Here is a missionary who gave up wealth, family and home to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, ministering to the least among us. VENERABLE MARCELLO CANDIA (1916-1983) was an Italian Roman Catholic industrialist and entrepreneur who became active in the missions in Brazil. He worked to protect Jewish people during World War II and was involved in preventing their deportation by the creation of new documents that would save the Italkim lives by making pass them as non-Jewish Italians, in particular for children by hiding them in homes and industries or helping them to safety relocate to the UK or America.
Marcello Candia was born in 1916 to a Milanese industrialist family, in Naples while his parents were temporarily expanding business in Southern Italy . His father, Camillo de Candia, was an industrialist from an old aristocratic family of Milan, and his mother Luigia Mussato from an old noble family from Milan
The Venerable said of his parents: "I had parents who gave me a zeal for life". His mother instilled the faith in her children and weekly he accompanied his mother to visit the poor.
In 1939 he acquired a Ph.D. in chemistry and worked at the beginning of World War II in explosives. He earned his doctorate in 1943 in biological sciences. He also took an active part in the resistance against the Nazi forces that occupied the region, often risking his own life working with the Capuchin friars assisting the Jews threatened with deportation. The war's end saw him help deportees and prisoners return to their homes while he opened a medical and humanitarian welcome center at the local train station with three friends.
In 1950, at his father's death and at WWII end, Venerable Marcello assumed full management of his family’s chemical industrial factory headquartered in Milan with full control of its operation across Italy
It was around this point that he first met the Capuchin friar Alberto Beretta (the brother of St Gianna and himself now up for canonization) who was preparing to leave for the missions in Brazil; during his conversation with Beretta Marcello learned of the terrible conditions of the poor people of the Amazons. In 1957 he made his first visit to Macapá in Brazil
Eventually, he commissioned the building of a church for the Saint Benedict parish. In 1965, he met in a private audience with Pope (St.) Paul VI just before moving to Brazil Italy and relocating to Macapá; around that time in 1964 this action caused an extreme rift with his younger brother Riccardo who resented the fact that he sold the organization to go to Brazil
He then moved to Brazil
His main concern was the construction of a hospital, started in 1961, in Macapá, Brazil , to be for the assistance of the poor. The hospital opened a decade later in 1971. He also opened a center outside the town he lived in for the lepers working with them until the end of his life. Venerable Marcello’s health grew worse over time despite his exhaustive work standards which led to several health crises leading to his death back in Italy
Candia liked reading about the lives of (Bl) Pier Giorgio Frassati and St Thérèse of Lisieux while at his new home had no running water in his room; this prompted him to use the tap-water outside to fill a jug for self-wash and shave. In 1975 a popular Brazilian magazine dedicated a long article to him titled "The Best Man in Brazil " - he was quick to shrug this honor off and said: "I am but a humble instrument of Providence Brazil
During his time in Brazil
He left Belem for his homeland on 10 August 1983 knowing he would die there but wanted to get his health checked as well as to reconcile with his brother Riccardo with whom there were difficulties. But he fell ill on the plane and once he arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris he collapsed and was rushed to hospital. He was taken to the San Pio X Clinic in Milan Milan
He died from liver cancer and skin cancer as well as a related bone tumor over his right lung. His remains were later transferred on 6 April 2006 to the parish of the SS. Guardian Angels and were placed to the left side of the altar.