Progress in Music
Procession to Our Lady of Consolation
Award from the City
The Schools for the Poor
Holy Thursday
The Foot-Washing Rite
The dangers to which youngsters were exposed in matters of religion and morality called for greater efforts to safeguard them. In the night school, as well as in the day programme, we thought it would be good to add courses in piano, organ, and even instrumental music to those in vocal music. So I found myself as teacher of vocal and instrumental music, of piano and organ, though I had never truly been a student of them myself. Goodwill made up for everything.
Having prepared a group of the best soprano voices, we began to give recitals at the Oratory; afterwards we ventured into Turin, to Rivoli, Moncalieri, Chieri, and other centres. Canon Louis Nasi and Fr Michelangelo Chiatellino were willing helpers in training our musicians, accompanying them, and conducting them at their public performances in various towns. Since choirs of boy sopranos with orchestral accompaniment had not often been heard up till then, and our solos, duets, and full choral renderings were so novel, our music was spoken of everywhere and our singers were much sought after for various solemn occasions. Canon Louis Nasi and Fr Michelangelo Chiatellino were generally the two accompanists of our emerging philharmonic society.
Every year we used to go to perform at a religious function at the Church of Our Lady of Consolation. This year we marched in procession from the Oratory. The singing along the way and the music in church drew a numberless crowd of people. Mass was celebrated, Holy Communion received, and then I gave a short sermon suited to the occasion in the underground chapel. Finally, the Oblates of Mary put a fine breakfast for us in the cloisters of the shrine.
In this way we began to overcome human respect, we gathered youngsters, and we had opportunities to inculcate with the greatest prudence a spirit of morality and respect for authority and to encourage frequent reception of the holy sacraments. But such novelty gave rise to rumours.
In this year, too, the city of Turin sent another deputation composed of Chevalier Peter Ropolo, Moncalvo, and Commendatore Duprè to assess the vague reports that were being put about. They were highly satisfied with us. When their report was sent in, an award of 1000 francs was decreed, and a very flattering letter. From that year the city assigned an annual subsidy that was paid until 1878, when the 300 francs, which the judicious rulers of Turin had budgeted to provide lighting for the night school for the benefit of the sons of the people, was withdrawn.
The Schools for the Poor also sent a deputation, headed by Chevalier Gonella, to visit us. That work had also introduced night schools and music schools, using our method. As a mark of their approval, they gave us another award of a thousand francs.
Every year on Holy Thursday, we used to go together to visit the altars of repose. But because of the ridicule – we would even say contempt – quite a few of the boys no longer dared to join their companions. To encourage our young men ever more to disdain human respect, in that year for the first time we marched in procession to make those visits, singing the Stabat Mater and chanting the Miserere. Then youngsters of every age and condition were seen joining us along the route and racing to join our lines. Everything went off in a peaceful and orderly fashion.
That evening was the first time that we performed the ceremony of the washing of the feet. For this purpose twelve youngsters were chosen, who are usually called the twelve apostles. When the ritual washing was finished, a moral exhortation was preached to the public. Afterwards the twelve apostles were all invited for a frugal supper, and each one was given a small gift which he proudly carried home.
Likewise in that year the stations of the cross were erected according to the prescriptions of the Church and solemnly blessed. At each station there was a brief little sermon, and an appropriate motet was sung.
In such ways our humble Oratory continued to consolidate at the same time that grave events were running their course, events which were destined to change the face of Italian politics, and perhaps the world’s.