An animator of the mission ‘ad gentes’ without ever leaving his diocese, capable of prophecy in promoting and fostering encounters among different cultures without ever neglecting, belittling the affection, devotion and value of a deep bond with the Virgin Consolata. “Whoever does not have some feeling and love for Our Lady does not have a heart; and we missionaries must have a heart,” he used to say. Founder of the Consolata Missionaries
Giuseppe Allamano was born on 21st January 1851 in Castelnuovo d’Asti, the birthplace of St Joseph Cafasso, whose grandson he was. In the autumn of 1862 he entered the Salesian Oratory at Valdocco, where for four years he ‘followed’ his fellow-citizen Don Bosco to whom he went to confession, but perhaps disregarding his expectations of his stay at the oratory, which he left to enter the diocesan seminary in 1866 without much expectation: “The Lord is calling me today … I don’t know if he will call me again in two or three years”.
Having received priestly ordination on 20th September 1873, he would have liked to devote himself to pastoral ministry, but was destined for the training of seminarians, first as assistant (1873-1876), then as spiritual director of the major seminary (1876-1880). He wanted to be a parish priest and never was, because from being director of the seminary in October 1880 he was appointed Rector of the Consolata Sanctuary in Turin. Obedience and humility always accompanied him, but he also had an attentive, encouraging gaze and was capable of setting out on new paths such as that of founding a religious institute of male and female missionaries because “he found it unnatural that in his Church, fertile with so many charity institutions, one solely dedicated to the missions was lacking”, and on 29th January 1901, the Istituto Missioni Consolata was established. “Not having been able to be a missionary myself, I want those souls who wish to follow that path not to be hindered” and on 8th May 1902 the first four missionaries left for Kenya, while on 29th January 1910 he started the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries. Allamano was beatified on 7th October 1990 by John Paul II, who described him as: “saint of the Consolata”, “provident father”, “trainer and teacher of the clergy”, “priest for the world”. During his homily he specified: ‘At the moment he is counted among the Blessed, Giuseppe Allamano reminds us that to remain faithful to our Christian vocation, we must know how to share God’s gifts with our brothers and sisters of every race and every culture; we must courageously and consistently proclaim Christ to every person we meet, especially to those who do not yet know Him’. And so it happens today, in the heart of European cities as well as in the remote corners of Mongolia, thanks to Missionaries and Missionaries who disseminate his charisma with that style dear to him ” good, because good must be done well “. In 2025 he will be canonised.
Author: Federica Bello
