Antonio Provolo

The work of Antonio Provolo is inseparable from the foundation of his institutes dedicated to the education of the deaf-mute, a segment of the population then largely marginalized and considered incapable of instruction.

In 1830, he decided to devote himself entirely to this cause. His commitment was sparked by his meeting with the young priest Lodovico Maria Besi, who had gathered a few deaf-mute children in Verona but was preparing to leave for Rome. Provolo agreed to take over this work and opened a school in his own home.

Revolutionary in his pedagogy, Antonio Provolo was the first in Italy to abandon the traditional mimic method (sign language) to impose the method of "articulated speech" (oral method). An accomplished musician, he used rhythm, intonation, and the vibrations of voice and song to teach deaf children to express themselves verbally and to read lips. He recorded his theories and practice in a work titled Manuale per la scuola dei sordi-muti di Verona, published in 1840.

His work drew the admiration of many prominent figures of the time. Notably, he presented the results of his method during a demonstration before Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria and Empress Maria Anna of Savoy. At the invitation of the Bishop of Verona, Pietro Aurelio Mutti, and the Empress, he founded a female section for young deaf-mute girls in 1841, entrusting its direction to a group of collaborators.

To perpetuate and structure his action, he founded two religious congregations: 1. The Compagnia di Maria per l'educazione dei sordomuti (Company of Mary for the education of the deaf-mute), the male branch. 2. The Congregazione di Maria per l'educazione delle sordomute (Sisters of the Company of Mary for the education of the deaf-mute), the female branch.

On September 23, 1839, he addressed a request for approval of his foundation to Pope Gregory XVI. His premature death in 1842 prevented him from seeing the legal culmination of his work. It was his successor, Louis Maestrelli, who would draft the first constitutions of the congregation. The Company of Mary would receive the ad experimentum approval from the Holy See on July 31, 1857, and then final approval on August 3, 1937, under the pontificate of Pius XI.

The cause for the beatification of Antonio Provolo was officially opened in 1960 in the Diocese of Verona, under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII, conferring upon him the title of Servant of God.

The decree on the writings of the Servant of God was promulgated on July 12, 1966.

The diocesan inquiry continued and its legal validity was recognized by a decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on June 6, 1997.

The Positio, a summary document on his life and virtues, was published in 2000.

The historical consultants gave a favorable opinion on May 30, 2000.

The congress of theological consultants pronounced itself favorably on May 21, 2010.

On February 27, 2017, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Antonio Provolo, thereby declaring him Venerable. A diocesan inquiry into an alleged miracle attributed to his intercession was opened on May 16, 2007, and its validity was confirmed by a decree of the Holy See on January 30, 2009. To date, no miracle has yet been officially recognized to allow for his beatification. His liturgical memorial is set for November 4, the anniversary of his birth into Heaven.

The spirituality of Antonio Provolo is based on a deep devotion to the Crucified Christ and to the Virgin of Sorrows (the Addolorata), whom he chose as the protector of his institutes. Nicknamed the "priest with the beautiful heart" (il prete dal bel cuore) because of his extreme sensitivity toward the poor and the excluded, he lived his ministry with heroic charity, humility, and patience. A pioneer of music therapy, he considered music not only as a tool for physical rehabilitation but also as a means to elevate the souls of children toward God.

The legacy of Antonio Provolo extended well beyond Italian borders. The Sisters of the Company of Mary and the fathers of the institute spread internationally, notably in Eastern Europe (Romania) and South America (Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia), continuing the free education of deaf children.

Historical note on the abuses within the institute: Although the historical figure of the founder remains associated with his benevolent pedagogical intuition, the contemporary history of his work has been darkened by serious abuses. Starting in 2009, numerous accusations of sexual abuse committed against deaf children targeted members of the Company of Mary, both at the motherhouse in Verona and within the Antonio Provolo Institute in Mendoza and La Plata in Argentina. In 2019, the Argentine justice system sentenced several priests and employees of the institute to heavy prison terms for these crimes. Faced with these events, the Holy See intervened by appointing an apostolic commissioner in 2017 to reform the congregation and shed light on these abuses.