1849
The Closing of Seminaries
The Pinardi House
Peter’s Pence and Pius IX’s Rosaries
The Guardian Angels Oratory
A Visit from Deputies
This year was very memorable. The war between Piedmont and Austria, begun the previous year, had shaken all Italy. Public schools were suspended. The seminaries, especially those in Turin and Chieri, were closed and occupied by the army. As a consequence, the diocesan clerics had neither teachers nor a place to gather. It was then, to have at least the consolation of doing what we could to mitigate these public calamities, that we rented the whole of the Pinardi house. The tenants screamed; they threatened me, my mother, even the proprietor. Though great financial sacrifices had to be made, we still succeeded in getting possession of the whole building. Thus that den of iniquity, which for twenty years had been at the service of Satan, was at our disposal. It embraced the whole site which now forms the courtyard between the Church of Mary Help of Christians and the house behind it.
In this way we were able to increase our classes, to extend the chapel, and double our playground space. The number of young men rose to thirty. But the main aim, as in fact happened, was to be able to gather together the diocesan seminarians. We can say that our Oratory house for almost 20 years became the diocesan seminary.
Towards the end of 1848, political events forced the Holy Father Pius IX to flee Rome and seek refuge at Gaeta. This great Pontiff had already shown us many times his customary kindness. When the rumour got about that he was in financial straits, a collection was taken up in Turin. It was called Peter’s Pence. A committee composed of Dr Canon Francis Valinotti and Marquis Gustavo Cavour came to the Oratory. Our collection amounted to 35 francs. It was a small sum, which we tried to make a bit more acceptable to the Holy Father with a message that pleased him very much.
The Pope expressed his pleasure in a letter to Cardinal Antonucci, at that time nuncio in Turin, and now archbishop of Ancona. He asked the nuncio to convey to us how much consolation he received from our offering, but even more from the sentiments accompanying it. Finally, with his apostolic blessing he sent us a parcel of 60 dozen rosaries, which were solemnly distributed on 20th July of that year, 1850. See the booklet printed on that occasion, and various newspapers. Letter of Cardinal Antonucci, at that time nuncio to Turin.
The growing number of youngsters attending the oratories made it necessary to consider opening another centre. This was the Holy Guardian Angel Oratory in Vanchiglia, near the place where, especially through the work of Marchioness Barolo, the Church of St Julia was later built.
Fr John Cocchis had some years previously established that oratory with a scope somewhat like ours. But consumed by love of his country, he judged it better to teach his pupils the use of rifle and sword, put himself at their head, and march against the Austrians, which he did in fact.
That particular oratory was closed for a full year. When we rented it, Dr John Vola, of happy memory, was entrusted with its direction. This oratory continued until 1871, when it moved alongside the parish church. Marchioness Barolo left a legacy for this need, on condition that the boys’ centre and the chapel be attached to the parish, as has been done.
A solemn visit was paid to the Oratory at that time by a committee of deputies and others appointed by the ministry of the interior, who came to honour us with their presence. They inspected the whole place, talking to everyone in a friendly way. They then made a full report to the Chamber of Deputies. This report was the subject of long and lively debate, as may be seen in the Gazzetta Piemontese of 29th March 1850. The Chamber of Deputies gave a grant of 300 francs to our boys. Urbano Ratazzi, who was then minister of the interior, designated a sum of 2,000 francs for us. The documents may be consulted.
Amongst my pupils at last I had one who donned the clerical habit. Ascanio Savio, presently rector of the Refuge, was the first seminarian from the Oratory. His clothing ceremony took place at the end of October of that year.