JESUS, THE CENTER OF HIS LIFE

 

Another young man who is an example to our 21^st C. youth is BL. ALBERTO MARVELLI, who was a member of the Catholic Action movement. He was noted for his defense of the poor and for selflessness during World War II in tending to the homeless and wounded despite the devastating air raids while placing himself at risk. He also saved numerous people from deportation, freeing them from sealed train carriages before the train could set off.

 Bl. Alberto was also an active champion for social justice and was known for giving his possessions to the poor and homeless, especially during the harsh winter periods. He served as a town councilor for some time after the war and helped in restoration efforts though he died in an accident before election as a Christian Democrat candidate.

 Bl. Alberto was born in 1918 inFerrara as the second of six children to Luigi Marvelli (a bank clerk) and his wife Maria Mayr. In his childhood Alberto was known for being  thoughtful with an enthusiastic willingness to aid other people. His mother, who herself worked in charities,  was a great influence on his religious formation and often invited the poor to their home. The Marvelli's moved to Rimini in 1930 where Alberto attended the Salesian "oratorio" school and was involved with the Catholic Action group in his parish from the age of twelve.

One childhood friend of his was the filmmaker Federico Fellini. Alberto loved all kinds of sports, especially cycling. His father died unexpectedly on 7 March 1933, leaving his wife to take care of the children alone. It was some months later in October that Alberto began to keep a spiritual journal.

In 1936, aged eighteen, he was elected president of the Italian branch of the Catholic Action movement. He continued his studies at the University of Bologna where he graduated in 1941 with a degree in engineering and began working with the Fiat company in Turin.

 He left soon after for conscription into the armed forces in Trieste but was exempted from it after a few months on the grounds that two of his brothers were already in service. It was not long after this that he began teaching in a high school.

 Throughout World War II he continued to serve the poor at great personal cost and risk to himself. His family was forced to move to Vergiano, seven kilometres from Rimini, because of the devastating air raids. Despite the risk to his own life, after each bombing he would go back to Rimini to help the wounded and those made homeless by the attack.

 He is known to have given even his bicycle and the shoes off his feet to those most in need. He also gave out food to them as well as mattresses and blankets for their comfort.  Bl. Alberto wrote in his diary: Jesus has enfolded me in his grace. I no longer see anyone but Him, I think only of Him”. Bl. Alberto made the daily Eucharist the center of his life.

Once the war had ended, the interim authorities entrusted to Alberto the task of housing allocation and he proved an able administrator. Months later he was appointed to the town council. He opened a soup kitchen for the poor where he himself served and as co-founder of Italian Workers' Catholic Action formed a cooperative for construction workers.

He agreed to run in elections as a candidate for the Christian Democrats around this point but died before the elections.People still voted for him though his mother took his place as a candidate.

Bl. Alberto  was killed in the evening of 5 October 1946 when a van belonging to the armed forces struck him on a dark road as he cycled to a polling station for an election meeting. In 1968 his remains were placed in the Sant' Agostino church in Rimini in a decorated tomb. The then Prelate of Loreto, Archbishop Angelo Comastri, speaking on Vatican Radio, said that "one can be in politics and be a saint" as shown by the blessed’s life. He also pointed to the way in which Alberto had shown a level of honesty and integrity in his political activity not always found in the arena of politics.

The miracle that led to his beatification was the healing in August 1991 of a doctor from Bologna named Tito Malfatti of an aggressive hernia. Over 250 000 people attended the beatification celebration

Today, the Church needs young people to be heroic witnesses and the life of  Bl. Alberto  is an important lesson for high school, college and young adults living in an age where there is so much hopelessness. He stands along side of Bl Carlos Acuti and Bl.Giorgio Frasetti.