A joyful and meaningful event for the memory and identity of a Piarist presence took place on 1 July in the territory of our parish of St Bartholomew in Sovigliana (Vinci). The summer heat in the early afternoon did not deter a good group of parishioners, priests, relatives and friends from attending the ceremony to dedicate a public garden in memory of Fr Giovanni Grimaldi.
He arrived at this parish in September 1985, accompanied by his brother Silvio, coming from the parish of St Bartholomew in Siena — heir in some way to the renowned and praiseworthy Piarist presence at the Tolomei College and the “Royal Tommaso Pendola Institute for the Deaf”. He was soon joined by Fr Natalino Ragazzini, who would become Rector of the Sovigliana Community, and by Fr Mario Ancillotti, while Fr Gualtiero Silicani, initially also assigned to Sovigliana, was instead sent permanently to the community of San Giovannino in Florence. Fr Giovanni guided the parish community with dedication and commitment until 2009, when he was appointed Rector of the Community of Empoli and Master of Novices.
Several people spoke during the ceremony: before the unveiling and blessing of the commemorative plaque, there were words from the Mayor of Vinci, Daniele Vanni, who took up the legacy of those who had known Fr Giovanni more directly (Senator and former mayor Dario Parrini and his immediate predecessor Giuseppe Torchia), as well as from Fr Sergio Sereni, the Provincial. Following the brief ceremony, the Holy Mass was celebrated, presided over by the Provincial and concelebrated by the parish priest, Fr Andrés Jr Dragon Ramos, and the assistant parish priest, Fr Tommaso De Luca, along with several priests from the vicariate of Empoli–Montelupo and beyond: Mons. Renato Bellini, parish priest of Santa Croce in Vinci; the Carmelite Fathers from Santa Maria a Ripa; Fr Guido Engles, parish priest of the Collegiate Church of St Andrew in Empoli; and Fr Servais Oyetunde Ayeni, parish priest of Martignana and Monterappoli.
In his homily, alongside a personal remembrance of Fr Giovanni, the Provincial drew upon two images from the first reading: Sodom and Gomorrah contrasted with Jerusalem. Even if, in the “city of man” — in our own communities — evil, disorder, division and ugliness may seem to prosper despite our service to God and neighbour, we can be certain that, as in Jerusalem, “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day” (Psalm 46:5). Goodness — as Fr Giovanni showed in his life — grows even unnoticed; we must trust in God and go out to meet our neighbour. That is why his life made possible culture and teaching, closeness and attentive listening, pastoral work with families, youth, vocations and missions, frankness and good humour — uniting very different people and realities.
At the end of the celebration, there were three heartfelt and moving testimonies: from his sister Lola, who came from their hometown of Bracigliano (Salerno), with her husband Michele, their children, sons-in-law and grandchildren; from Roberta Vezzosi, who recalled Fr Giovanni’s missionary and youth work in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, especially the journeys and work camps organised years ago in collaboration with Setem-Tuscany to offer concrete help; and from Grazia Becarelli, who underlined how self-giving was central to Fr Giovanni’s life: his way of dealing with people, of being a confessor, of understanding weaknesses without condemning them, his seemingly gruff nature that softened into a smile, and his quiet role as inspirer and founder of the association Porte Aperte APS, to which he gave the motto: “Good is done in silence; everything else is stage.”
Ubi Missa, ibi mensa. So, at the end of the celebration, the guests shared dinner in memory of a beloved brother, pastor and friend, and to raise funds for work to be carried out on parish buildings — another matter close to Fr Giovanni’s heart. His family offered a symbol of their native land: Bracigliano cherries and dessert. During the evening, his many relocations were also recalled, along with what Fr Giovanni himself said had been his guiding principle, almost a spiritual testament: “Ask for nothing, refuse nothing. This is my promise to God. The humility of saying yes to a request […] With Jesus, we have the guarantee of loving.”
Fr Tommaso De Luca Sch.P.
