| CURIA GENERALIZIA MARIANISTI Death Notice No. 9 (To all Unit Administrations): April 18, 2006 The Province of Italy recommends to our fraternal prayers our dear brother, BENIGNO VILLARDI, who died in the service of the Blessed Virgin Mary on March 28, 2006 in Rome, Italy in the 77th year of his age and the 57th year of his religious profession. Benigno Villardi felt ill on March 25th and was promptly brought to the emergency room of San Giovanni Hospital in Rome where he was placed in intensive care. On March 28th he died peacefully while the doctors were trying to determine the exact cause of his illness. His funeral was celebrated at Istituto Santa Maria at Rome on March 30 at which a good number of his relatives from northern Italy were present. He was interred on March 31st in the Verano Cemetery in Rome. Benigno was born in the Province of Verona on September 27, 1929. As an adolescent, he left his large family and his hometown in order to enter the Postulate at Brusasco (Turin) in 1946. He began the Novitiate at Giove (Terni) in 1948 and professed his First Vows on September 12, 1949. He entered the scholasticate at Pallanza and then in 1950 spent time at the General Administation Community in Rome. Later that same year, he joined the community at Brusasco where he made his Perpetual Profession on July 31, 1955. In 1956 he went to Giove and in 1965 he returned to Brusasco. From 1965 onward he would remain in community in Rome. Amidst the various postings and changes in communities, he was always able to maintain contact with his immediate family and close friends. A few years ago he chose to celebrate his 50th jubilee of religious profession in his hometown surrounded by all of his relatives. Within the different communities in which he stayed, he was always a very generous and dedicated laborer, working with precision. He loved to dedicate himself fully to his various services. Even, when he had to give up his work maintaining the swimming pool at the Sports Center of Rome, he lent his precious help and service to the General Administration on Via Latina. He always arrived punctually, with his smile, with his bag of tools, and without losing a moment, he got right to work. Even though illness and weak health eventually forced him to slow down in his work, it did not take away is availability to help when he could. He was always willing to do anything asked of him, especially to drive someone to the train station or airport. His death was rather unexpected.
There was no cause to believe that he would have such a quick and
sudden departure. In the late morning
of March 25 he attended Mass at Saint Mary Major for the Feast of the
Annunciation of the Lord. During the celebration he began to experience
the first signs of dizziness and illness. While recovering and under
observation at San Giovanni Hospital, a few days later, he died quietly.
May the Virgin Mary welcome him into the great family of Heaven.
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