Brava: Padre Pio Gottin was a “multifaceted” man who sought strength in serenity and “great faith” – Friar Matias

Friar Matias Silva considered today that Padre Pio Gottin was a “multifaceted” man who found strength in his serenity and “great faith”, but who was also above all a man of “hope and providence”.

The priest was speaking to Inforpress at the end of the solemn opening mass of activities commemorating the centenary of Padre Pio Gottin, which will run until March 11, 2024, the day on which he completed one hundred years of birth.

According to the same source, this commemoration has the proper meaning of remembering, honoring and thanking God for the gift that Padre Pio was to the church in Cape Verde, recalling that “he was a man of action, but above all of prayer and contemplation”.

Padre Pio, as Friar Matias recalled, came to Cape Verde in a year of “difficult situation” for the country and for the world, since 1945 was the end of the world war, a time when he was still a student of Philosophy and Theology, ended the period and came to Cape Verde in 1949.

However, he pointed out that in 1947 came the first shipment of missionaries and Padre Pio only came in 1949, incorporating the second shipment of Capuchins to Cape Verde, at a time of difficulties, and settled in São Lourenço, on the island of Fogo, a parish that had already been without a parish priest for 23 years.

At that time, he recalled that there was a lack of everything, from school, clothing, food and medicine, but that Padre Pio involved him above all in the issue of education and in almost all areas.

He highlighted the issue of the volcanic eruption on the island of Fogo in 1951 in which Padre Pio “was one of the first to arrive at the place” to help the population and provide support using the available resources.

In Brava, he said that this priest arrived in 1955, and, in 1959, once again faced a major crisis, but, according to Friar Matias, Padre Pio “rolled up his sleeves” and together with “young, enthusiastic and generous people” began to make “the great work” that today is the Institute of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Cape Verde.

He also highlighted the Mother School, a building built by Padre Pio and which housed all the children on the island with difficulties, starting with 30 and over time it has housed more than 300 children from Brave.

“Padre Pio was a man who committed himself and got involved in all areas, from social issues, education, culture, health”, he said, stressing that it was he who created the first pediatrics on Brava to welcome children with health problems. health, at a time when there were “many skin diseases and dysentery”.

After 30 years of service in Cape Verde, at a time when missionaries were being asked to go to the United States to work with the emigrant community, Friar Matias said that Padre Pio offered himself and continued with all his mission that he had done in Cabo Green, despite age and physical wear and tear.

Within the Congregation of the Order of the Capuchins, he highlighted that Padre Pio was superior of the Order several times, having a time when he was at the head of this Congregation for 13 years in a row, in “years of great difficulty, but that whenever he went to Italy mobilized more missionaries”.

The idea is to mark this centenary in all the places where the Franciscan Sisters are present, although in Brava, where the opening took place and in Praia, where the headquarters are located, there will be a “greater involvement and celebration”.

Padre Pio Olívio Gottin was born on March 11, 1924 in Pozzoleone (Vicenza), in the Parish of Madona di Campagna, Turin (Italy).

He made perpetual vows on March 19, 1945, and was ordained a priest on February 1, 1948.

The priest arrived in Cape Verde on March 31, 1949, and was posted in the parish of São Lourenço, Fogo from 1949 to 1955, on Brava Island from 1955 to 1979, he went to the United States on March 24, 1979, where worked until 1999 and died in the United States on November 7, 1999.