Last of Italian Jesuits in Mangalore dies in his homeland

By John B Monteiro
 
Mangalore, Jan 8: Fr Victor Piovesan, who was Professor of Theology and Spiritual Director at St Joseph’s Seminary at Jeppu, did not despair about seeing Italy. He was born there and had returned several times ever since he came to India, and Mangalore, 64 years ago. He was the last of the Italian Jesuits in Mangalore, who first landed in Mangalore on December 31, 1879. The Jesuits have given Mangaloreans St Aloysius College, Father Muller Institutions (though Fr Muller was of German origin, he was part of the Italian Jesuit Mission in Mangalore), St Joseph’s Seminary and Workshop at Jeppu and Kodialbail Press.

The most enduring and priceless is the legacy of paintings left for Mangaloreans by Br Moscheni who has painted the St Aloysius College Chapel and other religious places in the district. Since then batches of dedicated Italian Jesuits had come to Mangalore and strived for the educational, health, social and economic progress of the district. Fr Piovesan, who died in Italy on January 1, 2014, at the age of 86, was the last of the Italian Jesuits in Mangalore till his close relatives escorted him back to Italy a few years ago to spend his sunset years in his homeland.
 
Victor Piovesan, first of nine children of Sante and Maria Piovesan, was born at Treviso, a small town 20 KM from Venice, on January 5, 1927. He had his elementary education in his parish and then went on to prepare for the diocesan priesthood, studying philosophy and earning Master’s degree in classical languages. But, his sight was stretched beyond the diocesan parish-bound priesthood. He was interested in ecumenism – union among various denominations of Christianity. He joined the Rome Institute run by Jesuits.
 
In 1950, Fr Piovesan was sent to India in a move which he ascribed to “mysterious ways of God”. Boarding a cargo ship in August, he disembarked in Bombay in September and travelled onwards to Calicut by rail. There he learnt sufficient English to get along. In 1951, he was sent to Sri Lanka to do his Masterate in Philosophy at the Papal Seminary in Candy. As there were many seminarians from Kerala, Fr Piovesan picked up enough Malayalam to say Holy Mass in that language. He returned to Calicut in 1952 and was posted at Christ Hall Novitiate (where initial learning for priesthood is offered). The next posting was at St Michael’s Anglo-Indian School at Kannur, teaching various subjects and looking after the boarders. In 1955, he was sent to Kurseong, near Darjeeling, for a four-year course in theology.
 
Fr Piovesan was ordained as priest in 1958 and was sent to Mangalore the following year. He was then told that the posting was “temporary for one year” and he wryly said that one year had lasted into 2000s. But he had no complaints. A Belgian priest then told him that Mangalore was a big village with all houses hidden by trees. He also recalled that there were no large residential hotels, Moti Mahal, perhaps the earliest such, being under construction then.
 
In 1964–65 Fr Piovesan studied at Gregorian University in Rome, leading to a doctorate in theology. He returned to Mangalore in 1966. Meanwhile, his mother had died in 1962. His father died in 1972. Even if he had wanted to go to Italy for his father’s funeral, he could not as he himself was close to death, after suffering uncontrollable internal hemorrhage, following eating hot Indian curries while attending a seminar in Bangalore. Dr. Venkat Rao treated him at Father Mullers, Kankanady. Unable to control the bleeding, Dr. Rao one day said in desperation: “I am sorry you won’t be here tomorrow”. The last sacraments, given at the verge of impending death, were administered. The next thing he knew was complete recovery. Dr. Rao sent him to Bangalore for further investigation and it turned out that he had very sensitive veins which can’t stand spicy, hot food. For many years then, a neighbouring convent used to send bland food for him. Eventually he ventured to taste curries, chasing them down with water.
 
Fr Piovesan was appointed Rector of Jeppu Seminary in 1977 which position he held till 1983. Since then he had been Professor and Mentor for seminarians. While he conducted holy mass in Malayalam every Sunday at Milagres Church for Malayalees, he had not attempted preaching in Konkani. Early on he was told about another Italian priest, Fr Fazi, who learnt Konkani and gave his sermon in it. Because of his Italian accent and pronunciation, the congregation laughed uncontrollably and that was the end of it.
 
Fr Piovesan, an eminent theologian, was much in demand for giving lectures, conducting courses and retreats in convents. He had been on lecture circuits, during breaks at the seminary, to Goa, Pune and Kolkata. Being one of the oldest and enduring professors at Jeppu Seminary, he counted about eight bishops among his students. His early interest in ecumenism got concrete expression through Mangalore Christian Council which involved interaction with Protestant church leaders. He had also interacted with Hindu and Muslim leaders and counted some of them among his friends. He had special praise for Mangalore and Mangaloreans as the well educated and hospitable people. He soldiered on cheerfully in Mangalore until a few years ago when his close relatives took him to Italy to spend his sunset years there.