Rev. Fr. Vincenzo Prandi, OSJ

He was born in December 30, 1892 in Alba, Italy

A few months after his priestly ordination, he was called to serve as a chaplain in the Italian Light Infantry Corps and was sent, during the whole period of 1915-1918, to the front, in the midst of a raging war. When he returned to the Mother House, he was prefect of the theologians. In 1921, he left as a missionary for the Philippines.

He was the pastor of Taysan and then Cuenca, where he built a church in brickwork replacing a shed-like structure made of wood and bamboo which he also had founded.

In 1932, he became the Superior of the mission and was transferred to San Jose as parish priest. In 1938 he took part in the Fourth General Chapter in Asti.

Few years after he returned to the Philippines, he, together with the other Italian OSJ missionaries, found himself in the war between the Americans and the Japanese. During the Japanese occupation, he experienced several painful hours and threatened repeatedly of having aided and defended his parishioners accused as rebels. He tried to intervene when some of his parishioners were held captive but to no avail. They even bound him and threw him in a hut with the other prisoners. The next day they were carried in a truck to an unknown destination. They had been brought to the bank of a stream where they were gunned down. The others had died instantly, but Fr. Prandi, seriously wounded and fallen into the bed of the dry steam, rose to sit down, making the sign of the cross towards their assassins. So a soldier pierced him through several times with his bayonet. But since he still showed signs of life, that same soldier finished him off by breaking his head with the butt of his rifle. This was on January 27, 1945. His remains were found the almost five months after, on June 6, identified because of some golden teeth and was properly buried in the cemetery of San Jose. He lived 36 years of his life as a religious and 30 years as a priest.

Rev. Fr. Giovanni Boccignone, OSJ

He was born on January 26, 1893 in Montemagno, Alessandria, Italy.

A year after his Perpetual Profession, still a cleric, in 1921 he left for the Philippines. Like other Italian missionaries, he also studied and learned the native language and the local habits and customs. In 1922, he was ordained priest in Lipa, Batangas.

He was first assigned as parish priest of Cuenca. A year after he was assigned in Taysan where he stayed for around thirteen years.

In 1936, he was forced to return to Italy due to his failing health. Late in his life, he became blind and had to abandon all his ministry and activities. He died on June 22, 1959 at the Mother House, Asti.

Rev. Fr. Luigi Mortera, OSJ

He was born in Camiglie d'Asti, Italy on March 31, 1898.

At the age of nine, he entered the Congregation. He was not even a priest when he joined the second group of missionaries for the Philippines. They left Italy in 1921. He was ordained in Ibaan, Batangas in 1923.

From 1923 to 1938, he worked in the parish of San Jose, Batangas, first as assistant and then as parish priest.

In 1938, he took part in the Fourth General Chapter in Asti. When he returned to the Philippines, he went to Rosario where his brother, Fr. Egidio was staying and later he became its pastor.

During the Second World War, he suffered so much with the atrocities he witnessed from the Japanese invaders. He also saw how they destroyed the convent and the parish church.

He rebuilt his residence as soon as possible and in 1946, he inaugurated also the church, an improvised building just so he could start the life of the parish.

In 1963, with his health very much compromised, he came to Italy to be able to rest for a while. But his plan to return to the country never happened when he suffered a fatal heart attack on October 11, 1963. At his funeral in Asti, Msgr. Olalia, Bishop of Lipa, was present. He lived 46 years as a religious and 40 years as a priest.

Rev. Fr. Egidio Mortera, OSJ

He was born in Cariglie d'Asti on April 21, 1889.

He entered the Congregation at age 17 and was ordained Priest in 1921.

For five years, he worked in Fulgor in Asti. In 1927, he left for the Philippines and worked in the Parish of Rosario in Batangas, together with his brother Fr. Luigi. The vast Parish of Rosario had been divided between many sects and even the parish church had fallen in the hands of the Aglipayans (a nationalistic church named after its founder, Gregorio Aglipay who was a former Catholic priest). For the few remaining Catholics, there was only a wooden chapel, which will later be replaced by the actual church, initiated by Fr. Edoardo Meda, OSJ.

He went for vacation in Italy in 1939. However, due to the outbreak of war, he remained in Asti until 1946 working in the Michelerio Institute and in the Mother House.

Then he returned to Rosario and was reunited with his brother, who suffered much during the war. After a short time, he started the new Parish of Alupay, by separating it from Rosario. He stayed for 24 years.

After which he returned to Rosario and helped Fr. Edoardo and Fr. Elia May.

He truly served tirelessly until his death. He suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized in St. Sebastian Hospital in Lipa. There he passed away at the age of 87, 70 years of them as a religious and 55 years as a priest.

Rev. Fr. Antonio
Fanchini, OSJ

He was born in Castelleto, Novara on March 12, 1901.

A few months after his ordination, he left as a missionary for the Philippines in 1929. He helped the confreres in San Jose and Cuenca. In 1929, he became the parish priest of Lumang-Bayan (now, Padre Garcia), Batangas. He learned the native language quite well.

During the outbreak of the war between the Americans and the Japanese, he was imprisoned as an enemy, like the other Italian priests. He was, however, freed when the Japanese arrived. But when the Japanese had to retreat, they massacred many civilians and burned many villages. The population evacuated to the nearby mountains, but he remained in his place, leaving the message: "Whoever may need the priest, knows where to find him." On the evening of February 13, 1945, the Japanese arrived in the town and started to kill many people and set the place on fire. Together with some people, Fr. Fanchini left the convent and took refuge beyond the river.

Around midnight, he returned with an old man who was his sacristan. Everything was silent in the village that was still smoldering. On the insistence of the old man, Fr. Fanchini retired to take a rest. Around five in the morning the Japanese returned. He leaped to his feet and toll the old man: "Go ahead and I will follow you." The old man ran towards the river and was saved. For unknown reason to many, he did not follow the old man. Late in the afternoon, when the people returned they found him dead. He was lying under the shade of a coconut tree at the edge of the rice field close to the church, his face towards heaven and his arms opened wide. His chest was ripped open by bayonet strokes, his skull was broken with the butt of rifles.

He lived 26 years of his life as a religious and 19 years as a priest.

Rev. Fr. Emilio Boccalatte, OSJ

He was ordained in July, 1926. Five months after, in December, he left Italy together with Fr. Antonio Fanchini, OSJ and Fr. Egidio Mortera, OSJ for the Philippines.

Then he transferred to Pennsylvania, USA in 1929. He moved to California and was its first local superior. Due to personal reasons, he left the Congregation and the priesthood in 1937.