【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2018 年 03月 02 日委內瑞拉加拉加斯訊】 ─ 若瑟．賓羅 (Giuseppe Berno) 神父於1911年，生於意大利列塞（現稱列塞庇護十世村，為紀念這位最傑出的村民）。母親Antonia為他取名時說：「他將稱為Bepi，如同教宗一樣（當時在任的教宗庇護十世本名Giuseppe Sarto），因為我要兒子成為司鐸，像他一樣。」事實上，小若瑟已成為司鐸及慈幼會士，數天前還慶祝107歲生辰，為修會中最年長的慈幼會士。
賓羅神父加入慈幼會的歷史，始於萊尼亞諾，並延續至脫利騰，為他首年接受培育並預備成為初學生的地方。他於1929年9月1日在埃斯泰矢發初願，當時他只有十八歲。同年，他請求前往委內瑞拉傳教，這裡成為了他的第二家鄉。
他於1932年9月11日宣發終身願，並於1937年升為執事。1938年10月30日，基督君王瞻禮日，他於加拉加斯La Vega晉鐸──藉教廷駐該國大使Luigi Centoz蒙席的覆手和祝聖。
1961年，他以五十之齡，獲當時教廷阿馬遜暨Upper Orinoco宗座代牧Segundo García蒙席邀請，在上述地方擔任福傳工作。他立時無條件地接受了。
他在首七年於委內瑞拉阿馬遜首府Puerto Ayacucho的主教座堂服務。接著，他與Cocco神父及 Bonvecchio神父，前往委內瑞拉阿馬遜的原始森林，在那裡連續居住了20年之久！
他被召前往危險遍地的森林、那裡有水源滿溢的河流以及數以千計的天然河道。他們對人們所作的一切，正如聖保祿所說，都是要引領人們邁向福音的道路。
他製作Upper Orinoco地圖，精於對當地語言的研究，以及當地文化標記及聲音的解讀，而著名該國。1987年76歲時，他返回阿亞庫喬港，從1990年到2009年，擔任副本堂一職，直至接近100歲高齡時，才調往加拉加斯。
他畢生都是為服侍天主及眾人，作出忠信及慷慨奉獻的見證。
上星期六，2月24日，他慶祝107歲生辰、在委內瑞拉傳教89年、發終身願86周年，以及晉鐸80周年。
107, the oldest Salesian in the Congregation: Fr Giuseppe “José” Berno
(ANS – Venezuela –Caracas, 02 March 2018) – He was born in 1911 in Riese (today known as Riese Pio X, in honor of its most illustrious fellow citizen) Giuseppe Berno. Mamma Antonia chose his name: “He will be called Bepi, like the Pope (Giuseppe Sarto, Pius X, reigning at the time), because I want my son to be a priest, like him.” And in fact, little Giuseppe became a priest and a Salesian who celebrated his 107th birthday a few days ago, the oldest Salesian in the Congregation.
The Salesian history of Fr Berno first begins in Legnano and continues in Trento with his first years of formation and preparation for the novitiate. He made his first religious profession in Este on 1 September 1929. In that same year, just eighteen, he asked to leave as a missionary for Venezuela, a country that would become his second homeland.
He made his perpetual vows on 11 September 1932, was ordained a deacon in 1937, and in 1938, on 30 October, the feast of Christ the King, he was ordained priest at La Vega – Caracas by the laying on of hands and the consecratory prayer of Msgr. Luigi Centoz, the country’s Apostolic Nuncio at the time.
In 1961, already aged 50, he was invited by the then Apostolic Vicar of the Amazon and Upper Orinoco, Msgr. Segundo García, to work as a missionary in those lands. He accepted immediately and unconditionally.
He spent the first seven years in Puerto Ayacucho, episcopal seat and capital of the Venezuelan Amazon. Then, together with Fr Cocco and Fr Bonvecchio, he journeyed into the virgin forest of the Venezuelan Amazon and stayed there uninterruptedly for 20 years!
He was called to travel into the hostile forest, its overflowing rivers and the thousands and thousands of natural channels of water. Everything was done to everyone, as Saint Paul said, to try to attract someone to the proposal of the Gospel.
Also famous for his maps of the Upper Orinoco, for his study of native languages, for his interpretation of the signs and sounds of those cultures, in 1987, at the age of 76, he returned to Puerto Ayacucho, and from 1990 to 2009 was its vice-parish priest until, nearing 100, he was transferred to Caracas.
His life is a testimony of fidelity and generous dedication to the service of God and of men.
Last Saturday, February 24, he celebrated 107 years of life, 89 years as a missionary in Venezuela, 86 of perpetual religious profession and 80 as a priest.