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WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID AND WRITTEN ABOUT HIM

 

 

     POPE LEO XIII
He is one of the most learned and holy prelates of the Church.

 

    

      POPE SAINT PIUS X

(During an audience with the Bishop Mons. Ferretti ) “ And what about Del Corona, what is he doing? Take good care of him, you know! That one is a saint!”
A great saint.
The religious, apostolic and inner life of this famous prelate is very apt to motivate the Clergy to strive for true perfection; it encourages people to follow with love such an illuminated man, all those people who would be happy to embrace the convent life, but do not dare because they imagine difficulties that cannot be overcome [….], since he represents the austerity of the ascetical life disguised by enchanting sweetness and grace.

 

 

 

 

ERMENEGILDO FLORIT, CARDINAL, ARCHBISHOP OF FLORENCE

The perfume of the virtues and the fame of the unique values which adorned the humble son of the leghornese shop-keepers Del Corona, the good and faithful disciple of Saint Dominic in San Marco Convent, the learned and very pious Parson of San Miniato Church, keep living […] and His memory is greatly venerated and blessed.
 

 

 

 

 

      ANDREAS FRϋHWIRTH, Cardinal, FORMER GENERAL MASTER OF THE DOMINICAN ORDER

[Mons. Pio A. Del Corona] never forgot the humble and poor life from the convent times.

 

 

 

 

BLESSED HYACINTHE-MARIE CORMIER, GENERAL MASTER OF THE DOMINICAN ORDER

We met this friend of God and men when many years ago, as a young priest, full of life, he began his Dominican career in San Marco, Florence.
Each time we passed from there, it was a happy moment for him.
The enthusiasm he showed for the study of Oriental languages as a means to better understand and use the Holy Books, revealed a spirit which was open to every great thing, able to distinguish the needs of the Church.[…]
We saw him again when he started to work on the creation of the “Asilo” and we went, to make him happy, to visit the new-born little family settled in the villa of Santa Marta.
We were so impressed to see his love for the Order, his humility, the spiritual union, the opening of hearts, regardless of the challenges and sacrifices of the first days! That was a spring of religious life, whose flowers watered by the doctrine, warmed by the charity of the Founder, became beautiful fruits […].
At last we could see him more after he resigned in order to retire in San Domenico di Fiesole. He loved to receive us in his cell, which was a real hermitage full of his prayers, his studies and each time we went there, we were struck by his kindness. […]
We used to see him then at the Divine Office, he was always in time and we heard him singing the psalms with a voice that was still young, full and bold which started from the nave of the Church and filled the whole Chorus.
 

 

 

 

 

     FATHER ANICETO FERNANDEZ ALONSO, GENERAL MASTER OF THE DOMINICAN ORDER

So much prestige he gave to the Church and to the [Dominican] Order with his learning and especially with his virtues.
 

 

 

 

      MONS. LUDOVICO FERRETTI, Bishop of Colle Val d’Elsa, biographer of Mons.Del Corona

The holiness features are those which in every aspect of the precious existence of this very religious and pious bishop reveal themselves and dominate over any other quality of nature and talent; and it is no wonder that among the people from every context and social background, coming from near or far, the idea that he deserves to be elevated by the catholic Church to the honours of the altars is gradually arising. Also, the news has spread of the many graces obtained owing to the invocation of him or to the touching of his relics, even in places where he was not known in his life. […]
If a day comes [Translator’s note: The writing dates back to 1927], when the Church, as it may be hoped, recognizes the heroic virtues of this Servant of God and let us hear his solemn voice, in confirmation of his holiness, this will be certainly echoed by many witnesses of famous members of the Episcopate, of renowned representatives of any class, and, the unanimous voice of entire peoples, in which his memory is still living, greeted as “Angel of goodness” who passed through life without failing under the world corruption and diffusing everywhere light and love.
 

 

 

 

 

MONS. FELICE BECCARO, Bishop of Saint Miniato.

His figure is too shiny and sublime to be fixed by our feeble eye or qualified by the poverty of our expressions.[…]
We can certainly apply to this holy and learned Master what we read in the introduction of the Saint Doctors Mass: “In the middle of the Church God opened his mouth and filled him with learning and intellect and covered him with the mantle of glory”.
 

 

 

 

 

      MONS.LUIGI ROMOLI, Bishop of Pescia

The first meeting I had with Mons. Del Corona was in the Monastery of the Holy Spirit […], when I was just eleven years old, I was brought to greet the Monsignore and to receive his blessing before entering the Apostolic School [Translator’s note: This school was held by the Sisters and had been founded by him], it was October 1911. […] I do not exactly remember what his impact on me was and what feelings his figure provoked in me.
On the contrary I remember, and they still resound in my ears, the words of wish and encouragement that he told me while blessing me and giving me a little holy card which depicted the Virgin Mary. He told me: “Good start, better end”. […]
After that, I saw the Archbishop many times in the months that followed, till his death […] In the last period of his illness we (the college-fellows) were also invited to pray for him […] A detail above all has remained in my soul and it is the joy that spouted from the most recondite self, the most intimate parts of me that elevated me above in highness, over the stars, until reaching God; a joy that captured my spirit and which arrived, as a way to say, to fill with sweetness even my mouth, as if I had eaten some honey. And all this without me knowing nor realizing about the reason of it.
 

 

 

 

 

      MONS. ISMAELE CASTELLANO, ARCHBISHOP OF SIENA

Of the venerated Archbishop Mons. Pio Alberto Del Corona I know the writings, of which it can truly be said what Saint Bernard states about the very Holy Name of Jesus Christ: “they are honey on the lip, melody to the ear, joy to the heart”.
 

 

 

 

 

 

MONS. PIETRO GIUSEPPE GAGNOR, Bishop of Alessandria

I did not have the chance of knowing him personally but I remember very well that, in the years of my Dominican youth, he was known for being exemplarily zealous, prudent and pious; he was a learned man, a good writer and a lofty teacher; but above all he was a religious person and a prelate of holy life.
I remember that our venerate Novitiate Teacher often mentioned him to us as an example of a pure Dominican life, and as model of humility and apostolic zeal. He still lives in the valuable works which he has left about theological and ascetic doctrine, inspired by Dominican and Thomistic values.
 

 

 

 

 

MONS. REGINALDO GIUSEPPE M. ADDAZI, Archbishop of Trani and Barletta

The figure of this prelate stands out, always impressive, in the heaven of the Church. His holiness, his learning, his apostolic activity witnesses his greatness.
 

 

 

 

FATHER MARIANO SARDI O.P.

In 1910 I suffered an acute soar throat. Inhalations, breathing in rooms saturated with vapours…everything was useless!
In June 1912 I was sent as a teacher to the San Miniato seminary. I went to the “Asilo” to see the Monsignore [Translator’s note: he no longer was Bishop of that Diocese] and I told him: “They want to send me in your diocese for the seminary. I do not know how I will be able to do it, my voice does not work anymore. Please give me a blessing”.
He put his hands on my head saying with his quivering voice: “Liberet te Deus a malo gutturis”.
That worked more than any inhalation! No more pains, no more difficulty in talking, I went to San Miniato a few months after the death of the Monsignore.
From 1912 to 1920 I taught even five hours every day […] and my voice always served me magnificently.
 

 

 

 

 

      FATHER GIACINTO D’URSO O.P.

As an angel, Mons. Del Corona was always near the throne of God; and, when talking to men, he was nothing but a heavenly messenger.
 

 

 

DON LIDO FRANCHINI

He still appears to us with his pastoral in his hand, symbol of government, of teaching, of correction, ready to open to us the treasures of his divine goodness with the golden key of his charity.
 

 

 

 

 

Mons. Romoli together with Pope Pius XII 

 

Mons. Castellano and Father D’ Urso in the ‘ 60

 

 

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