Victor Guazzelli
Encyclopedia
Victor Guazzelli was a Roman Catholic priest
who served as Auxiliary Bishop
of the Archdiocese of Westminster. He was known as a devoted supporter of social justice
.
on 19 March 1920 of Italian immigrants from Lucca
, Tuscany. His father, Cesare Guazzelli, worked as an iceman
. Two of his three sisters died from childhood pneumonia
. At the age of nine, Victor told his father he wanted to enter the priesthood. Cesare gave his blessing, and in 1935 Victor left for the English College, Lisbon
. Whilst attending the seminary
, World War II
broke out and Victor was unable to return to London
until 1945, by which time he was already a priest. His father had died during his absence. Now fluent in Portuguese
and Italian
, Victor took up a post at St Patrick’s, Soho Square, before being recalled to Lisbon as bursar
, and to teach Church History and Scripture.
In 1958 Victor came back to the staff at Westminster Cathedral
, as Pope John XXIII
and the Vatican Council
tried to modernise the Catholic Church. It was a movement that would see Vatican II and the replacement of the Latin Mass with English.
Guazzelli was made Bishop of Lindisfarne in 1970 – see
s often bear no relation to where the bishop actually has his ministry. But things changed in 1976 when Cardinal Hume divided the country into pastoral areas. Guazzelli was made bishop of east London, with the deprived boroughs of Tower Hamlets
and Hackney
. Guazzelli came home, making his base in Pope John House in Poplar
– not far from where Cesare pushed his ice cart 50 years before.
The bishop’s willingness to support just causes (no matter how unpopular with the Church establishment) came to the fore. In 1975, he discomfited fellow bishops by becoming president of peace movement, Pax Christi
(which opposes the current war in Iraq
). In May 1982 he condemned the Falklands War
and called for British troops to return. In 1983, he backed Bruce Kent
, one of his own priests and General Secretary of CND. The Pope’s man in London described Kent as an ‘idiot’, remarks Guazzelli furiously condemned as offensive. That year, Guazzelli was the only English Catholic bishop to join a big CND demonstration in Trafalgar Square
.
He then turned his attentions to an East End in the throes of change. The Isle of Dogs
was a huge building site for Canary Wharf
, an increasingly bitter strike was being played out at the News International
plant at Wapping
, and the parties of the far right were mobilising against immigration
into the East End. Guazzelli, from his Poplar base, saw a way to bring together residents and community leaders and make their voice heard. He invited all to have their say at the new East London Pastoral Area (ELPA). There were workshops, training days, and discussion sheets printed, with cartoons explaining the Work of the Second Vatican Council
. As the physical and social fabric of the East End was stretched to the limit, the role of the parish priest was to change too – with less emphasis on ‘maintaining’ the parish, more on going out on ‘missions’. Guazzelli gathered a ‘hit squad’ of priests to conduct intensive six-week missions in the parishes. Meanwhile, the tireless bishop was active as a member of the Latin American Desk of the Catholic Relief Agency Cafod
, visiting Brazil
in 1981. He was also the English representative on the Apostleship of the Sea
– the mission to seafarers. During Victors life span he saved many lives with the relif agency.
He stayed on at Poplar after retirement age but, after a haemorrhage, his life saved by the nuns at Pope John House, he decided to return to Westminster Cathedral
. He kept working to the end – leisure time was filled with stamp collecting
, playing Bach
on the organ, and a round of golf
. The Lindisfarne
connection came in handy: he became an overseas member of Shooters’ Hill Golf Club on the basis that his see
was an island.
Guazzelli died on 1 June 2004.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who served as Auxiliary Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Archdiocese of Westminster. He was known as a devoted supporter of social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
.
Biography
Victor Guazzelli was born in StepneyStepney
Stepney is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End that grew out of a medieval village around St Dunstan's church and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road...
on 19 March 1920 of Italian immigrants from Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
, Tuscany. His father, Cesare Guazzelli, worked as an iceman
Iceman (occupation)
An iceman is someone who sells or delivers ice from a wagon, cart, or motor-truck.The profession was formerly much more common. From the late 19th century to mid 20th century, in cities and towns icemen would commonly make daily rounds delivering ice for iceboxes before the electric domestic...
. Two of his three sisters died from childhood pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. At the age of nine, Victor told his father he wanted to enter the priesthood. Cesare gave his blessing, and in 1935 Victor left for the English College, Lisbon
English College, Lisbon
The English College, Lisbon was a Roman Catholic seminary that existed from the 17th century to the 20th century.-Early history:...
. Whilst attending the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out and Victor was unable to return to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until 1945, by which time he was already a priest. His father had died during his absence. Now fluent in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Victor took up a post at St Patrick’s, Soho Square, before being recalled to Lisbon as bursar
Bursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
, and to teach Church History and Scripture.
In 1958 Victor came back to the staff at Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
, as Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
and the Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
tried to modernise the Catholic Church. It was a movement that would see Vatican II and the replacement of the Latin Mass with English.
Guazzelli was made Bishop of Lindisfarne in 1970 – see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
s often bear no relation to where the bishop actually has his ministry. But things changed in 1976 when Cardinal Hume divided the country into pastoral areas. Guazzelli was made bishop of east London, with the deprived boroughs of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
and Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
. Guazzelli came home, making his base in Pope John House in Poplar
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
– not far from where Cesare pushed his ice cart 50 years before.
The bishop’s willingness to support just causes (no matter how unpopular with the Church establishment) came to the fore. In 1975, he discomfited fellow bishops by becoming president of peace movement, Pax Christi
Pax Christi
-History:Pax Christi was established in France in 1945 as a reconciliation work between the French and the Germans after the Second World War. In 2007, it existed in more than 60 countries...
(which opposes the current war in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
). In May 1982 he condemned the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
and called for British troops to return. In 1983, he backed Bruce Kent
Bruce Kent
Bruce Kent is a British political activist and a former Roman Catholic priest. Active in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament , he was the organisation's general secretary from 1980 to 1985 and its chair from 1987 to 1990...
, one of his own priests and General Secretary of CND. The Pope’s man in London described Kent as an ‘idiot’, remarks Guazzelli furiously condemned as offensive. That year, Guazzelli was the only English Catholic bishop to join a big CND demonstration in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
.
He then turned his attentions to an East End in the throes of change. The Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
was a huge building site for Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
, an increasingly bitter strike was being played out at the News International
News International
News International Ltd is the United Kingdom newspaper publishing division of News Corporation. Until June 2002, it was called News International plc....
plant at Wapping
Wapping
Wapping is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. It is situated between the north bank of the River Thames and the ancient thoroughfare simply called The Highway...
, and the parties of the far right were mobilising against immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
into the East End. Guazzelli, from his Poplar base, saw a way to bring together residents and community leaders and make their voice heard. He invited all to have their say at the new East London Pastoral Area (ELPA). There were workshops, training days, and discussion sheets printed, with cartoons explaining the Work of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. As the physical and social fabric of the East End was stretched to the limit, the role of the parish priest was to change too – with less emphasis on ‘maintaining’ the parish, more on going out on ‘missions’. Guazzelli gathered a ‘hit squad’ of priests to conduct intensive six-week missions in the parishes. Meanwhile, the tireless bishop was active as a member of the Latin American Desk of the Catholic Relief Agency Cafod
CAFOD
The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development, previously known as the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, is a United Kingdom-based international aid agency working to alleviate poverty and suffering in developing. It is funded by the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government...
, visiting Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1981. He was also the English representative on the Apostleship of the Sea
Apostleship of the Sea
The Apostleship of the Sea is an agency of the Catholic Church. It is also sometimes known as Stella Maris , and its patron is the Virgin Mary as Our Lady, Star of the Sea...
– the mission to seafarers. During Victors life span he saved many lives with the relif agency.
He stayed on at Poplar after retirement age but, after a haemorrhage, his life saved by the nuns at Pope John House, he decided to return to Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
. He kept working to the end – leisure time was filled with stamp collecting
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
, playing Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
on the organ, and a round of golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. The Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
connection came in handy: he became an overseas member of Shooters’ Hill Golf Club on the basis that his see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
was an island.
Guazzelli died on 1 June 2004.