Death of Father Cesare Brianza, S.D.B.
R.I.P.

The unexpected passing of Father Cesare Brianza, S.D.B., at Macau on Saturday, 18 January 1986 at the age of 67 saddened the many people who admired and loved him, both here and abroad.

The young Cesare came to China in 1935. He was professed in the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco in 1936 in Hong Kong and was ordained priest in Shanghai in 1944.

Having noticed his outstanding talent as a musician, his superiors offered him opportunities for thorough training in his art. He crowned this training with a diploma from the National Conservatory of Music, Lisbon, in 1959.

Father Cesare always regarded the teaching of music as a mission through which he could benefit many music-lovers both artistically and morally. He served for over thirty years at the Colegio Don Bosco in Macau. During this time he also taught at the City’s St. Pius X Academy. He was for a time bandmaster to the local police force and he trained countless youngsters in singing and piano playing.

He drew his greatest satisfaction from the many concerts and church performances given by his “Little Singers of the Wooden Cross” over a period of almost thirty years in Macau, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Italy and Portugal. He founded this well-known Choir in 1959 and brought it to a remarkable standard of artistic excellence through hard work, patience and an enthusiasm that he succeeded in communicating to his boys. He was exacting, but the boys loved him because they knew that his great heart was open to them.

Father Brianza was awarded two decorations by the Portuguese authorities for his notable contribution to the artistic life of the territory. We trust that he has also been generously rewarded in heaven for his whole-hearted service to the Church and society.
(Father J. Carpella, SDB)
31 January 1986

慈幼會士許天德
兩週前蒙主寵召