any audience. And with this wisdom
came also a respect for boundaries. He was never inappropriate when dealing with others, no matter the
circumstance. And among women, he was always respectful, dignified, and aware of his company.
Perhaps his most difficult “patient” was death. On a daily basis he was confronted by death. He was
solicitous to spare the other patients from discouragement even going to the length of personally carrying the
deceased away from the hospital, doing so with delicacy and dignity. But in dealing with those who were dying,
with their distraught families, and even with the healthcare workers, he had the gift of being frank and clear
while maintaining a warm sense of comfort.12
3.5. Heroic Justice
Briefly stated, Brother Zatti’s preoccupation was for the fair treatment of the sick and the poor and did
whatever he had to in his pursuit of justice for the disenfranchised. He had a characteristic frankness in dealing
with authorities and it was marvelle at by many that he never lost his patience or resolve in the face of even the
most insurmountable difficulties and injustices.
3.6. Heroic Fortitude
Artemides Zatti, at age 20 began studying to become a priest and this goal was
detoured by a nearly fatal illness. In this crisis, he embraced his vocation as a lay religious
with determination and carried his determination into a most difficult life of unending work.
He was never known to complain, though he also had a reputation for frankness both within
his Salesian community as at the hospital. He had a reputation for a strong and hot temper,
yet this he kept in check. When the money and materials were lacking for the hospital, which
seems to have been a chronic problem even to the point of the demise of one hospital
12 Summ., p. 300. n. 1185 and Summ., p. 289. n. 1149
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building, Brother Zatti never gave way to criticism or vindictive anger. He had occasion to
lose control when property was taken from him at one point, losing a farm at an agricultural
school because of the carelessness of another educator. But he remained frank and composed.
3.7. The Evangelical Virtues of Temperance, Poverty, Chastity, and Humility
So much has already been said about the virtues of Blessed Artemides Zatti that would lead one to
conclude that the “engine” driving his life would certainly include the virtues proposed by the evangelical
counsels. It is noteworthy simply to draw a synthesis here that his personal temperance and sense of unattached
living contributed to his all consuming passion for caring for the sick entrusted to him. He did this with the
prudence and balance already outlined. The Propositio quotes both Salesians and medical professionals on his
dignity and sense of boundaries in dealing with persons of all manner of background. There was never any
question about his propriety in dealing with women. There was never doubt about his motivations in dealing
with those in authority, those with financial resources, or those involved in politics. And the cloak he wore over
all of these virtues, the true mark of his sanctity was his deep humility. With this, we return to the beginning of
the assessment of his life: one dedicated totally to the service of others, pouring himself out for the poor and the
sick and consecrating his life to this task joyfully. No amount of self-gain was ever uncovered in this
investigation. Brother Zatti remained humble and self-effacing even in the acceptance of his own cancer. His
only concern was for his patience and the staff.
4. Blessed Zatti’s Reputation for Holiness and the Hunger for Personal Holiness
Dr. Echay once said, “If there was ever a saint, it was Brother Zatti!” The testimonies gathered for the
Positio all have in common one detail: the townspeople, the patients, and the medical staff all referred to
Brother Zatti as a saint before his death. They were impressed by his total dedication to the sick so much so that
his reputation spread far and wide. They spoke of his “constant joy even in the face of daily problems in the
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material and the moral domain.” 13 A priest of the diocese of Viedma, who was one of the thousands who
attended his funeral, mentioned that “on the occasion of the death of this Servant of God, the entire town poured
out in participation in all its levels and the people recognized Zatti’s hunger for holiness.”14 The Salesian
provincial reiterated this by claiming, “If the system of canonization subsisted in the voice of the people,
Brother Zatti would already be a saint.”15
Immediately after his death people began to call him “the Saint Nurse of Patagonia” and the “kinsmen
of the poor.” This desire to be a saint was evident in the way he lived but not for self gratification, but simply to
do all for the glory of God and to pour himself out to Jesus present among the sick and the poor.
Dr. Echay once said, “If there was ever a saint, it was Brother Zatti!” The testimonies gathered for the
Positio all have in common one detail: the townspeople, the patients, and the medical staff all referred to
Brother Zatti as a saint before his death. They were impressed by his total dedication to the sick so much so that
his reputation spread far and wide. They spoke of his “constant joy even in the face of daily problems in the
material and the moral domain.” 16 A priest of the diocese of Viedma, who was one of the thousands who
attended his funeral, mentioned that “on the occasion of the death of this Servant of God, the entire town poured
out in participation in all its levels and the people recognized Zatti’s hunger for holiness.”17 The Salesian
provincial reiterated this by claiming, “If the system of canonization subsisted in the voice of the people,
Brother Zatti would already be a saint.”18
The biography of Artemides Zatti by Fr. Entraigas written as soon as 1952 spread far and wide and
even before the official process began, this holy man was known and loved throughout Argentina and Italy, one
called upon for intercession by the Salesians worldwide. The devotion to Artemides grew so fast that his
13 Summ., p. 120. n. 482
14 Summ., p. 274. n. 1097
15 Summ., p. 294, n. 1168
16 Summ., p. 120. n. 482
17 Summ., p. 274. n. 1097
18 Summ., p. 294, n. 1168
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remains were transferred to the front of the Church of St. John Bosco where there was more room for the
faithful to gather.
Over the years, the hospital, a river, and many other locations have been named for this national hero in
Argentina. Today, the world awaits the second miraculous sign to venerate this holy man as a universal saint of
the Church.
5. Conclusion
As we researched the holy life of Artemides Zatti, we were blessed to find a paper written on the
example of this holy man held up for religious and for Salesians particularly. The article is entitled, “The
Salesian Brother’s Growth in Apostolic Life in the light of Blessed Artemides Zatti’s Life,” by Brother
Abraham M. Antony, SDB. Brother Abraham addressed this paper to the Fifth Congress of the Salesian
Brothers held in December 2003 and January 2004 in Hyderbad, India. His reflections, paraphrased here, serve
as a pointed and poignant conclusion to this study. In both the provinces of India and the United States,
pertaining to the experience of this paper’s authors, the vocation of the lay religious, for the Salesian Coadjutor,
remains unstable and disproportionately low in numbers compared to clerical candidates. As this could well be
expanded into a voluminous study, the ecclesial, social, and cultural causes for this will not be addressed here.
Suffice it to say that the vocation of the Lay Religious is suffering from ambiguity, at best, and from obscurity at
the sad end of the spectrum. Brother Anthony began his reflections of Blessed Zatti by conducting a
hermeneutics for the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Departing from this reflective analysis, he applied the
elements of this parable to the life of Blessed Zatti. As he did this, prominent elements unfolded beautifully.
Blessed Zatti’s vocation became interrupted, as was the Good Samaritan’s journey. Rather than turning away
from this detour, the obstacle for both figures became a call to service.
Brother Anthony continued with his reflection by drawing out of this comparison a more profound
comparison to Mary, the Mother of God in her openness to ponder all that she perceived and to seek to promote
the mission of her Son, Jesus. These elements are highlighted as the apex of Blessed Zatti’s response to God’s
call following a cure he received in his youth from a deadly illness—a cure he attributed to the hand of our Lady.
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This presentation for the Brother’s Congress turned outward from a focus upon Artemides and the
Gospel figures specifically toward the religious gathered. Blessed Zatti’s life was presented as a rallying cry
for the integrity of the Lay Religious vocation and the importance of living a life of prayer, availability, and
service, choosing to find God in the detours of our lives and bringing forth his presence into the lives of the
people to which that detour leads.
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Index
Introduction
2
1. A Brief Biography of a Holy Man and Exemplary Religious
2
1.1. Infancy and early childhood (1880-1897)
2
1.2. The first years in Argentina, Bahia Blanca (1897-1902)
3
1.3. Salesian exposure
3
1.4. His vocation
3
1.4.1. He Salesian Aspirantate at Bernal (1901-02) and Viedma (1902-08)
3
1.4.2. The intervention of Mary
4
1.5. His years of religious formation (1904-1911)
4
1.6. His mission 1908-1951
5
1.6.1. Life of Artemidis Zatti at St. Joseph Hospital
6
1.7. The sickness and death (1950-51)
6
2. The Process of the Investigation of the Cause of Sanctity
7
2.1. The process begins in the Archdiocese of Viedma, Argentina
7
2.2. The process of investigation officially opens in Rome
7
2.2.1. The miracle of Fr. Bosio, Argentine Salesan
8
2.2.2. Acceptance of the Miracle and Beatification
8
3. Particular Examination of the Charism and Virtuous Life of Blessed Artemides Zatti
9
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3.1. A spiritual Profile
9
3.2. The heroic faith and spiritual life of Blessed Zatti
10
3.3. Heroic hope
11
3.4. Heroic love of God and charity toward all
12
3.5. Heroic Prudence
12
3.5 Heroic Justice
13
3.6. Heroic Fortitude
13
3.7. The Evangelical Virtues of temperane, poverty, charity, and humility
14
4. Blessed Zatti’s reputation for holiness and the hunger for personal holiness
14
5. Conclusion
16
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