BR FRANCIS ZAMBONI, S.J. (1854-1929)

Brother Francis Zamboni, SJ

"Early in 1878 Fr Provincial announced that the Mission of Mangalore had been entrusted to the Society: those who wished to volunteer for it had to apply to him. Out of the many applicants a few were chosen, and of these the first to leave India were Fathers Mutti, Maffei, Sani, Br Meneghetti and myself. After receiving in Rome the blessing of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, we sailed from Naples towards the end of November taking with us Fr Muller of the Maryland Province, and reached Bombay a few days before Christmas. We spent Christmas in that city and then along with Fr Stein and Fr Ehrle, we took sail for Goa to venerate the body of St Francis which was exposed and ask the Saint to bless our work. We found Fr Pagani who had been appointed Superior of the Mission and Pro-Vicar Apostolic. We left Goa in company of many Mangalorean pilgrims, and reached Mangalore on December, 31 at 10 a m. When we landed we found the bunder all decorated and a multitude of people anxiously waiting for us. A reception was held in a splendid pandal erected for the purpose; and an address was read to which Fr Pagani answered appropriately. A long procession was then formed of people and bullock carriages. On reaching the Cathedral, Fr Pagani went up to the altar and after the Mission was handed over to him by the Carmelities, he intoned the 'To Deum and gave Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Afterwards we were taken for dinner to the Fathers' House, where we were waited upon by three Seminarians that still remained; all the others had been sent home for want of means. In the afternoon we were conveyed to Jepoo, which was the only house that was given us and which then consisted of the entrance bungalow, a few rooms for Seminarians and a small chapel. Thus, happily ended my first day in Mangalore. I could not guess that it would be the beginning of a long series of ever happier days, for fifty long years." Thus wrote Br Zamboni on the Golden Jubilee Day of his landing on the shores of Mangalore, 31 December, 1928. He was the only one alive of the first nine. Fr Quintus Sani had died three days before at the age of 83 in Mantova.

"Ever happier days, for fifty long years and the secret of his 'ever happier days' lay in his deep spiritual life. He was humble, he was a man of God. In his daily routine of duties of every type, but which were of the humbler type he ever seemed to be going about them for God alone in the service of his brethren. A saint who ought to be canonized" so wrote categorically Mr. John Rasquinha from Kathiawar on hearing of the Brother's death on 13th July, 1929 within a year after his fiftieth year in India.

Francis Zamboni was born near Trent, then as Austrian town, in 1854. We have hardly any record of his early home life. At the age of 15 he was admitted in the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits were then a persecuted lot and Francis followed the vicissitudes of the persecuted Venetian Province, shifting from place to place. In 1873 we find him in France and then back again in Italy. His wanderings ended when he landed on the shores of Mangalore on the last day of 1878. From then on, as if in compensation for a shifting life of 10 years, he remained in Mangalore for fifty years and of these, with the exception of two years which he spent in the Seminary, he spent in the College. 'He never left the Edya Hill' was the comment made by one who wrote to the Rector of the College in the condolence letter he wrote on the Brother's death.

And what did the Brother do during those forty-eight years at the College? The Annual Catalogue of the Venetian Province which gives the status of the Jesuit, repeatedly has the same work noted against the name of Br Francis Zamboni sacristan, infirmarian, barber, for the house. The last for the house included every readiness to do any kind of odd job for the house. In a word, he was in charge of all the daily but humbler works in a religious house. In his obituary, it was noted that he made himself useful in everything at the College except in direct teaching. Fr Torri wrote of him The sacristy was his paradise". "I am witness" writes another to the meticulous care with which he handled all the things used in the liturgical service the vestments, chalices and patens, the ciborium and the altar linen. Everything was spotlessly clean; each in its place. I had chance to see a set of ornate Italian candlesticks after eighteen years of use. They were as bright as new". It must have been from him that the well-known Mirniam (sacristan), Salu who served the College as sacristan for fifty years, learnt his love of cleanliness, sense of order and duty.

Words repel, example attracts' goes the saying. Not a few students used to go to the Brother ostensibly to receive a picture or medal from him but often to speak a word or two with the Brother and for his kindly words. On his Golden Jubilee Day in India, one of these students of the College wrote from Bombay, "My dear Rev. Brother, I write to tell you how happy I feel that God has spared you to celebrate the fiftieth year of your landing on the shores of Mangalore with the firsf batch of Jesuits. I had not a better friend than yourself during my school and college days, and my good father used to hold you up to me as a pattern of meekness and kindness. It was my supreme delight to have a few minutes of conversation with you whenever I visited Mangalore and I cannot forget the kindness of Fr Perazzi who permitted me to see you in your sanctum.."

For years Br Zamboni was a kind and sympathetic infirmarian not only to his religious brethren but also to the students. An old patient of the Brother bore witness to his sweet infirmarianship in an acrostic written by him on the occasion of the Brother's Jubilee day.

Brother! thou last of nine heroic sires! 

Rejoice to see us gathered round they chair 

On this Jubilee so golden fair 

To sing a hymn of praise with Agnel Choirs 

Harmoniously recounting their lyres 

Each godlike deed bespeaking tender care, 

Replete with genuine love and potent prayer, 

Zealously breathed mid pain that never retires, 

Accept as token of our heartfelt thanks 

Many a Mass-Memento-visits and 

Beads too-from patients tended by your hand - 

Of them in chief, that live in Brothers' ranks 

Near Jesus' Feet and Mary's knee. We'll pray 

Imploring them to bless thee every way.

Within a year after his Golden Jubilee in India on 13 July, 1928, Br Francis Zamboni died. He had been preparing for the day and he accepted it with perfect peace. When the news of his death spread the only whisper that was heard was 'A saint has died". And when we have said that we have said all. It was vox populi which is vox Dei: may it be vox Ecclesiae.

This above material is taken from the book "Restless for Christ - Lives of Select Jesuits who toiled in the Karnataka Province" Series - III