Angelo Franco – “For the sake of the words”, life of Father Andrew Beltrami, Salesian of Don Bosco

Omegna is a picturesque village located at the foot of the Italian Alps, on the shores of Lake Orta. Its beauty is due not only to the enchanting surrounding landscape, but also to its historical and religious associations of great interest.
The entire region is said to have been converted to Christianity by St. Julius, a famous fifth-century missionary apostle who, after performing numerous miracles and building many churches on the ruins of pagan temples, ended his life on the island in the lake. A majestic basilica built on the site of the saint’s death still preserves his relics and is the destination of fervent pilgrimages from the surrounding countryside. Right here, Andrea Beltrami, the eldest son of a family of ten children, was born on June 21, 1870. On father, Antonio, was an honest industrial merchant, a good old-fashioned Catholic, and a man held in high esteem by all. But the faith and devotion in his family was best embodied in his mother Caterina, from whom all the children received their main formative influence. It is known that she offered her children to the Lord as soon as they were born and that it was one of her principles to pray daily for God to bring them back to Himself rather than let them grow up without also growing in the love of His Commandments.

CONTENTS

• CHAPTER
  • I. Early Years 
  • II. A Boy Leader
  • III. His Salesian Vocation
  • IV. The Heights 
  • V. Foglizzo 
  • VI. Self-Conquest 
  • VII. The “Better Way” 
  • VIII. Religious Profession 
  • IX. The Ideai. Student 
  • X. A Holy Friendship 
  • XI. Salesian Educator 
  • XII. The Priesthood 
  • XIII. Apostolate of Prayer 
  • XVI. Apostolate of Suffering
  • XV. Apostolate of the Pen 
  • XVI. The End

Reference time period: 1858 – 1951