The CV Fr Peter Serracino Inglott had penned on a paper napkin when he failed to find any proper stationery, led to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini’s mark of disapproval, making it impossible to register with any theology colleges in the diocese of Milan. In the final excerpt from his biography PSI Kingmaker, the author Daniel Massa traces Fr Peter’s determination to become a priest; a remarkable resilience that eventually even won over the grace of the Cardinal himself.
After the jocular CV delivered on a paper napkin failed to amuse Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, Peter would often wake up in a sweat with the words of the Archbishop of Milan ringing in his ears: “I’m afraid you will not fit in my Seminary!”
This paper napkin incident threw his theological journey off the pre-determined course. The Italian professor, who had secured his scholarship to Milan, was extremely disappointed when Peter recounted what had happened at the Milan Curia.
He drove to the Università Cattolica, where it was suggested that Don Valerio Vigorelli could offer Peter hospitality at the Scuola Beato Angelico .Years later, Peter recalled how difficult it was to find a place where to study theology. He tried registering at the Pontifical Faculty in Venegono, but no luck. Next, he tried the Capuchins — they offered him coffee and… a flat rejection!
Once Cardinal Montini had said no, they would not dare! Peter’s mentor, Don Marco Melzi, remembers: “Peter was having difficulties finding a place where to study theology.
In Milan, nobody would accept him, but at Beato Angelico we welcomed him as our guest. The day Peter arrived, Don Valerio was away. Over supper we started talking. It was obvious Peter knew more than I did even though he was so young… I felt sure he was called to be a priest.”
However, once he was branded with Cardinal Montini’s mark of disapproval it was impossible to register in the diocese of Milan. That CV penned on a paper napkin proclaimed Peter as lacking in canonical fitness. Peter, however, was sure of his vocation.
He considered rejoining Francois Tollu at the Séminaire des Carmes in Paris. Then he discovered that some 30 kilometres away, in Varese, the Franciscans Minor had a theology school in Busto Arsizio and thankfully, the seminary was outside the jurisdiction of Cardinal Montini.
Peter talked to the Rector who kept asking searching him questions in light of Sedes Sapientiae, the encyclical on the formation of religious. His answers persuaded the Franciscan Rector that Peter possessed the right qualities, so he was registered at their Collegio Teologico.
He continued to reside in Milan, under the direction of Don Valerio Vigorelli, the Director of the Beato Angelico community, who was responsible for him to the Archbishop of Malta.
Every weekday, Peter would take a bus to Stazione Nord. There was no underground station then and only one early train stopped at Busto Arsizio. Peter arrived well before the lectures started and he would walk along the Olona River watching the ducklings following mother duck among the bullrushes.
Fr Peter Serracino Inglott died in 2012.After successfully completing many courses at the Collegio, Peter was to be ordained sub-deacon. It was with some trepidation that he took this step. He was helped through this process by praying, fasting, adoration of the blessed sacrament, and long hours of meditation in the small chapel downstairs, where the titular painting highlighted the Transfiguration of Christ.
Peter recalled: “Georges Bernanos wrote that there’s a specific moment in Christ’s life when we can truly meet him, which then becomes our vocation. For me that specific moment is the Transfiguration, Christ revealing himself sub-specie pulchritudinis, through divine beauty; that is my vocation.
”The next step, ordination to the diaconate, was the true sacrament. This was the real watershed. Peter remembers long searching conversations with Don Marco Melzi encouraging him throughout his spiritual journey to discern his true vocation.
Towards the end of June 1962, the ordination of Peter as priest was near; the culmination of years of study of philosophy and theology at Oxford, Paris and Milan. His vocation was about to be fulfilled.
He knew he had to face Cardinal Archbishop Giovanni Montini, who two years earlier had stalled his progress towards the priesthood. He bore the cardinal no ill will, and in a way he was almost grateful that the paper napkin incident gave him the opportunity to leave the high road to discover new paths and byways.
The strangest CV he had ever seen
When Peter was ushered in to meet Cardinal Montini, a benevolent smile spread over his face — he distinctly remembered the strangest curriculum vitae his eyes had ever seen.
He’d kept it as a memento of Archbishop Gonzi’s bizarre sense of humour. Well, whatever it was, this red-haired young man in front of him had shown remarkable resilience and dedication to his priestly vocation, so the Cardinal opened his arms wide in a gesture of welcome.
Peter was extremely happy his mother Mary and uncle Ugo had travelled to Milan to share this special occasion with him. The ordination for the priesthood took place on Friday, June 29, 1962, at the Duomo in Milan; the second-largest Catholic cathedral in the world.
On that day, which coincided with the feast of St Peter and St Paul, Peter was driven for the most important appointment in his life. On arrival at the square, Peter’s mother and relatives marvelled at the beauty and grandeur of the Cathedral.
But Peter was hardly aware of the crowds of visitors, priests and guests moving to their reserved seats. He was not visiting to admire the gothic glory of the Cathedral but to meet his Christ. Mass was due to begin.
The fragile voices of the choir and solemn organ music reverberated through the naves, as Cardinal Montini, Archbishop of Milan, walked in procession towards the main altar. Cardinal Montini’s homily dwelled on the nature of priestly apostolate, stressing the role of the priest as teacher and shepherd.
Then followed the investiture with stole and chasuble and the anointing of hands with chrism. Cardinal Montini read out the formula: May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the Christian people and to offer sacrifice to God.The next day, Fr Peter — as he remained fondly known by all those who knew him — celebrated his first Mass on his own in the chapel of the Transfiguration at the Beato Angelico with nuns, and his family present.
Tears of joy flowed from his mother’s eyes, even the effusive Don Marco Melzi was teary. Everybody was expecting him to return to Malta with Archbishop Gonzi asking questions. But since Peter had yet to complete his doctorate, he still had one more year to go.
Reflecting on this juncture in his life, Fr Peter says: “Many urged me to take up a teaching post in Milan. I had been ordained priest on behalf of Archbishop Gonzi… but Cardinal Montini did his best to persuade me to stay in Milan. He said in Malta we had more priests than we needed, whereas in Milan there was a real shortage.
Now in Cardinal Montini’s good books, made some contacts and assured Fr Peter that both Giuseppe Lazzati, professor of patristic philosophy, and Piero Zerbi, professor of church history were willing to take him on at the Cattolica. However, Archbishop Gonzi was insisting that he wanted Fr Peter to return to Malta to teach philosophy, insisting that while he had many priests here he had nobody to take on the professorship of philosophy.
The author Daniel Massa“I was very tempted to take up a post at the Cattolica, but I told Cardinal Montini I had promised Archbishop Gonzi that after my ordination I would return to Malta for at least a few years… and that is what I did. I kept my promise!”
This is the sixth and final article in a series of weekly long reads from the biography of Fr Peter Serracino Inglott — PSI Kingmaker — to mark the 10th year from his death. The book is available via https://bit.ly/PeterSerracinoInglottKingmaker.