Former Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung, China, Archbishop of the Titular See of Hierapolis in Phrygia and Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, Monsignor Lorenzo Balconi was born in Milan, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood at 22 years of age through the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions on December 22, 1900.
The following year he moved to Nanyang, China, as a missionary, where, at 49 years of age, he was named as Bishop of the Titular See of Mylasa and Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung by Pope Pius XI, receiving his episcopal consecration on May 17, 1928, from Bishop Flaminio Belotti PIME.
During the he first General Chapter of the PIME outside Italy, held in Hong Kong between February 15 and March 7, 1934, Bishop Balconi was elected Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.
Balconi led the institute through the most difficult period of its history due to frequent emergencies such as the interminable world conflict, the extreme poverty of the institute following the war, the closing of some missions in the East and the consequent homecoming of many missionaries. It was during these years also that the institute expanded its service to Brasil and Africa, a choice that was contested by some missionaries because they felt it was against the traditional priority of the institute for Asian countries.
Under his leadership, PIME grew in number, vocations flourished and the formation houses were crowded with seminarians (91 in the Theological Seminary of Milan and 69 students at the Lyceum in Monza).
However, inspite of the many requests filed by many young applicants to be admitted to the institute, Balconi was very strict in respecting the requirements of good discipline and also good health. Many were the cases recorded of students who were dismissed and sent back to their dioceses.
The war, so tragic in itself, became a tragedy for PIME as well. In Milan every night at 9 pm., at the sound of the "siren" all the students of the Theological Seminary used to run to the underground shelter to protect themselves against the Nazis' and Fascists' bombings. This made it impossible for the students to sleep. On Christmas 1942 the seminarians asked the superiors to be sent home because they felt "worn out" and defenseless due to hunger and sicknesses caused by the harsh weather and the poor nutrition.
It was a terrible period in the history of PIME. However Balconi was able to keep the institute together in spite all of these difficulties. Moreover, communications with the missions all over the world were practically suspended: not even the Holy See could keep in touch with the different Apostolic Legates in the mission lands. Bishop Balconi came out as an eminent figure of that period of PIME history, after nurturing in the members a genuine spirit of sacrifice giving himself as a heroic example of discipline and zeal.
In 1941 five PIME Missionaries were killed in China: Fr. Cesare Mencattini, Monsignor Antonio Barosi, Fr. Mario Zanardi, Fr. Bruno Zanella and Gerolamo Lazzaroni. The following year other two missionaries were added to the list of the martyrs: Fr. Carlo Osnaghi in China on February 2, 1942 and Fr. Emilio Teruzzi in Hong Kong on November 26, 1942.
On July 15, 1943 Balconi received the official approval from the Holy See to erect a new and distinct district of the institute for the southern regions of Italy with the main purpose of promoting vocations and missionary animation. Fr. Manna was appointed as the First Regional Superior.
Back in Italy, the Bishop received the responsibility to take care of the foundation the Missionarie dell'Immacolata, becoming their spiritual father.
Monsignor Balconi passed away in Milan on April 10, 1969, aged 90.
The following year he moved to Nanyang, China, as a missionary, where, at 49 years of age, he was named as Bishop of the Titular See of Mylasa and Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung by Pope Pius XI, receiving his episcopal consecration on May 17, 1928, from Bishop Flaminio Belotti PIME.
During the he first General Chapter of the PIME outside Italy, held in Hong Kong between February 15 and March 7, 1934, Bishop Balconi was elected Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.
Balconi led the institute through the most difficult period of its history due to frequent emergencies such as the interminable world conflict, the extreme poverty of the institute following the war, the closing of some missions in the East and the consequent homecoming of many missionaries. It was during these years also that the institute expanded its service to Brasil and Africa, a choice that was contested by some missionaries because they felt it was against the traditional priority of the institute for Asian countries.
Under his leadership, PIME grew in number, vocations flourished and the formation houses were crowded with seminarians (91 in the Theological Seminary of Milan and 69 students at the Lyceum in Monza).
However, inspite of the many requests filed by many young applicants to be admitted to the institute, Balconi was very strict in respecting the requirements of good discipline and also good health. Many were the cases recorded of students who were dismissed and sent back to their dioceses.
The war, so tragic in itself, became a tragedy for PIME as well. In Milan every night at 9 pm., at the sound of the "siren" all the students of the Theological Seminary used to run to the underground shelter to protect themselves against the Nazis' and Fascists' bombings. This made it impossible for the students to sleep. On Christmas 1942 the seminarians asked the superiors to be sent home because they felt "worn out" and defenseless due to hunger and sicknesses caused by the harsh weather and the poor nutrition.
It was a terrible period in the history of PIME. However Balconi was able to keep the institute together in spite all of these difficulties. Moreover, communications with the missions all over the world were practically suspended: not even the Holy See could keep in touch with the different Apostolic Legates in the mission lands. Bishop Balconi came out as an eminent figure of that period of PIME history, after nurturing in the members a genuine spirit of sacrifice giving himself as a heroic example of discipline and zeal.
In 1941 five PIME Missionaries were killed in China: Fr. Cesare Mencattini, Monsignor Antonio Barosi, Fr. Mario Zanardi, Fr. Bruno Zanella and Gerolamo Lazzaroni. The following year other two missionaries were added to the list of the martyrs: Fr. Carlo Osnaghi in China on February 2, 1942 and Fr. Emilio Teruzzi in Hong Kong on November 26, 1942.
On July 15, 1943 Balconi received the official approval from the Holy See to erect a new and distinct district of the institute for the southern regions of Italy with the main purpose of promoting vocations and missionary animation. Fr. Manna was appointed as the First Regional Superior.
Back in Italy, the Bishop received the responsibility to take care of the foundation the Missionarie dell'Immacolata, becoming their spiritual father.
Monsignor Balconi passed away in Milan on April 10, 1969, aged 90.
Former Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung, China, Archbishop of the Titular See of Hierapolis in Phrygia and Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, Monsignor Lorenzo Balconi was born in Milan, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood at 22 years of age through the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions on December 22, 1900.
The following year he moved to Nanyang, China, as a missionary, where, at 49 years of age, he was named as Bishop of the Titular See of Mylasa and Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung by Pope Pius XI, receiving his episcopal consecration on May 17, 1928, from Bishop Flaminio Belotti PIME.
During the he first General Chapter of the PIME outside Italy, held in Hong Kong between February 15 and March 7, 1934, Bishop Balconi was elected Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.
Balconi led the institute through the most difficult period of its history due to frequent emergencies such as the interminable world conflict, the extreme poverty of the institute following the war, the closing of some missions in the East and the consequent homecoming of many missionaries. It was during these years also that the institute expanded its service to Brasil and Africa, a choice that was contested by some missionaries because they felt it was against the traditional priority of the institute for Asian countries.
Under his leadership, PIME grew in number, vocations flourished and the formation houses were crowded with seminarians (91 in the Theological Seminary of Milan and 69 students at the Lyceum in Monza).
However, inspite of the many requests filed by many young applicants to be admitted to the institute, Balconi was very strict in respecting the requirements of good discipline and also good health. Many were the cases recorded of students who were dismissed and sent back to their dioceses.
The war, so tragic in itself, became a tragedy for PIME as well. In Milan every night at 9 pm., at the sound of the "siren" all the students of the Theological Seminary used to run to the underground shelter to protect themselves against the Nazis' and Fascists' bombings. This made it impossible for the students to sleep. On Christmas 1942 the seminarians asked the superiors to be sent home because they felt "worn out" and defenseless due to hunger and sicknesses caused by the harsh weather and the poor nutrition.
It was a terrible period in the history of PIME. However Balconi was able to keep the institute together in spite all of these difficulties. Moreover, communications with the missions all over the world were practically suspended: not even the Holy See could keep in touch with the different Apostolic Legates in the mission lands. Bishop Balconi came out as an eminent figure of that period of PIME history, after nurturing in the members a genuine spirit of sacrifice giving himself as a heroic example of discipline and zeal.
In 1941 five PIME Missionaries were killed in China: Fr. Cesare Mencattini, Monsignor Antonio Barosi, Fr. Mario Zanardi, Fr. Bruno Zanella and Gerolamo Lazzaroni. The following year other two missionaries were added to the list of the martyrs: Fr. Carlo Osnaghi in China on February 2, 1942 and Fr. Emilio Teruzzi in Hong Kong on November 26, 1942.
On July 15, 1943 Balconi received the official approval from the Holy See to erect a new and distinct district of the institute for the southern regions of Italy with the main purpose of promoting vocations and missionary animation. Fr. Manna was appointed as the First Regional Superior.
Back in Italy, the Bishop received the responsibility to take care of the foundation the Missionarie dell'Immacolata, becoming their spiritual father.
Monsignor Balconi passed away in Milan on April 10, 1969, aged 90.
The following year he moved to Nanyang, China, as a missionary, where, at 49 years of age, he was named as Bishop of the Titular See of Mylasa and Apostolic Vicar of Hanchung by Pope Pius XI, receiving his episcopal consecration on May 17, 1928, from Bishop Flaminio Belotti PIME.
During the he first General Chapter of the PIME outside Italy, held in Hong Kong between February 15 and March 7, 1934, Bishop Balconi was elected Superior General of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.
Balconi led the institute through the most difficult period of its history due to frequent emergencies such as the interminable world conflict, the extreme poverty of the institute following the war, the closing of some missions in the East and the consequent homecoming of many missionaries. It was during these years also that the institute expanded its service to Brasil and Africa, a choice that was contested by some missionaries because they felt it was against the traditional priority of the institute for Asian countries.
Under his leadership, PIME grew in number, vocations flourished and the formation houses were crowded with seminarians (91 in the Theological Seminary of Milan and 69 students at the Lyceum in Monza).
However, inspite of the many requests filed by many young applicants to be admitted to the institute, Balconi was very strict in respecting the requirements of good discipline and also good health. Many were the cases recorded of students who were dismissed and sent back to their dioceses.
The war, so tragic in itself, became a tragedy for PIME as well. In Milan every night at 9 pm., at the sound of the "siren" all the students of the Theological Seminary used to run to the underground shelter to protect themselves against the Nazis' and Fascists' bombings. This made it impossible for the students to sleep. On Christmas 1942 the seminarians asked the superiors to be sent home because they felt "worn out" and defenseless due to hunger and sicknesses caused by the harsh weather and the poor nutrition.
It was a terrible period in the history of PIME. However Balconi was able to keep the institute together in spite all of these difficulties. Moreover, communications with the missions all over the world were practically suspended: not even the Holy See could keep in touch with the different Apostolic Legates in the mission lands. Bishop Balconi came out as an eminent figure of that period of PIME history, after nurturing in the members a genuine spirit of sacrifice giving himself as a heroic example of discipline and zeal.
In 1941 five PIME Missionaries were killed in China: Fr. Cesare Mencattini, Monsignor Antonio Barosi, Fr. Mario Zanardi, Fr. Bruno Zanella and Gerolamo Lazzaroni. The following year other two missionaries were added to the list of the martyrs: Fr. Carlo Osnaghi in China on February 2, 1942 and Fr. Emilio Teruzzi in Hong Kong on November 26, 1942.
On July 15, 1943 Balconi received the official approval from the Holy See to erect a new and distinct district of the institute for the southern regions of Italy with the main purpose of promoting vocations and missionary animation. Fr. Manna was appointed as the First Regional Superior.
Back in Italy, the Bishop received the responsibility to take care of the foundation the Missionarie dell'Immacolata, becoming their spiritual father.
Monsignor Balconi passed away in Milan on April 10, 1969, aged 90.
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