Giovanni Antonio Farina

Blessed Giovanni Antonio Farina ( born January 11, 1803 in Gambellara, Italy, † March 4, 1888 in Vicenza) was a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.

Life

As the second of five brothers Giovanni Antonio was born on January 11, 1803, his parents Pedro and Francisca Bellame and the entire family tended a religious life. When his father died, took over his uncle Father Antonio caring for the boy. He was then on his uncle as a model and his mentor. At the age of 15 years, Giovanni came in 1818 in the seminary of Vicenza and took over 21 years, the first lessons.

Priests and teachers

On January 15, 1827 he was ordained a priest and received the diploma for primary school teachers. His teaching skills meant that he was called at the seminary for sprirituellen Director, this activity he held for 18 years. There followed then a chaplain to, later, he became the rector of a secondary school in Vicenza. In 1831 he founded a girls' school, whose line 1836 as confirmed by the, by the bishop and founded Luca Passi ( 1789-1866) in the School Sisters of St.. Dorothea ( Suore Maestre di Santa Dorotea ) was taken. He was particularly anxious blind girl and mentally to help the sick, he organized the care for the sick and the elderly, both in hospitals and at home.

Bishop

On May 25, 1850 Giovanni Antonio Farina was appointed bishop of Treviso; Pope Pius IX. confirmed the election on September 30th of the same year. He received his episcopal consecration of the Bishop of Vicenza, Giovanni Giuseppe Cappellari, on 15 January the following year. Co-consecrators were the Bishop of Adria, Bernardo Antonino Squarcina OP, and later Bishop of Padua, Federico Manfredini. During his ten -year tenure, he led many pastoral initiatives, promoted the formation of priests and laymen, and sat down for evangelization and Catholic Action in Italy. Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto He dedicated in 1858, the future Pope Pius X, a priest.

On June 18, 1860, the appointment would come as Bishop of Vicenza, which was confirmed by the Pope on 28 September of the same year. Here he continued his pastoral initiatives, cared for the spiritual and cultural formation of the priest did reforms in the seminary and organized care for the poor. He was soon called "Bishop of charity ". In 1889 he held a diocesan synod and attended visitations to every parish of his diocese. 1875 approved the establishment of the Bishop Farina led by Gaetana Sterni Sisters of the Divine Will.

Beatification

Suddenly, after a commenced since 1886 illness, he died on March 4, 1888 of a stroke. On November 4, 2001, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II, His feast day was set on March 4. On April 3, 2014 decreed Pope Francis as part of the canonization process, the recognition of a miracle, which is attributed to his intercession.