Fundación Padre Semería - Hogares de Amor. Hogar de Menores

Giovanni Semería was born in 1867 in Coldirodi, Italy. His father died a few months before at the army service of Piedmont, during the campaign of Italian reunification. The young Giovanni was deeply affected due the loss of his father and his own reality as an orphan. During his stay in the orphanage he decided to enrol at as a soldier to help orphans of the First World War.



He studied philosophy at the seminary in Rome and served as military chaplain attending soldier´s spiritual needs.

 

With the help of father Don Minozzi he founded “La obra nacional para el mediodía de Italia” which had hundreds of schools, orphanages and safe houses scattered throughout the country.

He died in Sparenize in 1934 in one of these Safe Houses due to excessive fatigue and to the physical toll induced from his inexhaustible work to procure food and other necessities for his shelters.

 

In 1984 the father Semería, who was known as Fra Galdino, was declared a Servant of God.



"Because of his shelters, he never rested. He left everything to take care of his orphans and was devoured by fever. Because of all his walking, knocking on every possible door and reaching out for help to everyone who needed it, he was distinguished by accomplish the supreme mandate of perfect charity", Don Minozzi.