Angelo Bonetta

The amputation was a terrible ordeal for the young boy, both physically and psychologically. It was during his long convalescence in the hospital that Angiolino had a decisive encounter: that of Fausto Gei, a young man suffering from multiple sclerosis and a member of the Centro Volontari della Sofferenza (CVS - Centre for the Volunteers of Suffering). This movement, founded by Blessed Luigi Novarese, proposed an innovative spirituality: offering one's sufferings in union with the Passion of Christ for the salvation of souls and the conversion of sinners. This perspective radically transformed Angiolino's attitude toward his illness. He understood that his suffering was not useless, but that it could become an instrument of apostolate. From then on, he dedicated himself entirely to this mission within the hospital. With heroic courage, he hid his own pain to console and bring smiles back to other patients. His natural humor and joy of living made him a true precursor of 'clown therapy' in the hospital setting, putting his good cheer at the service of evangelization. On May 1, 1962, at the sanctuary of the Madonna della Formica in Offlaga, he met Father Luigi Novarese in person. A deep spiritual bond was born between the priest and the adolescent. Although the cancer had reached his lungs and treatments were by then ineffective, Angiolino aspired to dedicate himself fully to God. Encouraged by Father Novarese, he made his profession of faith on September 21, 1962, as an associate of the Silenziosi Operai della Croce (Silent Workers of the Cross).

Back in his family home in Cigole, Angiolino continued his apostolate despite a state of health that deteriorated day by day. His room became a place of prayer and pilgrimage for the villagers, the sick, and members of the CVS. There, he led the recitation of the Rosary, gave small catecheses, and encouraged everyone to accept the will of God. He also made several pilgrimages to Lourdes. Although he initially prayed for his healing, he quickly understood that his path lay elsewhere. He then declared: "Until now, I asked the Lord to heal me; now I will only ask Him to make me a saint." To a lady who pitied his plight as she saw him moving with difficulty on his crutches, he replied with assurance: "But do you not know that with every step I could save a soul?" On January 27, 1963, as his strength failed him, the parish priest administered the Anointing of the Sick and brought him the Eucharist as viaticum. Angiolino spent the night in prayer. Around two o'clock in the morning on January 28, 1963, he woke up and said softly to his mother: "Mama, we are there; my hour has come." With his eyes fixed on the statue of the Virgin Mary placed on his bedside table, he passed away peacefully at the age of 14. His funeral was celebrated by Archbishop Alfonso Carinci, who declared regarding him: "For me, Angiolino is truly a little saint."

The reputation for holiness of the young boy spread rapidly beyond the borders of his native province. Faced with the persistence of this popular devotion, the Diocese of Brescia officially opened his beatification process on October 22, 1998. The diocesan inquiry concluded on May 6, 2000. The decree of legal validity for the inquiry was issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on March 23, 2001, and the Positio super virtutibus was submitted in 2004. After a meticulous examination of his life and writings by theologians and cardinals, Pope Francis authorized, on July 10, 2020, the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues. Angiolino Bonetta was then officially declared Venerable.

The spirituality of Angiolino Bonetta is based on the joyful and voluntary offering of suffering, experienced not as a fatality, but as an active participation in the work of Redemption. Marked by the messages of Lourdes and Fátima, he lived his illness in absolute trust in the Virgin Mary, exclaiming after his consecration: "Now, I am all the Virgin's, from the tips of my toes to the top of my hair." His legacy remains particularly alive within the Centro Volontari della Sofferenza (CVS), of which he is considered the patron and model for the youth branches. His life demonstrates that there is no age to reach the heights of holiness and that Christian joy can triumph over the most painful trials. In 2026, a work by Father Gianluca Mangeri titled Angiolino Bonetta. Il piccolo clown di Dio highlighted his role as a precursor to laughter therapy in the hospital, recalling the modernity of his testimony.