Pope John Paul I, the smiling Pope
Albino Luciani
He was born at Forno di Canale (now Canale D'Agordo), diocese of Belluno, Italy, on October 17th 1912. His parents were: Giovanni Luciani and Bortola Tancon.
There were four children of the marriage: Albino, Edoardo, Nina, and another brother (who died young) Federico. Edoardo lives at Canale with his wife, Antonietta Marinelli; they have 9 children. Nina is Ettore Petri' s widow and she has two children.
Albino’s childhood was developed between the beauty of the valleys and mountains of his native home, suffering shortages during World War I, knowing poverty closely . He was a restless, strong boy, and vivacious. At 10 years of age, his vocation to the Priesthood was born - thanks to a Capuchin friar’s preaching. In 1923, he entered the Minor Seminary of Feltre.
In 1928, Albino Luciani entered the Seminary of Belluno. On July 7th 1935, he was ordained as a Priest.
He was chaplain in the parish of his native town and then at the parish of Agordo, where he also taught religion at the Minerary Technical Institute.
In 1937, he was named as Vice-Rector of the Seminary of Belluno. He was professor of Moral and Dogmatic Theology, Canon Law and History of the Arts.
In 1947, he was awarded his Doctorate in Theology by the Gregorian Pontifical University of Rome.
In 1949, he organized the Eucharistic Congress of Belluno and published his book "Catechetic in breadcrumbs".
In 1954, he was appointed as Vicar-General of the diocese of Belluno.
On December 15th. 1958, he was appointed as Bishop of Vittorio Veneto. He received the Episcopal consecration on December 27th. 1958, from His Holiness, Pope John XXIII, at St. Peter’s Basilica. For 11 years, he developed his ministry in this diocese. In 1962, he started his participation in the Second Vatican Council.
" I am thinking that during these days the Lord uses his old system on me : He takes the little ones from the mud of the street and He puts them in high places. He takes people from the fields, the nets of the sea, the lake, and He makes Apostles of them. It is His old system. Certain things the Lord does not want to write on bronze, nor on marble, but in the dust, so that, if the writing remains without being deleted, without being scattered by the wind, it is clear that everything is His work and everything is for the glory of God (...). In this dust, the Lord has written the Episcopal dignity of the illustrious diocese of Vittorio Veneto ".
(From the homily given on Jan 4th, 1959)
On 15th December 1969, he was named as Patriarch of Venice. Pope Paul VI created him as Cardinal of the title of San Marco on March 5th 1973. For three years (1973-1976) he was Vice-President of the Italian Episcopal Conference. He took part of the Synod of Bishops in 1971,1974, and 1977. In 1976, his book " Illustrissimi " was published; a compilation of letters addressed to the most varied personages of history and of literary fiction.
" Personally, when I speak alone with God and the Virgin, more than adult I prefer to feel young. The mitre, the skull cap, the ring disappear; I send on holidays the adult and also the Bishop (...), to be abandoned to the spontaneous tenderness that a boy has in front of Dad and Mum (...). The Rosary, a simple and easy prayer, as well, helps me to be a child and I am not ashamed of it, at all "
(From " My Rosary ")
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On August 26th 1978, in a conclave which lasted one day, he was elected as St. Peter’s 263rd successor, taking a double name for the first time in the history of the Popes. His official ministry began on September 3rd, with a Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Square. He returned to Father’s Home on September 28th 1978, 33 days after his election.
" To love means to travel, to run with the heart towards the loved object (...) To love God is, therefore, to travel with the heart towards God. A very beautiful trip (...) the love to God is also a mysterious trip, that is, one does not undertake it if first God does not take the initiative (...) This means, to love God not a little but very much; not to stop at the point where oneself has been arrived but, with His help, to advance in love ".
(Homily from the General Audience Sept 27th 1978)
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