Vincenzo Cimatti comes from a family of saints: he is venerable, his sister, Sr. Maria Raffaella, of the Congregation Hospital Sisters of Mercy, has been beatified; Luigi, a Salesian Brother, missionary in Latin America, died in the odour of sanctity.
Born in Faenza on July 15th, 1879, Vincenzo lost his father at the age of 3. He became a Salesian at the age of 17, a priest at 24; he obtained a Diploma at the Conservatorium of Parma and degrees in Agriculture, Philosophy and Pedagogy in Turin. And yet he used to say: “I would willingly give away all my degrees to deserve the grace to be a missionary”.
Nevertheless, for about twenty years he had to stay in Turin. With total devotion he fulfilled many roles: dean of studies, professor, music teacher, principal, rector of the community of Valsalice, which was dedicated to the formation of clerics. He had a profound influence of his students, who always had for him a high esteem.
On Christmas 1925 the then Rector Major Fr. Philip Rinaldi sent him as head of the group to found the Salesian mission and presence in Japan. He will work there for 40 years. He conquered the Japanese with his artistic talent and even more with his goodness: he directed many concerts with resounding success; he went to the poorest, the children, the aged, the sick. With very poor means and despite difficulties of all kinds, he integrated in the new environment with enthusiasm, fervour, prudence and pastoral charity.
He loved Japan as his second home country and assimilated its costumes and traditions. He opened orphanages, oratories, vocational schools, a publishing house. In 1935 the mission of Miyazaki-Oita was erected as Apostolic Prefecture and Fr. Cimatti was its first Superior. But to his friends who had sent him from Italy the vestments of “Monsignore” he sent them back, saying: “Sell everything and send me money for the poor”.
He later became Provincial. After the trial of war, he reconstructed again with redoubled courage. Eventually he retired, to leave his place to the young. He died at 86 years of age, on October 6th, 1965. He had said: “I would like to die here to become Japanese soil”.
