Father Giovanni Gaddo (8Th Provost General)
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Father Giovanni Gaddo (8th Provost General) by Domenico Mariani (Translated by J. Anthony Dewhirst) Is it possible that a little boy of 12 could be convinced that he had a religious vocation, to the point of devoting himself to serve the Lord all his life with the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience in a religious Institute? Would he have sufficient maturity and knowledge of his own powers and human life to be definitely sure about it? Or would it not rather be autosuggestion, domestic economic problems, or the influence of some good person influencing his choice? We know how modern psychologists would answer these questions. But we can say positively and absolutely ‘yes’. This is borne out by the reality of the facts; for instance, his life, the supernatural gift of a religious vocation, in which grace is grafted on to human nature, and incessant prayer reinforcing his human efforts. Giovanni Ferdinando Angelo Gaddo was born of Carlo and Maria Amiotti at Vercelli, the Casa Borgogna in the Via del Duomo, on 7 February1895. His father was a worker in marble, and this work provided for the upkeep of the family. His mother was a housewife and died early (1903?), so little Giovanni and his sister Lucia (a year his junior) were looked after by their grandmother. But she also passed away in 1907 and the Parish Priest of Crescentino, Don Pietro Gianotti, taking an interest in the family, wrote to Don Policarpo Garibaldi, the Novice Master at Calvario in Domodossola, in order that he might intercede with the Provincial, Giambattista Pagani, to accept the boy into the Institute of Charity. ‘The boy is very willing, he is good, he got the best marks in the exams and won the first prize. His grandmother having died he is poor and alone. His father is a marble worker and, because of his work, is almost always out of town. Hence, besides being neglected and alone, he has no one to cook for him and look after him’.i Meanwhile little Giovanni went to the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Vercelli, as far as the 6th Elementary Grade. But, once he had become an Aspirant at Craveggiaii in 1907 he had to repeat some classes (there were only elementary schools there) and later take the school leaving exam at Stresa, in the municipal school, on 7. 7. 1912. He was 14½ when he entered the noviciate at Calvario on 27. 9. 1909iii. The following year he received the religious habit and on 15. 9. 1911 he made his first vows. After the noviciate he began his studies at secondary school, first at Craveggia (where he was Vice – Prefect of the Aspirants), then at Stresa, at Arluno and at Domo, where 17. 7. 1914 he took his secondary school leaving certificate. He continued his classical secondary studies at Domo, which, however, were interrupted because on 19. 11. 1915 he was called up. He was a soldier in the medical corps at Turin, then in the infantry at Vercelli (taking his school leaving examination in classics at Domo, in three extraordinary sessions instituted for the military). In November 1916 he joined the Faculty of Arts at Turin, and on 4. 5. 1917 he entered the Military School for Officer Cadets at Modena. He was sent to fight at the front. On 20. 6. 1918 he was wounded in the left leg, and the following day was made a Lieutenant. He would pass the months of June – September in the hospitals of Mestre, Milano and Vercelli, after which he had 2 months leave, and on 12. 12. 1916 he returned to the 80th Infantry Regiment stationed at Verona. It was a time of great difficulty regarding his vocation. The Rosminians in the forces corresponded regularly with their superiors (Father Ignazio Colombo, Father Giuseppe Bozzetti…), but at the same time they experienced the trauma of the brutality of war and after this, the attractions of social life. We should remember that at Verona Giovanni Gaddo would have moved in circles of distinguished nobility and would have been an officer greatly admired by the women. On 30. 11. 1919,when he was discharged from the army and laid down his swordiv that would have been the time when he really made a definite choice for the Lord. Apropos of this there is an untold story about this period. The main character himself told it privately to an ex pupil of the College at Domodossola. One day in November he went up to San Zeno in Monte to ask for guidance from Don Giovanni Calabriav. The latter did not reply to his questions. He took the fine young officer to an attic and showed him a skeleton. Then he affectionately sent him off. Silent but eloquent advice!vi Meanwhile in April 1919 he attended the 3rd year of University as an officer and graduated at Turin with full marks on 21. 4. 1921. In September 1920 he was a student at Calvario in the 1st year of theology, but on 9 May 1921 he was asked to teach in the College where he also remained for the whole of the following year. In September 1922 he had to suspend his study of theology in order to teach at Turin, where he stayed until 1925 (on 23. 9. 1923 he took his perpetual Vows at Calvario). In September 1925 took up again his study of theology, this time at Rome at Propaganda Fide, with a room at San Carlo al Corso. But his course of studies was not a smooth one. In fact, in September 1926, he had to continue his studies at Domo (where he was Prefect of the senior school). He was dispensed from studying at Rome. He went there simply to take his exams. He also became ill there (TB?). He recovered and returned to Rome in 1927 until the end of his theology, being ordained priest at Novara by Monsignor Giuseppe Castelli on 28. 6. 1929.vii I must say something about this period at Rome. We know that Father Gaddo was a shrewd connoisseur of art and those years at Rome must have been a time of exploration for him. He knew every nook of the eternal city, making it come to life, flavouring it with legends which enlivened and made every detail interesting. He had as his companions some of our English brethren (Claude Leetham) who called him their Pico della Mirandola, and later our own young students in Rome. To go out with Father Gaddo was a joy and the return home full of ardour and enthusiasm. In 1929 Giovanni Gaddo began a round of jobs all of which were quite onerous ones. In September 1929 he was in Turin as Vice Rector and President; from September 1930 to 1933 he was at Stresa as Vice Rector and confessor to the Sisters; from 1933 to 1940 he was Vice Rector then Rector and teacher of art at Domoviii During this time at Domo three events stand out: his Presbyter vows, taken at Calvario on 7. 11. 1934; his journey in the summer of 1935 to England and Ireland with the new Father General for the celebrations of the first centenary of the Rosminians there; and the publication, edited by him, of the impressive book which commemorates the first centenary (1837 – 1937) of the Collegio Mellerio – Rosmini, Domodossola.ix From September 1941 to September 1944 Father Gaddo was at Calvario as Rector and Novice Master but he continued in the department of Art at Domodossola. Vocations prospered in these years (there were up to 35 novices), but they were also dark years because of the war going on. The ascetical character and absolute poverty of Father Master were no small inducement for a sound formation.x During these years Father Gaddo was given an altogether unusual task. At Stresa the Palazzo Bolongaro, the ex – ducal villa of Elizabeth of Saxony, was up for sale. This was where Rosmini lived in the last years of his life and where he died in 1855. Here was a unique opportunity to recover the house for our heritage and the heart of his Sons. The Provincial, Father Giovanni Pusineri, was a courageous and resourceful man and he gave don Gaddo the task of selling some valuable pictures in Florence in order to obtain the money necessary for its acquisition. The venture turned out well, and with the scholastic year 1942 – 1943 the Casa Bolongaro, with some adaptations, was able to open its doors as a children’s Primary School.xi On 25. 9. 1966, at the suggestion of Professor Michele Sciacca and through the decision of Father General Gaddo, the Casa Bolongaro closed as a school and became the ‘Centro Internazionale di Studi Rosminiani’. This was recognised as a juridic body by the President of the Republic on 31. 1. 1968. This was a prophetic cultural institution, producing even today great fruit for good, not only for the Institute but for the entire Church. In the decrees of 1944 Father Gaddo was appointed Provincial in Italy and continued in this position until 1955. This was a difficult period, during which he got around the north of Italy in a second hand ‘Fiat – giardinetta’, filling vacancies. (Rector at Domo in 1944, at Turin in 1950, and President at Domo from 1951 – 1953) In the last year of the war the Ossola was cut off for 34 days (10 September – 14 October 1944) and was proclaimed an Independent Republic. With the return to the Ossola of the Fascist and German troops, a large part of Collegio Rosmini was occupied and taken over.