Southern Italy welcomes Pope
Francis to Alessano, Molfetta
 |
| Pope Francis greets the faithful in Alessano. (Vatican Media) |
Pope Francis visits Alessano and Molfetta on April 20 to
commemorate the 25th death anniversary of Bishop Tonino Bello, known for his
pastoral outreach and works of peace.
Pope Francis makes a brief trip to southern
Italy on Friday to commemorate the 25th death
anniversary of a popular Italian bishop known for his pastoral zeal
and works of peace. The Pope flies to the towns of Alessanoand Molfetta associated
with Bishop Tonino (Antonio) Bello of
Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, whose cause for beatification was opened in
2007.
The Pope left from Rome's Ciampino Airport to the Galatina
military airport, on the heel of Italy, from where he boarded a helicopter to
Alessano, the town where Bishop Tonino was born and later buried. Pope
Francis visited the tomb of the bishop and met some of his relatives.
After addressing the faithful of Alessano, Pope Francis
flies north to the port town of Molfetta, where Bello was bishop and where he
died. He says Mass in the cathedral and then heads back to Rome.
Biography
Bishop Tonino Bello was born in Alessano, Province of Lecce on 18 March 1935. After attending school in his hometown from 1940 to 1945, he entered the seminary in Ugento and then at the Pius XI Regional Pontifical Seminary in Molfetta.
He then proceeded to Bologna for higher studies and
completed his theology course at the Benedict XV Ponticial Seminary.
After his priestly ordination Bello was appointed
vice-rector at the seminary of Ugento. He later studied at Rome’s
Pontifical Lateran University from where he obtained a doctoral degree.
He then served as an assistant to the Catholic Action organization,
rector of the seminary and administrator of the Sacred Heart parish of Ugento
and parish priest in Tricase. Meanwhile, he was collaborating with Caritas.
Pastoral outreach and works of peace
In 1982, St. Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Molfetta and Ruvo. Bishop Bello renounced all signs of power and tried to help the most disadvantaged. He ensured Caritas groups were established in every parish, founded a community to help people with addictions.
His pastoral zeal took him to Australia, Argentina,
and Venezuela where he visited immigrants from his diocese.
Bishop Bello is greatly known for his work with Pax
Christi, an international Catholic peace movement. He was appointed the
president of Pax Christi Italy in 1985, a position he held until his death. An
outspoken critic of the Gulf War and other conflicts, he even
rallied against the NATO. In December 1992, he led a group from
Italy across the Adriatic to Sarajevo where he headed a peace
march.
Bishop Bello envisaged the Church in “apron”,
evoking the image Christ at the Last Supper who tied a towel (apron) around his
waist and got down on his knees to wash the feet of his disciples in a symbolic
gesture of humble loving service.
Known for his frugal ways, Bishop Bello
preferred to take a bus and often used a bicycle since he felt cars added to
air pollution. He often went out to the streets, bars, and restaurants to
interact with people.
He died of stomach cancer in Molfetta on 20 April
1993. He was 58.
Pope Francis visits Alessano and Molfetta exactly on the 25th anniversary
of the death of Bishop Tonino Bello.
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