DON DOMENICO FRANTELLIZZI was born in Boville Ernica (Frosinone) on 20-9-1937, son of Giuseppe and Paolina Frantellizzi, essential people, simple in the rhythms of daily life: work, family, church. The father soon died, leaving his wife Paolina with the arduous task of educating the three children. In the close relationship there was a priest uncle of great example, who will leave a long mark of good in the country.
He was taken to the baptismal font of his parish church, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, a month later: on 24 October. Boville develops on the crest of a hill overlooking the small but suggestive Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, so dear to the inhabitants of the whole valley. The family runs a small bar which is a point of reference, a meeting point, communication of all kinds for all the inhabitants of Boville.Domenico grew up as a linear child: good, simple, playful, an altar boy. Normal at school. His companions still remember him today for his sweetness of character.
He received the gift of Holy Confirmation at the age of 11, conferred on him by the diocesan bishop of Veroli, Mons. Emilio Baroncelli on 31 July 1948. A sacrament that came to strengthen the good inclinations of his spirit, which at the foot of the altar day by day were assuming a certain turn of taste: the idea of becoming a priest began to flash in his mind. He spoke about it with mum Paolina. He confided it to his uncle. At 12 he applied to enter the seminary. It was probably his priest uncle who directed him to the Opera Don Guanella, as he had known it for some time and had great esteem for it. He addressed his question to the Guanellian seminary in Rome, Via Aurelia Antica. Some time later, exactly on 15 October 49, he left Boville and went down to Rome, accompanied by his mother and uncle. From that evening life began on another side. He was lodged in the cramped rooms of the "old house", while the construction of the new seminary was already announced, there in front, at a distance of 50 meters. And then immediately came the grandiose functions of the Holy Year of 1950. Throughout that year our seminarians were chosen to be altar boys in St. Peter's Basilica: the commitment occupied the entire morning. School was held in the afternoon. Study, important as it was, had to be satisfied with spare time and evenings. When the construction work actually began, the boys went to sleep on the "third floor" in the pavilion named after Pius XII, in the rooms of the "good sons". However, the sacrifice received in return the fortune of a rare experience of the Church, of prayer, of charity. Thus began, for Dominic, with this touch of liturgy and ecclesial meetings, the long journey of religious and priestly formation.
He spent three years in the minor seminary of Anzano del Parco (CO), as usually happened in that period for our seminarians from central-southern Italy. And this is how its first director, Don Luciano Botta, expressed himself about him: “Domenico Frantellizzi, 17 years old, fatherless; good natured; simple and obliging; discreet in study and in good health. Exemplary piety. He promises well!". He went to Barza to begin his novitiate on 12 September 1954. He went ahead with determination. He had established solid points, which gradually with logical connection opened the way for him. He also possessed the invaluable gift of humour, by which even difficult moments lost their hardness, were de-dramatised, and he knew how to find the right openings to continue with strength. He made his religious vows for the first time on 12 September 1956. Then year after year he renewed his consecration to God. Meanwhile he was sent to the heart of his apostolic educational work in Milan, Vellai di Feltre, Anzano del Parco, Ferentino, among Boys. In these environments of children and adolescents he revealed excellent skills as an educator and he found himself at ease, in joy. He worked with gusto, loving and making himself loved.
In September 1960 obedience wanted him in the minor seminary in Rome, both to attend to theological studies, which he attended at the University of Propaganda Fide until he obtained his licentiate; and to follow the young aspirants in their first steps of seminary training. At the end of the first year of theology he was allowed to pronounce his vows "in perpetuity", which he did during a sober Eucharistic celebration on 24 September 1961. consecrated priest, by the hands of Cardinal Larraona on March 14, 1964.
The Second Vatican Council was then in full swing: there was an atmosphere of fervor, in analogy to what he had personally experienced in the Holy Year of 50, at the beginning of his vocational journey. Furthermore, the idea of the beatification of our Founder was already taking shape. Eyes pointed towards the great things of the Church, as if waiting towards the future. This trace of the Council remained indelible in his spirituality and in his work.
Outwardly, even though he had become a priest, he seemed to "continue", rather than "begin" his apostolic service as an educator: still among the boys attending to their growth, to their problems. Same job. However, he carries it out from a different angle, revealing an ever more robust maturity, made up of intelligence, experience, even scientific acquisition regarding the tasks that were gradually entrusted to him by obedience. After completing his theology studies with the academic degree of the Licentiate at the Pontifical University of Propaganda Fide, he enrolled in the Faculty of Pedagogy with the explicit intention of giving the best to the young people among whom he saw his priesthood unfold.
In fact: in 1964 he received the position of "prefect of students" in the same minor seminary in Rome; in 70 he was called to assume the role of superior and treasurer in Ferentino, where the institute was then still full of boys; and the following year he was promoted to superior at Torriani, where in 75 he too received the office of bursar.
At this point his personality, continuously growing before the eyes of the confreres, appeared worthy of further trust also with regard to roles in the Province. In July 77 he was chosen as a member of the Council of the Roman Province, a job he carried out with commendable commitment, bringing his enthusiasm, his realistic sense of things, his qualities as a precious collaborator, so much so that in 83 he was reconfirmed in the office in the Province, as well as in 1986, when he moved on to devote himself totally to the work of the Province with the dual role of Vicar and Bursar: roles that were then subsequently renewed until the last survey in September-October 1993, when the confreres despite the fact that Don Domenico was already undermined in his health and everyone knew about it, they still wanted to call him to continue in the gift of himself to the needs of the Province. What he accepted and actually carried out scrupulously until the end, in the morning, at the crack of dawn, on March 9, 1994.