Giovanni Ciresola

After his ordination, Father Giovanni Ciresola exercised his ministry as a vicar or assistant vicar in several parishes, notably at San Tomaso Cantuariense, Ca' del Bue, and Avesa. In 1932, he was appointed pastor of the parish of Cancello. It was there that, in 1936, a group of young women from the Catholic Action of the Caiò contrada expressed the desire to dedicate themselves entirely to God. Under his spiritual direction, this group laid the foundations for a new religious community.

In 1939, he was appointed rector of Santa Maria Immacolata in Borgo Milano (Verona) for a few months, where he oversaw the construction of the church, then became pastor of Poiano, in the Valpantena, a position he would hold for twenty-two years. During the Second World War, he distinguished himself by his pastoral zeal and heroic charity. He risked his life to protect people persecuted by the Nazi-Fascist regime, notably offering hospitality and refuge to Ada Rimini, a woman of the Jewish faith.

On December 1, 1948, the small community of consecrated women moved into its motherhouse in San Zeno of Colognola ai Colli. In 1958, the congregation received official canonical approval under the name of the Congregation of the Poor Servants of the Precious Blood - Cenacle of Charity (Povere Ancelle del Preziosissimo Sangue - Cenacolo della Carità).

Due to the worsening of his health problems, Father Giovanni retired in 1961 to the congregation's motherhouse in Quinto di Valpantena. Starting in 1964, he gave a missionary dimension to his institute, which sent its first nuns to Latin America (to Brazil) in June 1965. He passed away on April 13, 1987, in Quinto di Valpantena (some sources mention the hospital in Negrar). His mortal remains rest in the chapel of the motherhouse in Quinto.

The reputation for holiness of Father Giovanni Ciresola, already alive during his lifetime, spread rapidly after his death. On July 3, 2004, the Holy See granted the nihil obstat for the opening of his cause for beatification and canonization. The diocesan inquiry into his life and virtues was officially opened on May 9, 2005, in the Diocese of Verona and closed on April 9, 2006. The validity of the diocesan inquiry was decreed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on May 11, 2012.

On November 7, 2018, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby conferring upon him the title of Venerable. For his beatification to be pronounced, the official recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession is required.

The spirituality of Father Giovanni Ciresola is deeply marked by devotion to the crucified Christ, the Eucharist, and the Precious Blood. His spiritual ideal is based on 'little holiness' (piccola santità), a holiness lived daily through humility, discretion, and fidelity to ordinary duties. His personal motto, which summarizes his total abandonment to the divine will, was: 'God first, alone, always, everything!' (Dio primo, solo, sempre, tutto!). The charism of the congregation he founded, the Poor Servants of the Precious Blood, is articulated around prayer for the sanctification of the clergy and the increase of priestly vocations, as well as charitable service to the poorest, notably through works of education and social assistance in Italy and in missions abroad (notably in Brazil).