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Antonio “Tonino” Bello was born on March 18, 1935, in Alessano in the Province of Lecce, an area found on the map at the bottom of the heel of Italy’s boot. He was the eldest of three boys. His father, Tommaso Bello, was a marshal in the Carabinieri, one of Italy’s main law enforcement’s forces, and Maria Imperato, a homemaker.
In 1942, Antonio’s father died of a heart attack, so his mother supported the family by working in a tobacco manufacturing company. Antonio’s aunts and uncles also helped shape his spiritual life. His uncle Antonuccio, for example, urged Antonio to keep a journal of his thoughts as he grew up. The exercise in writing would show up later in Antonio’s life when he became a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers.
Antonio received his basic education from 1940 to 1945 in his hometown. As a teenager, Antonio decided to become a priest and studied in various seminaries throughout Italy. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lecce on December 8, 1957.
In his early years of priesthood, Antonio served as a vice rector in Ugento and continued studies in theology, philosophy, and literature. He earned his doctorate on March 3, 1965, after defending his dissertation, “The Eucharistic Congresses and their theological and pastoral significance.”
The next fourteen years found Father Antonio serving in various pastoral and administrative roles. In March 1968, Pope Paul VI have him the honorary title of “Monsignor.”
During these years, the young priest showed a strong attraction to the social teaching of the Catholic Church. For example, he served Catholic Action and Caritas International. The former organization encouraged Catholics to put their faith into action by serving those most in need, and the latter organization is a confederation of many Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations found in more than 200 nations of the world.
In 1982, Pope John Paul II chose Msgr. Antonio to become a bishop. He was installed as Bishop of Molfetta and the Bishop of Ruvo. As a bishop, he became known as “Tonino.” In time, there would be four dioceses combined to form the Diocese of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi. It was in this diocese that the bishop would serve for the rest of his life.
From the very beginning of his episcopacy, Tonino put his beliefs into action. For example, he lived frugally, taking the bus, riding a bicycle, or walking; he felt that cars caused too much pollution. Even at his installation as a bishop, he used a wooden crozier at his Mass instead of the typical gold-plated type commonly used by other bishops. Tonino loved talking with ordinary people on the streets, bars, and restaurants, and he sought to help those in need whenever he could. For example, Tonino founded a center to treat drug addiction. Bishop Antonio was also a leader in Pax Christi, a Catholic peace movement, and he was a frequent participant in pro-peace marches. He even visited people of his diocese who had emigrated to Australia, Argentina, and Venezuela.
Tonino liked to envision the Catholic Church as the “Church of the apron.” He pointed out that the apron was the only vestment that Jesus had ever worn, removing it to replace it with a towel to wash his disciples’ feet.
Bishop Antonio also asked all the parishes in the diocese to have a Caritas group to better serve those in need.
One of the bishop’s first peace marches was one led by students of Catholic Action. The bishop was not known to the students as a bishop, and he marched incognito. At the end of the march, Tonino revealed to the students that he was their new bishop. The students became strong supporters of Tonino because of his action.
In September of 1990, the bishop founded a magazine called “Mosaico di Pace” (Mosaic of Peace), and from 1990-1992, he frequently wrote articles for a newspaper, “Il manifesto.”
On April 20, 1993, Bishop Antonio Bello died from stomach cancer in Molfetta. Pope Francis named Tonino “Venerable” on November 25, 2021.
