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Bl. ALBERTO MARVELLI
Volunteerism in Action
Beatified on 5 September 2004
Oratorian at Rimini
Alberto Marvelli was born at Ferrari on 21st March 1918, the second
of seven brothers. When he moved to Rimini with the family he
began to attend the Salesian Oratory there. He was always available
and became a catechist and leader: the Salesians’ right arm. He
loved to play all kinds of sport. As models he took St Dominic Savio
and Pier Giorgio Frassati. At
17 years of age he wrote his
project of life in his diary; it
would renew his life.
Catholic Action
He joined the Oratory
group for Catholic Action
soon becoming its parish
president. He offered his
service to the Church in
Rimini as the diocesan
vice president of CA. As
an engineeering student in
Bologna, he took an active
part in FUCI, remaining
faithful to daily Mass.
Work with FIAT, Turin
In June 1942 he gradutated and began working with Fiat in Turin.
He did his military service in Trieste, and succeeded in bringing
many of his friends to Mass. During the Second World War he
became an apostle amongst displaced persons and a real source
of providence for the poor.
Town clerk at Rimini
After the Allies arrived in Rimini he was apppointed as an alderman
in the Town Council in the department responsible for rebuilding,
and the engineer in charge of Civil Engineering: “ The poor are on
our doorstep” he said; “the others can wait”.
Candidate for Christian Democrats
He agreed to run for the elections as a candidate for the Christian
Democrats. He was recognised as a committed Christian by
everyone, but was never divisive, so
much so that one of his communist
opponents said: “I don’t mind if my
Party loses. So long as the Engineer
Marvelli becomes mayor”.
Nurtured by the Eucharist
The Bishop appointed him
president of Catholic graduates.
His Marian and eucharistic devotion
really were the supporting columns
in his life: “What a new world opens
up to me contemplating Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament”, he wrote
in his diary. Each time I receive
Holy Communion, each time Jesus
in his divinity and humanity enters
into me, in contact with my soul, it
awakens holy ideas in me, a burning
and consuming flame, but one that makes me so happy!”.
Good Christian and honest citizen
He died when he was hit by an army truck on 5th october 1946.
He was, as Don Bosco wanted, a good Christian and an honest
citizen, committed to the Church and society with a Salesian heart.
As a youth his motto was: Either live by moving forward or die. He
was beatified on 5 September 2004, at Loreto, Italy, by Pope John
Paul II.
AFRICA / TUNISIA - “a criminal act does
not exclude other reasons”: the testimony
of the Bishop of Tunisia on the killing of a
Salesian missionary.
Tunisia (Agenzia
Fides) - “A
criminal act does
not exclude other
motivations.” So
His Excellency
Elias Maroun
Lahham Nimeh,
Bishop of Tunis,
Fides defines the
murder of Don
Marek Rybinsk, Polish Salesian missionary,
whose body was found the morning of Feb.
18 at a local school Manouba Salesian .
Lahham Bishop describes the circumstances
of the death of Don Rybinsk. “Don Rybinsk
had left the mission house around midday on
Thursday, February 17, leaving his car in
the mission. The next day, Friday 18, found
in his room on the computer. Therefore, we
believe that someone called him a excuse
for him to leave. This person could have
kidnapped Don Rybinsk February 17 to
kill the next day. His body was found in
a warehouse in school. The murderer or
murderers, people who knew the building
well because this store is hidden behind
the school, plus they also knew that Don
Rybinsk had the keys of the premises. I saw
the body about 13 hours and the blood still
had not clotted, a fact confirmed by the
coroner. As the murder had taken place
a few hours before. “The missionary was
killed by cutting his throat.
“The Salesians had received 15 days before
a threatening letter with a request for
money, or they would have go to kill them
at home, continues Bishop Lahham. The
letter was written in excellent French and
was signed with the Nazi swastika. Parents
reported the police everything. The officers
responded by taking statements of what
happened and inviting the missionaries to
tell them whether the criminals returned to
communicate back.”
Last night, February 18, Bishop Lahham
has presided over a Mass in memory of the
murdered priest at the Cathedral of Tunis.
Don Rybinsk was 33 years old, came from
the Inspectorate in Warsaw (Poland), was
ordained in May 2005. In September 2007
had reached Manouba where he held the
job of treasurer of the community (LM)
(Agenzia Fides 19/2/2011)
