Don Giuseppe Borea was above all a priest. A passionate and generous priest who, a martyr of our time, died in hatred of the faith on February 9, 1945. His earthly history is a wonderful mix of love, faith, service and charity. And of pain. Pain faced. Pain experienced to the fullest. Pain offered. A shining ecclesial example in the resistance to Nazi-fascism, the slander of which he was the victim failed to erase his memory from history and from the hearts of the people who knew and loved him. Born in Piacenza in 1910, tried 34 years later by an extraordinary military tribunal and killed by a firing squad of the Republican National Guard, Don Borea still embodies today the choice to give his life for others. He died speaking words of forgiveness. (Lucia Romiti, Author of the book GIUSEPPE BOREA, WHEN LOVE IS STRONGER THAN HATE. Ed. Il Duomo, Piacenza)
Biography
Born into a deeply Catholic family, Giuseppe entered the seminary in 1925 at the age of 15 and finished the fifth gymnasium in the 1928/29 school year. Between 1930 and 1936 he attended courses in the seminaries of Fidenza and Bedonia to then finish his theological studies in 1936 in Piacenza.
He received the consecration on March 28, 1936 in the Cathedral of Piacenza. After the consecration he became assistant to his uncle Don Riccardo Scala in S. Maria in Gariverto in Piacenza. Subsequently he became curate first in Morfasso and then in Bardi. In 1937 he held the position of rector of Obolo, a small hamlet located a thousand meters high in the Piacenza Apennines in the municipality of Gropparello, where he will remain until 28 January 1945, the date of his arrest, working for the well-being of the parishioners .
Since he was called to run the parish of the small hamlet of Obolo in the summer of 1937, he began to work for the good of his parishioners, gaining their trust and respect. He had the church and the rectory restored and supported the parish choir, guiding it with mastery. It is due to his perseverance that the electric line was built which allowed the houses in the hamlet to have electricity.
Support for Catholic Action
She encouraged the activities of Catholic Action and in the year 1938/39 the Women's Association of Catholic Action "Santa Lucia di Obolo" received a diploma of honor from the Curia of Piacenza for having finished as equal winner in the Diocesan Religious Race.
Don Borea's support for Catholic Action can be seen in a document archived at the Curia of Piacenza which exposes the incident that took place in the churchyard of Obolo on 7 May 1939.
"Mr. Tauri Giovanni, president of Catholic Action and bell ringer, after the Sunday afternoon function went out into the churchyard and the Political Secretary of Gropparello, Mr. Pietro Vallavanti, asked, pointing to the badge that the young man was wearing: "What a badge Is that it?”, Tauri replied: “It's the badge of Catholic Action”. The Political Secretary added: "You also know that you cannot wear the AC badge". Tauri replied: "My parish priest told me that I can take it". The Political Secretary then snatched away his badge and slapped him and added: "And now go and tell your parish priest that there is something for him too". Tauri immediately entered the rectory and reported the episode to the parish priest[…]. Although he was invited not to go out, the parish priest immediately went to the churchyard and asked the reason for this way of acting, adding that they could come to the rectory [...]. The parish priest asked the Political Secretary if he had the written authorization to remove the badge of the CA [...] As he got into the car the Political Secretary asked the parish priest to show his mandate and the parish priest presented the text of the agreements stipulated between the Secretary General of the Fascist Party and the Central President of Catholic Action on August 25, 1938. [...] The Political Secretary loudly stated that he had never met such a "strong-headed and superb" priest. (Extract from the report presented by Don Giuseppe Borea to the Curia of Piacenza)
Don Giuseppe Borea in the period of the Resistance
After 8 September 1943, the Apennine mountains and also the territory of Obolo will become the scene of blood and sacrifice and from that moment the life of the priest was directed towards the care and protection of those, partisans and non-partisans, who found themselves in situations of need and danger.
He became Military Chaplain of the 38th Brigade of the Valdarda Division. He took care of the spiritual assistance of the partisans, but also of that of the enemies who were gradually taken prisoner in the improvised mountain prison camps, constantly making sure that they received humanitarian treatment. The door of his rectory was always open to welcome and share a meal with anyone.
Don Giuseppe Borea was awarded the Silver Medal for Military Valor on 6 February 1973 by the President of the Republic Giovanni Leone and on 24 July 1977 the National Association of Christian Partisans awarded him the Gold Medal of the Resistance. Three streets in the Piacenza area are named after him.
Joseph Borea. When love is stronger than hate
The story of Don Giuseppe Borea/ Edited by Giampaolo Chinosi
The history of your Association
it is made up of many “saints next door” – many! –,
and it is a story that must continue:
holiness is a heritage to be guarded and a vocation to be welcomed.