In Pace Christi

Giovanni Migliorati, son of Santo Migliorati and Teresa Smussi, was born in Pavone del Mella, in the Diocese of Brescia, on 24 August 1942. After elementary school in his native village, he entered the Comboni minor seminary of Brescia on 3 October, 1953, and went the following year to Como and then to Crema. In November 1954, his family moved to Bassano Bresciano.

Giovanni completed secondary school and did his philosophical studies at Carraia (Lucca) from October 1960 to August 1963; subsequently he went to England for the novitiate (1963-1965).

He made his first profession on 9 September, 1965, and was recalled to Italy to study theology at Venegono Superiore, Varese (October 1965 – June 1969). In the course of his fourth year of theology, he took final vows on 9 September 1968. On 5 October 1968, he was ordained deacon and then priest on 12 April 1969, at Bassano Bresciano (Brescia), by the diocesan Bishop Msgr. Luigi Morstabilini.

In November 1969, Fr. Giovanni arrived in Ethiopia and soon began to study the Amharic language in Addis Ababa where he stayed for a whole year. He received his first missionary posting in 1971, to the parish of Fullasa, among the Sidama (Apostolic Vicariate of Hawassa). This meant he had to learn another language, Sidamo. Fr. Giovanni stayed at Fullasa as director of the primary school and curate.

In August 1973 he was given the task of opening a new mission among the Ghede’o, at Arramo (also in Hawassa Vicariate but in an area with a different language). After a short time, in January 1974, Fr. Giovanni was sent to Uganda for a year of study at the Gaba Pastoral Institute where he was awarded a diploma in catechetics in order to take charge of the newly-opened Inter-diocesan Catechetical Centre at Dongora (Hawassa Vicariate). He was director of that Centre from November 1974 to November 1979. During that time, he was in contact with many parishes and religious institutions of the south and west of the country and personally visited those who were trained at the Centre.

In 1979 he was appointed Novice Master of the Ethiopian Comboni novitiate at Hawassa, combining this post with that of director of the primary and middle schools of the city and pastoral work in the large cathedral parish. Later, in February 1984, when the novitiate was closed, Fr. Giovanni was appointed vocations promoter of the Vicariate.

He received further responsibilities when, in January 1986, he was nominated Vicar General Delegate of the Apostolic Vicariate of Hawassa and, in June of the same year, he was made Parish Priest of the cathedral and member of the Pastoral and Presbyteral Councils. In 1989, when the bishop opened the minor seminary of Hawassa, Fr. Giovanni was its first rector.

In October 1993, after 24 years in Ethiopia, his superiors called him to Europe for a period of service which he carried out for seven years in Warsaw, Poland, as director of the Comboni postulants. This was a gratifying but very difficult ministry due to the Polish language. While he was in Poland, he did further studies and obtained a Licentiate in theology, specialising in Liturgy and Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Warsaw (3 June 1997).

He returned to Ethiopia, after an absence of eight years, on 8 November, 2001, and was made rector of the major seminary of Hawassa in Addis Ababa. While there he also taught Introduction to Vatican II, Missiology and Pastoral Theology at the St. Francis Philosophical and Theological Institute, run by the Capuchins. He became spiritual director of that institution in October, 2003.

At this stage he had had vast experience in this field and had acquired broad pastoral knowledge in the Vicariate of Hawassa as well as the mastery of the language.

He was consecrated bishop on 31 May, 2009, as the third Vicar Apostolic of Hawassa, after Msgr. Armido Gasparini and Msgr. Lorenzo Ceresoli, both Combonians.

Though a bishop, he always was a parish priest at heart and was always available to the faithful and open to all. With his ardent pastoral zeal, he was a true pastor after the example of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for his sheep: in this fashion, Bishop Yohannes, as he was called, lovingly pursued his ministry to the end.

On 27 March, 2016, despite feeling very weak, he celebrated Mass at Hawassa and immediately left for Italy for a medical check-up. His condition unexpectedly and rapidly deteriorated. On 12 May, Msgr. Giovanni died in Brescia at the age of 73 years.

The funeral Mass and burial took place at Bassano Bresciano on 15 May, 2016, Pentecost Sunday. At the same time, a Mass was being celebrated in Hawassa Cathedral. A further Mass to be celebrated in the same Cathedral was organised for 15 May and duly celebrated in the presence of the Apostolic Nuntio to Ethiopia, the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries, Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, a number of bishops from the diocese of Ethiopia, priests, religious and thousands of the faithful from all over the country.
Da Mccj Bulletin n.270 suppl. In Memoriam, gennaio 2017, pp. 83-88.