Opening of Diocesan Inquiry: 12-06-2012
Born 9 July 1900 at Cernusco-on-Naviglio, in the province of Milan, to Antonio and Filomena. He was the fourth of the seven children of the Della Torre family. In 1917, at the outbreak of the First World War, young Charles was called to arms. He rturned hom to see the death of his father.
He took over the family until 1923, when,in order to follow his priestly and missionary vocation, he entered the Cardinal Cagliero Salesian House at Ivrea, where he succeeded in finishing his secondary studies over three years. Nel 1926 he said goodbye to his family for the last time and left for China.
The Superiors sent him to the new Salesian Mission in Thailand, where Charles made his first religious profession in Bang Nok Khuek, the mother house of the Thai Salesian Mission. Providence saw that he was involved in the direction, including spiritual direction, of the personnel of the house. His contact with the girls and women who served the community there led him to say: "I was inspired by Our lady" to bring together and found a Congregation of Sisters whose task would be the service and maintenance of the churches, parish schools, kitchen and wardrobe in boarding schools as well as being involved teaching catechism to the children to prepare them to receive the sacraments.
In 1936 Charles was ordained a priest. After the Second World War, Fr Charles Carlo, with his superiors' consent, made the painful decision to leave the Congrgeation so he could dedicate himself fully to the new work, and was incardinated in the Diocese of Bangkok. Fr Charles the Founder suffered ike Don Bosco and Fr Variara, but continued courageoulsy to do the Lord's will.
These were truly difficult years for him and for the Sisters: they were in a desperate situation, not a penny to their name, homeless and without work. They earned their bread by sewing and mending clothes that they then sold for a pittance. With the Bishop's permission, Fr Charles sent the first Rule to Rome for approval, of his Sisters as an Institute of consecrated women. In 1955, after many difficulties, the first seven Sisters made their profession in the new Secular Institute of the Daughters of the Queenship of Mary Immaculate.
Meanwhile, for some time now Fr Charles had beenn asking to be allowed to once more enter the Salesian Congregation. The bishop gave him permission only when he turned 80. He died in Bangkok as a Salesian on 4 april 1982. The Diocesan Process opened on 17 January 2003. Currently, the Daughters of the Queenship of Mary Immaculate have 48 professed Sisters, 4 novices and 36 aspirants, who work in the Institutes five houses, with the Salesian spirit of Don Bosco and the spirituality of Fr Charles.
God the Father, source of love and mercy.
You created humna beings in your image and you made us your children.
You call everyone to be holy as you are holy.
Many have responded to this call
and become saints in a wonderful way
and are proposed as models of holiness in the church.
Fr Charles Della Torre, religious and priest
and founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Queenship of Mary Immaculate,
responded to your call to holiness,
living his life in an exemplary and virtuous way
and fulfilling your holy will with firmness, faithfulness and perseverance.
We pray you to grant him honour and glory in heaven.
And if it is your will, grant him the honour of being
a model of holiness for all Christians.
Through his intercession grant us the grace of .......
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(With the approval of the Archdiocese of Bangkok)
