RMG – Three more Salesians reach the Garden of Heaven

21 April 2021

(ANS - Rome) - With deep sadness in their hearts, but with the certainty of faith in the resurrection, the Salesians of Venezuela announce that on Friday 16 April, due to Covid-19, Fr Bruno Masiero (81 years old), former Provincial in the years between 1996 and 2002, and Luigi Verdecchia (78) passed away. Both Salesians, born in Italy, had been present in the country for over 55 years and had recently celebrated their 50th anniversary of priesthood. In the same period, and again because of Covid-19, the Province of Peru also announced the departure of Fr Yul Soto, 55, Delegate for Missionary Animation.

Fr Bruno Masiero was born in Treviso, Italy, on January 28, 1940, but he attended the novitiate in Venezuela between 1959 and 1960. Perpetually professed since 1966, he was ordained a priest in Italy in 1971. Novice Master from 1985 to 1991, he was also Director of the houses of San Fèlix, San Antonio de los Altos, Caracas-Macaracuay and Caracas-Sarría, and from 2014 until his death he was Director and Pastor of the work in the “El Concejo” district of Valencia. For the Province of Venezuela, in addition to being Provincial, over the years he also held the positions of Delegate for the Association of Mary Help of Christians and the Parishes; and for almost 12 years he accompanied the Volunteers of Don Bosco (CDB) of Venezuela as Delegate.  

Fr Luigi Verdecchia was born in Guarcino (Frosinone, Italy) on January 25, 1943. Having trained as a Salesian between Chile and Italy, he made his first profession in 1961, the perpetual in 1966, and was ordained a priest in 1970. Among his many roles over the years, he was Economer of the Salesian houses in Valera, at the Lyceum "San José" in Los Teques, and at "La Dolorita" in Caracas, and parish priest at Carrasquero-El Molinete and Curação, in the Dutch Antilles (dependent on the Province of Venezuela).

Fr Yul Soto was born in Huaripampa on 11 August 1965. A Salesian since 1984 and a priest since 1994, he attended the Theological Institute of Turin-Crocetta and served in a variety of positions (Director, Economer, Oratory Director, Parish Priest) in many works of his Province: Arequipa, Piura, Quebrada Honda, Monte Salvado and Pucallpa. In addition to the post of Mission Animation, which he had been carrying out for a year, in the past, he had also held that of Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry (2004-2006).

"While we thank God for their lives and their apostolic ministries, let us pray for the eternal rest of their souls," said the Salesians of Venezuela.

“We thank you, good Father, for the gift you gave to Salesian Peru with this dear brother, Fr Yul Soto! His missionary role, his Salesian passion, his closeness and fraternity, will surely bear fruit in the many hearts that have known him,” said confreres from Peru.

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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