Pal. Aloyz Variara

Born in 1875 January on the 15th in Viargi, Italy. He arrived at the Salesian school in Valdok four months before Fr. Bosco's death. He described his first meeting with the Holy Educator as follows: "One afternoon we were playing in the yard of the oratory. Suddenly a voice was heard: Father Bosco! Father Bosco! We all ran to his side. We stopped him in a circle when he wanted to get out of the carriage in which he was returning home. Father Bosco struggled to get out of the carriage. He was without strength. I came as close as possible to him and could see him unhindered. I noticed, how he looked at me for a long time. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Father Bosco noticed something in my heart that only he could see."

Almost thirteen years old, Aloyz came to school in Valdok accompanied by his father. His father, an educated man, mentioned to his son the possibility of becoming a priest. Then the boy replied, "Dad, I don't feel called!" "Mary Help of Christians will help you feel it... Be good and learn!" Being in a new environment, Aloyz willingly participated in the daily games. He listened curiously to everything that was said about Fr. Bosco. Unexpectedly met Fr. Bosco's gaze gave Aloyz the thought of a vocation to the Salesian Congregation and to the priesthood. The boy was convinced that his father was right.

He became a novice at the age of seventeen. There were 138 novices. The postulate was carried out by Valsalic. At the age of nineteen he went to Colombia to work with lepers in Agua de Dios. In this town of about two thousand people, there were 800 lepers. Because of the risk of contracting leprosy, the civil and ecclesiastical authorities did not visit Agua de Dios. Fr. Aloyz's interest in music and theater helped him bring a new spirit to the "City of Suffering". in 1897 The Colombian Salesian inspector wrote to Fr. Rua: "The good news in Agua de Dios is that a wind orchestra is being formed to make life easier for lepers. It's only three months old, but it's made great progress. The young musicians - except for a few - are lepers: it hurts the heart and tears come to the eyes to see these poor people who spend all their days playing instruments. The music teacher is our cleric Aloyz Variara, our blooming oratorio to which young people from all the nursing homes come running, the heart".

The goal that Fr. Rua, sending cl. Variaro to Agua de Dios, was reached. Q. Variara, with her optimism and joy, brought a breath of spring into the gray everyday life of people affected by leprosy. Between classes Varians had time for learning, and especially for reading ascetic books. His daily agenda focused heavily on charity and service to the unfortunate. Fr. Crippa, who lived in Agua de Dios from the very beginning of the Salesian activity and became the second director of the community and the parish priest, testifies about him as follows: "Since he arrived in Agua de Dios, I noticed how he was touched by Fr. Bosco's saying that it is impossible to give to another what you do not have: that is, those virtues that you do not practice yourself. When he arrived at his new job, he not only tried to follow the Constitution of the Congregation, but also He continued his novitiate formation. He cultivated a sincere love for God. He was engaged in preparing children for the First Communion. He founded the Society of St. Aloysius. He sacrificed a lot for the sake of children and young people, often suffering from physical pain. Music and theater, which appeared in their spiritual and social environment, brought new life, but did they manage to reduce the suffering and isolation of these people from the world?

Aloyzas Variara became a priest in 1898. on April 24, at the age of 23. During the first five years of his priesthood, due to a lack of staff, the Inspector assigned him as the sole priest assisting the pastor and director of Agua de Dios. Fr. Aloysius was distinguished by special diligence in his life as a Salesian priest. 1901 July 22 the director and pastor wrote in a letter to the Inspector: "Every day Fr. Aloyzas spends 4-5 hours in the auditorium. He is very tired. I am afraid that he will not be able to withstand the daily work." The aforementioned Inspector in 1987. wrote Fr. Rua about the tireless Salesians at the shelter: "Agua de Dios, the largest leper center in Colombia, is a place of tireless heroism, full of fruit for heaven."

The shelter in Agua de Dios became a very lively parish, on the territory of which, in addition to the Oratory, a kindergarten, a school, and a school workshop appeared. Several new religious communities were founded. The Salesians gradually created the necessary conditions for the social upbringing, education and leisure of children and youth. Fr. Variara showed great initiative.

in 1905 May 7 founded St. Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. The innovation of that congregation was that unlike other institutes or monasteries, leprosy girls and healthy girls whose parents had leprosy were accepted. Fr. Variara was a reliever by nature. As an educator and pastor, Fr. In the spirit of Bosco, he became a Cyrene for people affected by leprosy and their attentive spiritual father. In his environment, he offered an ideal of life, which very clearly turned his gaze to Christ and to the other person. Unfortunately, the idea of ​​establishing a new congregation became a cause of resistance against its young founder. First of all in the Salesian Congregation, but not only there. The founder was just 30 years old. This was the first case when the brother had no doubt that we were shadowing Fr. Bosko to the Founder, decided to become a founder himself. Fortunately, Fr. In addition to praying and thinking, Variara asked her principal and her pastor for advice. Sympathy for the lepers joined their forces in creating a new activity that sparked resistance. Although the local elder supported him, Fr. Variara embarked on a multi-step Calvary path that led him to a kind of exile. Until the end of his life, the Inspector sent him to work in various Salesian communities, far away from Agua de Dios. This decision served so that St. The Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary has today the letters of its founder, which it would not have had he remained in the birthplace of the new congregation.

Died in 1923 in February 1 d. at the age of 48

in 2002 in April on the 14th Pope John Paul II announced Fr. I bless Aloysz.