In Pace Christi

Fr. Igino Leso was born in Villafranca (Verona Province) on 13 December, 1926. Among his many memories of his peaceful childhood, the loss of his mother stands out. She was a victim of the bombing towards the end of World War Two. The journey to the priesthood began in 1942, at Brescia where Igino arrived after a few years of technical school in Verona. He joined the novitiate at Venegono Superiore where he made his first profession on 15 August, 1946. After a year in the scholasticate at Rebbio, he went to Troia and Sulmona and returned to Venegono for the final year. Fr Igino was ordained priest on 7 June, 1952, by Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster. He was appointed to the Apostolic Schools: Sulmona (one year), Pesaro (two years), Crema (one year) and then, as superior, to Carraia.

His first missionary appointment was to South Sudan but, since he could not obtain an entry visa, he was sent to London to learn English. In 1961 he arrived in Uganda and worked first at Gulu and then at Anaka with Fr. Emilio Spreafico, to learn Acholi. After a year, Mgr. Giovanni Battista Cesana put him in charge of the cathedral of Gulu, for four months as curate and then as superior and parish priest. In June, 1965, after just a few years in the mission, obedience called him back to Italy.

In 1970, Fr. Igino returned to Uganda as parish priest of Kitgum – the most fertile period, perhaps, of his missionary life. In 1975, he was expelled with other confreres from Uganda. He was sent to London as superior of the community of Dawson Place. When the time came for him to move, instead of leaving for the mission as he desired so much, he was appointed to the Curia in Rome where he was also superior. He worked in the parish, took part in Pastoral Councils of the Vicariate and of the Diocese, in the Council for Religious and the Pastoral Council of the Episcopal Conference of Italy. He also worked at the Holy Office for matrimonial cases (the Pauline privilege) and the causes of priests where, he said: “I could feel the pulse of the Church, the heart of the Pope and the gentleness and wisdom of Cardinal Ratzinger”.

After eight years in Rome, he returned for the third time to Uganda in 1989. There he remained for the rest of his life, first at Moyo as chaplain to the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and then, in 1990, at Gulu where there was still war in the air. He was superior of the mission and parish priest, spiritual director of the Seminary of Lacor, spiritual assistant at the Cathedral and of the parish of the Holy Rosary, as well as being procurator, Bishop’s Secretary and, as such, duty bound to attend all the important events of the diocese and record them. He was also very attentive to the education of the youth.
Fr. Igino died in Verona on 14 January, 2012. His funeral services took place at the Mother House and at the Parish Church of Sommacampagna (Verona Province) where he was buried. On 18 January, the community of Holy Rosary Parish gathered for a special requiem Mass for the repose of his soul.
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 251 suppl. In Memoriam, aprile 2012, pp. 62-67.