DON GIOVANNI DI TULLIO was born in Montagano, Campobasso, to father Alessandro and mother Maria Concetta Galuppo, on February 27, 1937. Don Giovanni wrote of them on the occasion of his 40th anniversary of priesthood on June 23, 2003: "To my parents thanks for their life and for the generous affection imbued with so many sacrifices; eternal love is their best reward”.
He received the gift of Baptism on 4 March of the same year and that of Confirmation from Mons. Alberto Carinci on 15 July 1950, still in Montagano. We are in the midst of the great celebrations of the Holy Year with resonances in every part of the world and in the heart of little John projects were already being announced which in the long term would have led him to become an "alter christus", a true defender of orthodoxy and a qualified soldier in love of his "general". In fact, he would write much later: "I trust and entrust myself to the will of God which is always the true good for me in the present and in the future" (23/06/2003).
Giovanni had his first contact with the Don Guanella Opera on 20 August 1948, at the age of 11 when he moved from Montagano to the Casa San Giuseppe in Rome-Hospitality and attended middle school at our schools at the Trionfale . In the first days of September 1952 he was called to take another giant leap in Italian geography by going up from Rome to Anzano del Parco (Co) for the secondary schools. In this community he lives the experience of the postulate which by now directs him to the Guanellian religious life.
This was followed by the two-year novitiate in the seminary of Barza d'Ispra (VA) where on 12 September 1955 he publicly made his religious profession by pronouncing the simple vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.
Complete the stage of the first formation with the theological course in Chiavenna from 1959 to 1963.
The judgments of those who supervised his training always highlight his piety, application to study, voluntary willingness to do manual work, especially for those that required more effort, the growing commitment, year after year, in correction of his strong, authoritarian character.
At the end of the Internship among the boys of our Center in Gatteo, in 1958, the trainer, Don Nicola Cicchino, who followed and met him in that year, can write a report that lets us glimpse that new man who is growing more and more inside the cleric Giovanni Di Tullio: “Everything about him is good to hope for. Even the confreres are happy about it. I am assiduous in the Holy Sacraments and in the practices of piety; ready in compliance with the rules. With the Superiors and with the boys he assists he is mild and delicate. The Congregation, if it corresponds adequately to the grace of God, will have a priest who will give great satisfaction.".
On 23 June 1963 he completed his itinerary of preparation for priestly ordination and became a priest in Como for the imposition of hands and the consecratory prayer of Mons. Felice Bonomini, ordinary bishop.
Tu es sacerdos in aeternum, secundum ordinam Melchizedek!
The first seven years of priesthood are for Don Giovanni an opportunity for a concrete dive into Guanellian pedagogy. He is first an educator of the boys of our Como College, Casa Divina Provvidenza and then in the Educational Center of Naples Miano where the contact with the poverty and the problems of all kinds of the people of the neighborhood shape him and prepare him for a frank, not too sweetened relationship , but full of mercy and understanding, with the people of the districts of the city of Rome where he will be sent as a shepherd: Trionfale and Valle Aurelia.
From 1970 until his death Don Giovanni lived his mission as a priest-religious in the eternal city of Rome. Thirty-seven years lived in the pastoral field.
In fact, he arrived in Rome in December 1970 as assistant at the Oratory of San Giuseppe al Trionfale. He stayed there for 12 years promoting an incalculable amount of activities for his young people. On the occasion of his funeral we received various testimonies from the people of God who met him and tasted his gifts as a man and as a priest. Mr. Giorgio Sportello recalls those years of animation among young people as follows: “Besides teaching music, Don Giovanni also ran the Oratory. I remember when he fixed broken pinball tables and, above all, when he did their maintenance. He often called us to help him and gave us lessons in civil life and above all, he taught young people to be collaborative and helpful with less fortunate kids. Asking my parents' permission, he took me to visit the disabled children at the "Vaccari". I still remember that strong experience very well: seeing so many boys who lived in the Institute, without the comfort of their parents, with various types of handicaps, both motor and psychic, made me reflect a lot on the importance of helping the neediest. This experience lasted throughout the middle school period.
On 1 September 1982, following a proposal from the Guanellian superiors, the Pope's Vicar for the city of Rome, Cardinal Poletti, appointed him parish priest of the San Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo parish in Valle Aurelia. A neighborhood dear to the Opera don Guanella, because it had already found attention and love in the heart of the Founder. It is the neighborhood of the kilnsmen towards whom Don Guanella uses unusual pastoral attentions. Even if we recently entrusted the Parish to the Diocese of Rome, however, we continue to offer our festive pastoral service in the famous "Valle d'Inferno" and with the presence of the Guanellian Cooperators and UNITALSI a beautiful testimony of the charism of charity.
Cardinal Poletti consecrating the new church of Valle Aurelia and wanting to describe its geographical position rather underground in reference to the road and the neighborhood, compared it to the wheat field in which the good seed is sown: it cannot be seen, because it is hidden by the earth, but we know that in the darkness of the earth there is a vital fervor until it explodes outside into new life first in the sprout, then in the stem and finally in the tall, visible ear full of good grain.
The activity of the parish priest Don Giovanni in the 19 years of pastoral responsibility is described in perfect harmony with this auspicious experience described by Cardinal Poletti.
How many testimonies of simple, ordinary people who have found in Don Giovanni a father, a friend, a guide, a comforter, a supporter.
Mr. Marcello Parisi remembers him thus: “My life and yours crossed paths in important moments for me: first at the Oratory of San Giuseppe al Trionfale as a priest in my life as an adolescent; then in the church of San Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo as pastor of my new parish, so God presented him to me again to celebrate my marriage…On every occasion, the presence of Don Giovanni gave me serenity and lasting certainties. Despite the intervals between one meeting and another, I seem to have had him close to me every day like a great family friend. His relationship was thoughtful: he called every anniversary of my wedding, making sure that there was joy and love in my family, but also in the families of my relatives, whom he knew. But the most extraordinary thing is that he asked for news of all the people with whom we were linked by the memory of the Oratory. Although many years had passed by now he remembered personal situations, names and surnames!
Don Giovanni's last phone call was on February 9, 2007, a month before his death, for my wedding anniversary. Also speaking of my mother-in-law's recent death, she assured me that certain people of spirit, such as she was, are still present among us, more after death than alive. It is the prayer that I address to the Good Lord so that Don Giovanni continues to be present in my life now more than before".
An anonymous testimony also describes his ministry as a priest: “I experienced the efficacy of his preaching, but above all of the sacrament of penance. Concrete, strong and decisive, he didn't make "discounts" for sin, he struck right at the heart, but he didn't give you time to be sad, because he immediately sent you back to the Father's great mercy. And I always came out consoled”.
In March 2001 his health was compromised and the Superiors believed that for Don Giovanni the time had come for pastoral responsibility no longer in the front line. He is transferred to the Parish of San Giuseppe al Trionfale, as parochial vicar. In these last six years of his life, together with the suffering for his increasingly declining health, there is a firm and resolute will in Don Giovanni to consecrate to the promotion of the Kingdom of God all the time that remained at his disposal between specialist visits, frequent hospitalizations, heart attacks. His ministry is always fruitful, especially in the confessional where people await and seek him in order to open themselves to him and receive those clear and concrete indications that one is always looking for in the spiritual life.
Also from this period we have beautiful testimonies that I report as an edification and exhortation for all of us, his brother priests: "Don Giovanni was my confessor. In reality it was much more and, at times, the confession was an opportunity to talk a little with him. Almost brother and father, he always managed to find the right words to help you, just the words you needed to hear at that moment. Many times he gave me comfort and hope, but above all, he helped me rediscover faith in God in the moments when I felt it faltering. And always, leaving the confessional, together with the blessing, I brought with me his encouragement and a new confidence to face the difficulties, fears and doubts of daily life with a Christian spirit. Thank you Don Giovanni, you have done so much for many, now he rests in peace ”(Simonetta Corso).
“Dear Don Giovanni, I am one of the many people you have always loved! I too would like to give my testimony… As you well know, I came from far away and I have been working in this church for several years together with my husband. I want to thank you for all the encouragement, advice and strength to keep going that you always gave us! How much we will miss that affectionate greeting every morning and that smile and his hand resting on our shoulder that gave us serenity, strength to carry out our daily work! Your person, your soul leave a great light. Your true, authentic, strong Christianity has been a unique and irreplaceable support for our entire family. Your example guide us from Above, still protect us, protect our children! May the Lord, who has already welcomed you into his arms, make you shine like the light of his countenance forever!" (anonymous).
On March 13, 2007 death calls her to leave the earth for heaven and Don Giovanni was ready to say his "Here I am, Lord!".