JOSEPH DELAMA (priest)
Born: Trento, July 17, 1930, professed 1948, ordained 1955.
Died: Rovereto (Tn), November 5, 2020 (age 90).
He entered our IV high school in 1945 in Galbiate, Como (to day Lecco) as a member of the class that eventually gave the Lord 7 priests in 1955. As a young priest, he held various positions of responsibility: prefect of aspirants, teacher, bursar and provincial councillor.
The most splendid seal of his life was, however, that of "mission". At the request of the Bishop of South Africa, "Africa calls," he responded with great availability. He went there with Fr. Sandro Di Tullio on October 19, 1965 and he remained there for more than 50 years, standing out for his wisdom, humanity and empathy, which shone more in his smile than in his words; but also in his deeds: he was responsible for the construction of the Pastoral Center "Bertoni Centre" and that of the "St. Francis Village" for the elderly.
He was a zealous pastor and a well-liked chaplain to the Italians.
Returning to Trento after more than 50 years of work, he lived silently, still making himself useful in the ministry. There he was taken by the “coronavirus,” and he expired in the hospital of Rovereto with his rosary beads in his hands.
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At the beginning of last week (October 27-29) Fr. Joseph Delama fell several times in his room and so, on the advice of his doctor, we took him to the emergency room at the Civil Hospital on Thursday, October 29. The results of his tests were encouraging, but unfortunately, Fr. Joseph tested positive for Covid and therefore he was detained and admitted to the hospital in Rovereto (about 20 kilometers from Trent). Consequently, the confreres who were a part of the same community had to quarantine themselves as a preventative measure until they could be formally tested. Unfortunately for Don Joseph, while he was hospitalized, he could not have contact with anyone. The only person who could visit him was his nephew who is a doctor and he kept in close touch with the community in Trent. At the beginning of his treatment, Fr. Joseph was given oxygen to help with his breathing and a course of antibiotics. Sunday morning, November 1, however, his situation worsened and because he was having great difficulty breathing, it became necessary to administer morphine. His condition immediately became grave, and although he remained quite lucid, he died in the morning of Thursday, November 5, holding his Rosary beads in his hands.
Fr. Maurizio Baldessari
Remembering Fr. Joseph Delama by Fr. Gianni Piccolboni
To speak of Fr. Joseph Delama is to open an encyclopedia. He completed ninety years of age. During his long life, he spent more than fifty years in South Africa where he served as pastor in Pretoria North, as a military chaplain, as chaplain to the Italians in the Transvaal. He was also an enthusiastic jack of all trades in the many facets of construction and was a skillful electrician, carpenter, mechanic, and welder. He was an advisor and an ideal and sought-after confessor of priests and bishops.
Fr. Joseph Delama was part of the second wave of missionaries who left for South Africa in the 1960s. In those years, a great window opportunity was opening for the Stigmatines into the continent of Africa and this brought in a breath of fresh missionary spirit to our young students at that time. It opened the possibility of growing an international community, encouraging a theological formation on site; that is, in those countries outside of Europe in which a future Stigmatine could be assigned to develop the Congregation’s apostolic ministry.
A propitious opportunity presented itself to Fr. Joseph in 1965 when he was asked take two theology students with him to South Africa to complete their studies in that nation. They were Lino Vinco and Giancarlo Mittempergher, both now in eternal life with the Father. That journey opened a new horizon that changed his life. He saw the first six Stigmatine pioneers already in the midst of their work in South Africa and that opened his heart to see the immense vastness of the territory entrusted to them, the great distance they had to travel, the many Christian communities thirsting for evangelization, and the impassable roads, especially in the rainy season. He saw the state of the schools that the missionaries supported at great sacrifice and he realized the necessity of a scholastic education. Meeting with the Bishop of Pretoria, he was given a message to be delivered to his superiors in Verona: Africa calls! Answer the call as soon as you are available.
After completing his last preparations including a course in London to learn English and taking some time to say goodbye to family and friends, he returned to South Africa. The Father Provincial saw his organizational capacity as well as his wisdom and from then on he was entrusted with the administration and organization of the mission as Regional Superior.
Everyone had to study the local language to be able to fully develop the missionary ministry and to be able to listen to the people. The era of the catechists who served as mediators between the missionaries and the local population was coming to an end.
Meanwhile he petitioned Verona for reinforcements. Very soon, two more theology students would leave for Pretoria to complete their theological studies together with the diocesan priests.
The departure of Fr. Joseph for Africa had a domino effect. In those days, he was a very popular priest with many of our young students. They competed to have him as a spiritual director and looked to him as a shoulder to cry on. On a Sunday evening in the autumn of 1965 in Bovolone, together with Fr. Sandro di Tullio, he received the missionary mandate with the sign of the Cross from the church in Verona. The tears bathed our cheeks, but the desire to follow him grew in our hearts. He left on October 18 for South Africa for good and so a new era for the Stigmatine Congregation was born. It launched another fruitful leap in missionary spirit and opportunity. After a few years, the borders of the Ivory Coast opened, and after that, other African nations, too. At the same time, many others set sail for Brazil and in later years, frontiers were opened in Asia, in the Philippines and in Europe, and we also began to speak German and English.
Fr. Joseph spent more than 50 years in South Africa. When he saw that he could no longer keep up with the younger generation there, he accepted the invitation to return to Italy.
Last summer, in June, he celebrated his 65th anniversary of priestly ordination at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes that he had seen built.
Our fellow nationals of Johannesburg and the pastors of Pretoria urge us to give a last greeting and to thank this man of great good works, for the many weddings he celebrated and for the many visits he made to those in hospital. We have received many other messages of condolence. He was a kind man, full of humanity and empathy. He was a good Christian and a zealous priest.
The South Africans also remember him for the beautiful construction of the pastoral center, the “Bertoni Center” and for the construction of the Little Village of St. Francis as a house for the elderly, which he did not see completed. He was welcomed almost as a family member in many Italian and non-Italian families. He kept in touch with them and had a good word for everyone.
He worked in the vineyard of the Lord from the early hours of the day and he did not complain of the cold or of tiredness after a long day of work. He never demanded anything. He spent his life entirely for the other. He tried to form in himself a portrait of Christ in the many little and big things he did, always with a simple heart.
His spiritual life was solid and in the end he gave himself over to the readings and to deepening his own spiritual understanding. The evening of his life arrived unexpectedly and rather suddenly. His health had been rock-solid and the sunset of this life seemed it would be long and serene, but instead the storm hastened his decline.
“Lord, we entrust him to your goodness and your mercy. Place in his hands that payment that you agreed with him at the start of the work day when you hired him for your vineyard. He will accept it without question. Welcome him with the warm embrace of the Father that every son waits for from you.”
Written by Fr. Maurizio Baldessari, Superior and pastor of the Community in Trent:
“In these years, although he was limited in his abilities, Fr. Joseph was able to celebrate the Eucharist and hear confessions, a precious pastoral service. He was a man of prayer of a serene and cheerful nature.
He hardly ever complained of his aches and pains and he didn’t suffer either from his deafness (notwithstanding his daily battles with his hearing aids.)
Fr. Joseph had a significant place in our community because of his fidelity to various daily tasks. He spoke little, became very tired listening to our discussions, given his deafness, but his face always bore a smile and he always gave thanks for any gesture of attention shown to him.
We thank God for having had the joy of the presence of Fr. Joseph all these years.”
Italiano
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