Death
of Fr Cimatti's successor and similarly
'patriarch' of Salesian Japan:
Fr Clodoveo Tassinari
BEPPU: 27
January 2012 -- News came in today of the death of
Fr
Clodoveo Tassinari sdb, in Beppu, Japan, where he simply wore
out. As
the Provincial, Fr Cipriani put it, "it was like a candle
blowing out
that had given all of its warmth and light until moments ago".
He had
been taken to hospital in Beppu on 23rd of the month and
doctors found
a man who was completely worn out, had given of his all until
his last
breath. He would have celebrated his 100th birthday on 3 March
this
year. With his death, Japan has lost a living pioneer,
right hand
man for the Ven Vincent Cimatti for many years, a novice
master who had
formed many a young Japanese Salesian, founder of an orphanage
in Tokyo
that became a model for such institutions. He is regarded as a
'patriarch' of Salesian Japan.
One way to discover much about Fr Tassinari is to follow the
many
exchanges of correspondence to/from and about him,in
the Cimatti collection. For example, not very long after
they
had both arrived in Japan in 1930, we find a note written on a
holy
picture of the Good Shepherd, by Fr Cimatti:
20 aprile 1930 Mio Clodoveo,
grazie. Dio benedica i tuoi
propositi e ti conceda di acquistare un cuore generoso,
umile, paziente
come il suo. Tuo Don Cimatti
(in translation: Thank you
my dear
Clodoveo, May God bless your resolutions and grant that you
may acquire
a generous, humble, patient heart like His. Yours, Fr
Cimatti).
This was certainly granted. By 1940, just ten years
later, we
find another letter, this time about a young Fr Tassinari,
already
appointed novice diretor. The letter is addressed to the
Spiritual
Director of the Congregation, don Tirone:
Miyazaki, 15
febbraio 1940
Rev.mo Sig. Don
Tirone,
Ricevo oggi la
nomina a Maestro dei Novizi del nostro Don Tassinari -
scelta ottima,
che però mi mette in grave condizione per il
Seminario. Ad ogni modo il
bene della nostra cara Congregazione farà sopportare
questo periodo di
difficoltà con gioia pensando al bene futuro....
(In translation:
... Today I
received the appointment of our Fr Tassinari as
Director of
Novices - an excellent choice, but it puts me in serious
difficulties
for the Seminary. At any rate the good of our beloved
Congregation will
be able to put up with this difficult period happily,
thinking of the
future benefit...).
Turin has a copy (Valdocco) of the letter
written by Fr Cimatti to Fr Tassinari about another
appointment. We
have the transcript in SDL at the site indicated above. Here
is its
substance in English translation:
Having prayer at
length, thought about it and taken advice, it seems to me to
be truly
appropriate and for the glory of God and to the good to
entrust you
with the leadership of our studentate in Tokyo (theology,
philosophy
students, aspirants and relative staff) to substitute our
beloved D.
Bovio. I am aware from
what you have told me of your state of mind and heart in
this regard –
I am giving you a cross, but one that God's will (as it
seems to both
you and me) will help you to carry with fruit and merit: so,
'niente ti
turbi' (don't worry). The confreres and
students are with you – and D. Cim. will help you in omnibus
(everything). Don't worry about
the material side: the Lord (so I believe and so I see) will
help you:
just you worry about souls....
By 1949 we
find Fr Cimatti writing to Fr Ricaldone about possible
appointment of
someone to replace him in leading the mission in Japan.
Of Fr
Tassinari he had the following to say:
Don Tassinari:
currently with the Superiors [he was in Italy at the time]
and they can
weigh up his merits... he was novice master, handles the
Japanese very
well - set up a model orphanage in Tokyo.
And it was Fr Tassinari whom the Superiors in Turin chose as
successor
to Fr Cimatti.
During the war years and immediately following, Fr Tassinari
was in
Tokyo. he took great interest in the Tokyo shoeshine
kids
(foriji) and set up the Salesio Boys Town for them, a work
that was
consolidated in the immediate aftermath of the war, with the
help of
city authorities as well.
In 1971 the Japanese Government recognised the value of
Tassinari's
contribution to Japan. The Japanese Ambassador in Italy
(Rome), where
he was at the time, gave him the medal awarded by Emperor
Hirohito "in
recognition of his great merits" in the field of social work
and youth
welfare in particular. The Ambassador for his part declared
that he was
happy to have been able to give this medal "to an Italian
priest but
Japanese by adoption and to whom my country is very grateful"
Much more will be said about this great man and wonderful
example of a
missionary in our Region in the coming days, and at his being
laid to
rest. These are just little points I have been able to
glean from
our resources online in SDL and elsewhere. Let's pray
for the
repose of his soul and for the Japanese Province at this
moment of loss.
