Xaverian Fr. Vasco Milani will shed his winter parka when he departs for the tropics in Brazil at the end of January. The missionary priest has spent the last eight years in the Milwaukee Archdiocese. (Photo by Sam Lucero)

 

Globetrotting Vocation takes Fr. Vasco Milani to Brazilian Slums.

hen Fr. Vasco Milani joined the Xaverian Missionaries in 1967, at age 26 in Italy, he knew he was beginning a life of globetrotting. In the 36 years that have followed, Fr. Milani's call to carry God's word to the ends of the earth has taken him from the jungles of the Amazon in Brazil to the tranquil Xavier Knoll in Franklin and many parishes and schools in between.

Ironically the Italian who was born in the Province of Padua in Italy, has spent the greater portion of his life outside of Italy. He's packing his bags again at the end of this month, leaving the Milwaukee Archdiocese for the third time, heading for another assignment in the slums of Belen, Brazil. For a time, he will be one of two Xaverian priests ministering to about 80,000 Brazilians, most of whom live without electricity, telephones and indoor plumbing.

The Gift

“Then”, said a rich man, speak to us of Giving.”
And he answered:
“You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you of yourself that you truly give.
What are your possessions for but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?” 

 From the Prophet

Admittedly facing the new assignment with a bit of trepidation, Fr. Milani, 61, in an interview with the Catholic Herald at Xavier Knoll, said, "I'm half fearful because I've been away (from Brazil) for eight years and the situation I'm going to is much different than where I was before. But I also go very happily with the strength and health the Lord has given me.

"I look forward to being able to learn and grow with the people (of Belem), to learn of the human dignity of all and to discover the hand of God among them," he said. Fr. Milani first arrived in Franklin a year after his ordination and spent eight years as procurator/treasurer of the order's Wisconsin home. From 1976 to 1981, he served in the Amazon Jungle before returning for a five-year stint in the Milwaukee Archdiocese. From 1986 to 1994, he worked in the Amazon and in 1994, returned to Franklin, this time as rector of the order's college program, formation director and treasurer.

"I've picked up more titles as the number of priests diminishes," he joked. In addition to living in community with four other Xaverian priests and three students, Fr. Milani and the other Xaverians are regular help-outs at several archdiocesan parishes and three area nursing homes. They also maintain Xavier Knoll as a retreat center for local groups and raise funds for the work of Xaverians worldwide. During the summer months, he frequently crisscrossed the state giving mission presentations.

No matter whether ministering to the impoverished in the Amazon or the comparatively wealthy in Wisconsin, Milani stressed that his guide is the Gospel. "We try to continue the mission of Jesus in announcing his good news and bringing healing, comfort and signs of God's love to others. Any significant way we can do this comes from the mission story of Jesus," he said.

Milani said his greatest challenge as a priest is watching the diminishing numbers of men and women willing to carry on the work as religious. "It can be difficult to keep up the courage to continue doing what we are doing in spite of the shrinking number of vocations. As we get older and don't see anybody following behind us -- or just a few -- we wonder what will happen. Some might say we've done all we could, let's fold up." Fr. Milani said he prefers to look upon the situation as a challenge for the future.

He noted that when he joined the Xaverians, there were about 600 priests worldwide. Today there are about 850, but the majority of the new vocations come from Mexico, Indonesia and other countries served by the missionaries over the years. Far fewer numbers come from Italy, the home of the order's founder, Blessed Guido Maria, the United States or Europe.

Fr. Milani described his key task in Brazil as encouraging the formation of small Christian communities among the Brazilians who for the most part have been baptized Catholic, but have had little training in the faith. He said several Protestant denominations have made strong inroads among the people, but stressed these faiths preach miracles, rather than teaching that "with God's help and hard work, we can together step by step bring about change."

Fr. Milani expects his Portuguese -- one of five languages he speaks fluently -- to come back easily upon his return to Brazil. He knows, however, that he will have to get used to the Brazilian culture again.
"If someone says they will see you around 10 a.m., they may show up later that day, even the next day," he recalled, explaining that punctuality is not a typically Brazilian attribute.

When he arrives in Belen, Fr. Milani will find a church center with an open-air church, day care center and local pharmacy. Leaving Wisconsin will be difficult, he admitted. He's even sorry to leave Wisconsin's bitter cold winter. "I'll miss the comforts I have here, even the weather is more comfortable compared to the hot, tropical weather that is humid all the time," he admitted. And saying good-bye to friends is always bittersweet. "I've found the people in this community very welcoming. They're open to the idea of mission and have cooperated with us in many ways, always contributing with their time, talent and treasure, so to speak. I've made many friends and acquaintances during my time here and it's made it all worthwhile."

One of Milani's more vivid memories of the area came a year and a half ago while he was trimming trees on the order's 28-acre Franklin property. A self-described nature-lover, Milani was high in the tree cutting a branch, but fell 15 feet to the ground. Ironically the accident occurred on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi and the same day when a professional tree trimmer was killed while on duty in Milwaukee. Milani believes St. Francis gave him a helping hand that day, as all he suffered was bruised, sore ribs. 

"The Lord was watching over me that day, I guess and I think he was telling me it wasn't my time yet, I have more work to do." That work is awaiting him in the slums of Brazil -- and who knows, said Fr. Milani, maybe after a stint in Brazil, he'll return to the Milwaukee Archdiocese yet a fourth time.

— By Maryangela Layman Román, Catholic Herald Staff —