BRAZIL/ROME, Maria Fischer with contributions from Fr. Wolfgang Weiss SAC, Fr.. Clesio Facco CAS, Sr. M. Rosequiel Favero (tabormta.org) •
At noon on 18 May 2017, Fr. Wolfgang Weiss CAS, Rome, sent an email to inform “schoenstatt.org and Belmonte” about the death of Fr. João Quaini CAS.
“The Brazilians knew him,” he wrote, and that is true, since he was a well-known Pallottine for those that went to Tabor Shrine, and for his work with the Catholic Apostolic Society (CAS) Historic Commission; he was in Rome many times. Fr. João Quaini CAS, died on the 16th of May.
Every morning before celebrating Mass for the Sisters of Mary, Fr. João prayed in silence in Tabor Shrine. Around 2:00 p.m., he would be in the Shrine again praying the Rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours, or in Adoration.
Fr. João was beloved by the Santa Maria Schoenstatt Family, mainly by the pilgrims to the Shrine that he joyfully served as confessor. He was chaplain to the Sisters of Mary, and he celebrated Mass daily in Tabor Chapel. Moreover he celebrated in the Shrine, in Schoenstatt Movement gatherings, or for pilgrim groups.
Fr. João had a doctorate in philosophy, and he knew several languages. He collaborated in the translation of several Schoenstatt books like the biography on Joseph Engling called ‘Nosso Irmão Maior” (Our Eldest Brother). He was responsible for several translations for the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign’s International Congress held in Santa Maria in 2016.
On the eve of this month’s Covenant Day dedicated to the Mother of God, his coffin was taken on the same road that he used daily from the Retreat House to Tabor Chapel, passing by Tabor Shrine. At 3:30 p.m., Fr. Clesio Facco, the provincial of the Pallottine Fathers accompanied by several priests, celebrated a Mass of farewell.
Vale Vêneto, Fribourg, Rome, Santa Maria…
Fr. João Baptista Quaini was born on 10 July 1930, in the Pejucara/RS community, son of Líbero Quaini and Judith Lorenzoni. The couple had 11 children; Fr. João was the firstborn. Fr. José Spönlein, pastor of Holy Divine Spirit Parish of Santo de Cruz Alta/RS, baptized João on 3 August 1930. João was from a truly Christian, agricultural family. In addition to Fr. João, Fr. Luiz and Sr. Lydia followed a religious vocation.
After his primary studies in Pejucara, Fr. João entered the Queen of Apostles Seminary in Vale Vêneto/RS in March 1946 for his secondary studies. On 2 February 1951, he went to Augusto Pestana/RS for the novitiate. He had lived in Rome since 15 October 1952, where he studied philosophy at the Gregorian Pontifical University, and on 15 October 1954, he traveled to Fribourg, Switzerland, to study theology and obtained the doctorate in philosophy.
Fr. João was consecrated to God on 2 February 1953 during the time at the Catholic Apostolic Society in Rome; his Perpetual Consecration was on 2 February 1956 in Freiburg. He was ordained priest on 14 July 1957, at the age of 27, in Fribourg, Switzerland.
Fr. João carried out his apostolate for 30 years as the professor of Philosophy and Theology at the Major Seminary in Santa Maria/RS. He taught philosophy at the Federal University of Santa María/RS for eighteen years.
He worked in the Diocesan Institute of Diocesan Catechetical Ministry (DCM) for 18 years, in a course, which, at that time ran from March to December.
He was the Provincial Rector of the Nuestra Señora Conquistadora Province of Santa Maria/RS for two three-year periods. He was Rector of the General House and Vice General of the Catholic Apostolic Society (SAC).
He was pastor of the Body of God Parish in Vale Veneto/RS for three years.
He was spiritual director of the diocesan major seminarians from Santa Maria, Uruguaya and Cachoeira del Sur. He preached many retreats in Brazil and in other countries.
He was appointed as a member of the SAC Historic Commission in 1999, and he dedicated the investigation and he wrote the history of the Province of Nuestra Señora Conquistadora, of Santa-Brazil, from its beginning to the present time.
He was a chaplain to the Marist Brothers, the Carmelite Sisters, and the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary for many years.
He dedicated himself greatly to the translations of texts and letters, since he knew Greek, Latin, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, French and German very well.
He wrote books and articles especially about the life and the work of St. Vicente Pallotti and about the Province’s history.
He always believed in the gift of life, and he struggled in its favor. He had a cerebrovascular incident, a thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. He underwent surgery for a brain tumor three times.
He departed to the Father’s House on 16 May 2017, after being in ICU at Charity Hospital of Santa Maria/RS for several days.
Original: Portuguese, 19 May 2017. Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA. Edited: Melissa Peña-Janknegt, Elgin, TX USA
