Blessed Philip Rinaldi Memorial, December 5

Blessed Philip Rinaldi Memorial, December 5

By Bishop Enrico dal Covolo, SDB, and Father Giorgio Mocci, SDB*

www.sdb.org

Philip Rinaldi was born at Lu Monferrato in the Alessandria province of Piedmont on May 28, 1856. He was the eighth of nine children, and as a child he met Don Bosco when he came to Lu on one of his autumn outings with the boys of the Oratory.

When he was ten, his father enrolled him in the Salesian school at Mirabello, which he left a few months later by his own choice. Don Bosco wrote to him, trying to induce him to return. But Philip would not be moved.

In 1874 Don Bosco went to Lu to try to convince him to come with him to Turin, but he failed. Three years later he finally succeeded in persuading him and, at age 21, Philip began the program at Sampierdarena for adult vocations. After his novitiate, in 1880 he pronounced perpetual vows into Don Bosco’s hands.

Thanks to the Founder’s holy insistence, Philip answered the Lord’s call and in December 1882 was ordained. A short while after, Don Bosco named him director of the house at Mathi, a school for adult vocations that was then moved to Turin. A few days before the saint of the young died, Fr. Rinaldi went to confess to him. Before absolving him, by then not having much strength, Don Bosco spoke just one word to him: “Meditation.”

In 1889 Fr. Rua named him director at Barcelona: “You’ll have to patch up some rather delicate matters,” he said. In three years, with prayer, gentleness, and an inspiring, fatherly presence among the boys and in the Salesian community, he rescued the work.

He was appointed provincial of Spain and Portugal. In nine years, thanks to the financial assistance of Ven. Dorothy Chopitea, Fr. Rinaldi founded sixteen new houses. After a visit to Spain, Fr. Rua was so impressed that he nominated him prefect general of the Congregation. In this new responsibility, Fr. Rinaldi continued to work zealously, never forgoing his priestly ministry. He carried out his governing task with prudence, charity, and intelligence.

After Fr. Rua’s death in 1910, the general chapter confirmed him as prefect general and vicar of Fr. Paul Albera. In 1921, following Fr. Albera’s death, he was elected Don Bosco’s third successor. He gave the missions enormous thrust, founding missionary works, magazines, and associations. During his rectorate, more than 1,800 Salesians departed for all parts of the world.

Fr. Rinaldi carried out numerous trips in Italy and the rest of Europe. He founded the Past Pupils Association and the secular institute of the Don Bosco Volunteers. From Pope Pius XI he obtained the indulgence for sanctified work.

A master of the spiritual life, he reinvigorated the interior life of the Salesians, showing an absolute confidence in God and an enlightened trust in Mary Help of Christians. The great Salesian Fr. John Baptist Francesia said of him, “Fr. Rinaldi lacks only the voice of Don Bosco.”

On December 5, 1931, he died silently while he was reading the life of Fr. Rua. He was declared Venerable on January 3, 1987, and beatified by St. John Paul II on April 29, 1990.

    *Santi nella Famiglia Salesiana, 2d ed. (Turin: LDC, 2009), pp. 32-33.