Suddenly passed away about 10.45 on 11 June 1992. He was 77, 59 of profession and 50 of priesthood. Since over 10 years he bestowed to this community his powerful charge of brotherhood, of sheer exemplarity, of tirelessness in looking for all Community duties which he could still fulfil notwithstanding his failing health. Just in the midst of one of these household chores the Lord called him while, with shovel and rake he was tidying up the garden and a small courtyard under a burning sun: I found him lying prone on the ground, perhaps already lifeless. While the doctor and nurses, who had rushed in with the ambulance, were trying artificial resuscitation I could provide the beloved Fr Armando only the “conditional” unction of the Sick. Since over 15 years he lived with the "after effects of diaphragmatic infarction, serious column and coxofemoral arthrosis". Sometimes arthritic pains worsened and he was forced to use, lately, two small crutches. Besides this, he suffered from a severe hearing-impairment.
Dear Fr Armando confidentially opens out to us with the following confession made in the parish of his homeland, while all the people were feasting the 100 years of his mother Emma who outlives his firstborn to the ripe old age of 103. "First-born, I came to light after years of fervent prayers on your part, Mother, of your warmest novenas to the Madonna and of an unequivocal promise you gave that if it was a boy you would have him consecrated to her. Your prayer was answered not only with the arrival of a child, but as much as seven children, all welcomed as God’s blessing. When I was reached by Lord's call to the priesthood in the Salesian Congregation, you only encouraged me and when I chose the missionary life and at the young age of 17 I set off for the Holy Land, you and dad gave me your blessing. There was a moment really sensitive and difficult for me: I was still young cleric, with the temporary vows, and the enemy of souls was getting round to convince me that I could serve the Lord also going back to the family. I showed the mother a photograph taken in the Holy Land with some brothers of the community in which I was living. Some of those brothers had abandoned the vocation and returned home. My mother asked me the reason of such action which, on her opinion, was so serious and to my reply that they had left Lord’s way for personal reasons and on the grounds that they no more felt like carrying on a way full of sacrifices, remained a few moments lost in thought and then said: "I would feel better getting the news announcing my son’s death than that of his giving up his holy vocation." These heroic words uttered during my most important moment of struggle for perseverance in the vocation, were the right medicine that saved, mom, your firstborn from making the biggest mistake of his life. "This fact, on the far 1938, brightly enlightens the Salesian, priestly and missionary life of Fr Armando: brightens his faithfulness, his priestly zeal, his commitment to young people, his high degree of religiosity.
Born in Pontevigodarzere, near Padua, on 4 /09/1914, he entered the Salesian School in Ivrea in 1927. In 1931 he reached the Holy Land and the following year he made his first religious profession in Cremisan. There he stayed two years attending philosophical studies. From 1934 to 1938 was in Suez, for the training period. Meantime he obtained a diploma of qualification to teach elementary school in Rhodes (1935) and Scientific High School Diploma in Istanbul (1937). In 1938 he took the perpetual vows in Bethlehem where he was ordained priest on 6 July 1941, the centennial year of Don Bosco ’s ordination. (In his home country he celebrated the first Mass only in 1950, after 12 years he had not gone back to his family). During the year of diaconate was assistant to his fellow students of theology and he held such office as new priest too, from October 1942 till the departure for Iran, in July 1945. In Iran he stayed until the expulsion of the Salesians by Khomeini’ followers in 1980: those were 35 years of intense, joyful Salesian apostolate.
Last year he had celebrated his 50 years of priesthood. This year we were preparing to celebrate his 60 years of religious profession. Dear Fr Armando was a successful Salesian educator. Entrusted with invigilation, in Suez too, to those, who, seniors to him, gave him tips of pedagogy, he showed that his teaching practices were more successful than those of his workfellows. In Tehran, for all those years and with the direct responsibility of Head teacher – entrusted with discipline (we might say nowadays) has succeeded in creating a climate based on preventive system of goodness and gentleness, although with the need of a solid human, but demanding, cultural formation: its famous whistle obtained a quick answer by the hundreds of students in moving proof of what Don Bosco used to say: "Whoever is loved gets all, especially by young people."He has always been able to win his helpmates ’s heart and, especially of his most dear young people. Let's imagine a scene in which he had to give a student a tell off : without letting other people become aware of it, he often shared a tear with him. Such was his heart! exceedingly sensitive and very gentle as that of a Father who forgives and always treats with familiarity. Sensitive and delicate as the heart of an artist: Fr Armando loved and exploited the music, song, the musical band, the gymnastics to bring thousands of young people up to real life, in the Salesian way. As in other matters, in this too, he managed quite well, since he was equipped with a self-taught tough practice and with his unmistakable qualities of mind and heart, made to win the hearts of the young and thus lead them more easily to the good. He was able to practise music and singing in this School too: in the Church willingly accompanied and sang almost solo; in refectory accompanied with the accordion and was delighted at getting played his favourite songs; in the quiet of the Community the singing emerged from his lips while passing from one place to another.
By these means too he has spread the cheerfulness in teaching the joy of life and in most recent years marked by increasing physical and moral suffering has been able to carry on serving the Lord in godly high spirits edifying everybody.His brothers, deeply affected by his sudden disappearance, perpetuate his recollection and admiration: "Fr Armando was for me, the most close friend, the most pleasant person and the best brother." “ It was a pleasure to chat, spend time with him: although hard of hearing he understood, indeed sensed, understood and rated." "always cheerful, was a source of joy, of goodness of high spirits, a real community-maker." "Utterly faithful to his duties, always on time to acts of piety; on June, Sunday 7 , closing day of the monthly retreat, in the morning he made his confession as Don Bosco wanted and hoped.'' “His obedience, respect and devotion to the superior was at the utmost degree and did not tolerate that anybody should speak evil of him." We still ask everybody to intercede for his soul, but especially we ask the Lord to have dear Fr Armando intercessor in the joy of Holy Trinity (The homily on the SS. Trinity has never come out of the typewriter ) of Mary Help of Christians, of Don Bosco and our Servant of God Simaan Srugi. We believe that Fr Armando now united to Christ, even in death, is waiting the blessed resurrection and invites us and encourages from the dwelling of the saints with the words of Christ: " I won the World." We ask a remembrance for this House which wants to shine on its hill as a place of significant spiritual proposal and insistent prayer for the beatification of our servant of God Simaan Srugi, as a blessing for the Holy Land. Sac. Ilario Martinelli and European Community Data for the obituary: Sac. Armando Vettore , born in Pontevigodarzere (Padua) September 4, 1914, dead in Beit Gemal (Israel) June 11, 1992 at 77 years of age 59 of religious profession and 50 of the priesthood.
Note:
For those who remember Father Vettore with his accordeon at school yard singin;
"Mamma, son tanto felice"
Here is the song by Luciano Pavarotti
Dear Father Vettore Rest in Peace and thank you for every thing.
" Faculty Biography - The information on the fathers was requested and received by Robert Dabaghian from Salesian archives in Rome, Mr. Stefano Muro kindly undertook the task of translation from Italian to English. "
