“Lord Jesus, I know from Your own Word that in heaven I will be your laus misericordiae” (From Previtali’s Testament)
Dear brothers and friends, on 20 October 2023, at the “San Pietro” hospital in Rome, the dearest Father Battista Previtali passed away peacefully and with the comfort of prayer.
Born in Bonate Sopra (Bergamo) on 22 January 1934, he entered our Seminary of San Damiano d’Asti as an aspirant in 1946. After completing his novitiate year on 8 October 1951, he made his temporary profession and, on January 22, 1955, the perpetual one. After having attended philosophical and theological studies in Saluzzo, he was ordained as a priest in Varallo Sesia (VC) on 12 July 1959 by H.E. Monsignor Francesco Maria Franco.
Having completed his studies in Rome, from 1955 to 1959, at the Pontifical Angelicum University, Fr. Battista was sent to Vigevano, to the “Negrone” Institute, where he taught and, at the same time, he enrolled at the Catholic University of Milan, graduating in Philosophy in 1962. After a short period in Cheval Blanc (France), in 1967 he was elected Rector of our House of San Damiano d’Asti, dedicating himself to teaching and training seminarians, still. In 1974 he was appointed parish priest of the parish “San Giovanni Bosco in Cristo Re” in Vigevano and, in 1980, he was called to succeed Fr. Ottorino Rolando, who died suddenly, as parish priest of “Gesti Nazareno” in Turin. In 1985, the Archbishop of Avignon Monsignor Raymond Bouchex entrusted the pastoral care of the entire city of Cavaillon to the Congregation, and Fr. Battista was chosen as parish priest of the Cathedral. Upon returning to Italy, from 1997 to 2007, he became parish priest of “Sant’Andrea Apostolo”, in Rome, also serving for a period of time as Prefect of Prefecture XIII. Transferred to S. Maria in Monticelli, due to his availability, he put himself at the service of other communities, spending extended periods of time in Turin, Cavaillon, Pontecorvo and Burundi. To this primary pastoral activity, Fr. Battista combined an intense preaching service, especially for the benefit of nuns and parishes; he collaborated a lot with our “Edizioni Dottrinari”, especially with the publication of popular books and with the creation of cards for the training of catechists. He dedicated himself to the birth and accompaniment of the “Fraternitå della Parola” (Word’s Fraternity), a holiness movement linked to the spirituality of Saint Cesar. Within the Congregation he served as Provincial Superior of the Piedmont Province and, for many years, as Definitor and Vicar General. Above all, as Postulator of the Cause of canonization of the Founder, he dedicated himself to the study and deepening of the life and spirituality of Fr. Cesar, as well as our Congregation. To crown all this, the Lord gave him the grace to participate, as Postulator, in the solemn canonization of Saint Cesar, in Saint Peter’s Square on 15 May 2023.
In memory of this dear brother, with whom I had the grace and joy of being in community at the beginning of my priestly ministry, at S. Andrea Apostolo, and in the last years of his life, at Santa Maria in Monticelli, I would like to underline his faith, love for the Word of God and dedication to study.
Fr. Battista nourished his life of faith in personal prayer, in the prayer of heart. He often loved to repeat the anecdote of Saint John Maria Vianney who met the elder of his parish who was remaining hours and hours silent in the church. “What are you doing?” asked the Holy Father of Ars — and he replied “Nothing. I look at him and he looks at me”. This silent prayer fueled Fr. Baptist’s all along his ministry, wherever the Providence sent him. Over seventy years of fidelity to the call of the Lord.
The second characteristic that I like to remember about fr. Baptist is the love for the Word of God. Faithful disciple of Saint Cesar, he nourished his life by listening to the Word of God, which he loved, studied and transmitted. Generations of faithful, in turn, have loved the Word of God and have been nourished by it, thanks to its clear, brief and profound communication. Many people, involved in the parishes or simple faithful in Vigevano, Turin, Cavaillon, Rome and Pontecorvo, as well as in the “Fraternitå della Parola”, are witnesses of this. And for this we thank the Lord.
The third characteristic that I like to remember is that of the study. Fr. Battista was a man of study, with particular attention to our Founder and the lives of the Saints who he willingly used in his preaching as concrete examples for living the Gospel.
In recent times, his clinical situation, due to his advancing age, had been declining. Admitted to the “San Pietro” hospital in Rome, where he was undergoing medical tests, he passed away peacefully with religious comfort on October 20, at around 4.10 pm.
On October 23, at our parish “Sant’Andrea Apostolo” in Rome, the funeral Mass took place, presided over by me, concelebrated by many brothers and priests. His Eminence Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome, expressed their condolences, together with the Episcopal Council, in particular H.E. Mons. Daniele Salera, Auxiliary Bishop of the Northern Sector, and His Excellency Mons. Daniele Libanori, Auxiliary Bishop of the Central Sector, as well as the Auxiliary Bishops of Rome with whom Fr. Battista collaborated with: Mons. Luigi Moretti, now Archbishop emeritus of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno, and Mons. Guerino Di Tora. Some family members of Fr. Battista participated also, and many faithful, especially from Rome and Pontecorvo, mindful of the good they received, certainly representatives of all those who benefited from his priestly ministry.
The following day, in Bonate Sopra (BG) it was given to Fr. Battista’s final farewell, celebrating the Holy Mass, presided over by me and concelebrated by the parish priest, Don Francesco, by other brothers of us and diocesan and religious priests, with relatives, friends and a large group of representatives of our parishes in Turin and Vigevano, as well as the “Fraternitå della Parola”.
To the brothers and sisters Mario, Elisabetta, Tarcisio and Maria, as well as to the brothers-inlaw and nephews, on behalf of the Doctrinaries, the most sincere gratitude for the closeness and affection shown to him. A special thank you to the parish of Bonate Sopra, in particular to the parish priest Don Francesco Tasca and his vicar Don Daniele Carminati, as well as to the Fatebenefratelli of the “San Pietro” hospital in Rome and to those who assisted and were close to the dear brother with affection, support and prayer.
I remind to everyone of us, according to our custom, the prayer of suffrage so that, united with the Virgin Mary, St. Cesar, his own brothers and beloved family members, the dear Fr. Baptist may sing the liturgy of heaven.
p. Sergio La Pegna, dc, Superior General
