Organised by the SCJ General Postulation, the evening of thanksgiving and meditation to honour the memory and fraternal friendship between the two soon-to-be-beatified priests allowed members of the community to rediscover the unique bond that united these two martyrs of the Second World War.

A priestly friendship

On 29 September 1944, in San Michele a Salvaro, near Bologna, Nazi barbarism cut short two young priestly lives. Yet, as Dr Zanet, the keynote speaker, recalled, their martyrdom was not the result of a tragic accident, but the logical outcome of two deeply converging spiritual paths.

Although they shared only three months of life together (from July to September 1944), their priestly friendship proved to be a true testament to shared virtues. Both came from poor families, yet rich in faith and deeply marked by Marian devotion; from childhood they had learnt the art of practical service. “In war, one puts into practice what one has learnt in peace,” the speaker emphasised. Their final sacrifice was nothing more than the continuation of those “virtuous habits” consolidated throughout their lives.

From the “school of fire” to the choice of risk

The journey back to the youth of the two future blessed men particularly captured the attention of those present. Fr Capelli, nicknamed “Kika” in his childhood, always ready to rush to help others. Father Comini, trained in the “school of fire” of Bishop Mellini, a direct disciple of Don Bosco. Both had a phenomenal ability to attract young people: the boys would gather round Fr Comini “like chicks round a hen”, whilst Fr Capelli’s charges would literally cling to the hem of his robe during outings.

This dedication turned into pure heroism during the dark hours of the occupation. Dr Zanet recalled the humanly almost impossible act of Don Comini, who moved a huge wardrobe in front of the door to hide some seventy men from the German soldiers. Instead of hiding themselves, the two priests chose to brave the danger for a single reason: to take the Eucharistic Jesus and bring comfort to the dying.

The “gift of bonds” against modern indifference

Drawing on the lives of the two martyrs and their evangelical selflessness, the collaborator of the Salesian Postulator General offered a scathing critique of contemporary individualism, which is often the result of a banal indifference to the needs of one’s neighbour.

One powerful concept left a deep impression: the “gift of bonds”. Fr Comini and Fr Capelli found their freedom and sanctification in the acceptance of daily bonds, religious obedience and sacrifices – such as when Fr Capelli had to suffer the loss of his great dream of the missions. It is in this spirit that the imminent publication, in a couple of weeks’ time, of a comprehensive book retracing the lives and spiritual correspondence of these two great figures was announced; within it, readers will also be able to discover the “dear little book”, the private diary in which Fr Comini, from the age of 17, expressed his desire to be accepted as a “holocaust”.

“We are priests and we must go”

Dr Zanet’s talk concluded with a moving account of the morning of 29 September 1944. In front of the little church of San Michele, despite the pleas of the village women who tried in every way to keep them in the presbytery to protect them, the two priests remained unshakeable. Their final words still echo in our hearts: “We are priests and we must go.” To go and bring the Lord to our brothers and sisters who need him.

The rest of the programme

After a heartfelt expression of thanks, the community observed a brief moment of silence for reflection, before moving on to Vespers. A festive dinner with an exchange of gifts then marked the joyful conclusion of this gathering, in which the figures of Fr Capelli and Fr Comini demonstrated once again that holiness is not an abstraction, but a harmonious composition of daily choices guided by love.

Source: https://www.dehoniani.org