Bernard Britto sdb MUMBAI, MAY 26, 2009: It was with deep sorrow that we received the sad news that Fr. Moja had passed away this evening, May 26, in Arese, Milan. The funeral service will be held on May 28, at 3.30 pm in the Parish Church of Orino, Milan. Giuseppe Moja, 
son of Tanquillo and Elisa Clivio, was born on December 20, 1915 in Orino, Varese, Italy. He entered the seminary in 1928 and four years later, in 1932, he chose to come to India as a missionary. He began his novitiate at Shillong on December 7, 1933 and a year later he made his first profession as a Salesian. Because of his competence and diligence, he was appointed secretary to the Bishop of Krishnagar in the year 1937, a job he did with great proficiency. Next, he was appointed teacher and assistant at Sonada in 1940. On January 6, 1941 he made his perpetual profession. Those were the days of the Second World War and hence he was soon placed in the internment camp at Deoli. In 1943 the camp was shifted to Dehradun. He completed his theological studies in the camp and was ordained a priest on December 8, 1944. At the invitation of the famous Salesian pioneer of Goa, Fr. Suderi, Fr. Moja landed in Panjim in 1946 and worked in that city for several years. His next assignment was at Sulcorna, where, from 1962 to 1977, he literally transformed the jungle into a paradise using all his farming skills. He was transferred to Lonavla in the year 1977 as confessor and then to Poona as administrator. In 1985 he was appointed as Assistant Parish Priest and Administrator, at Antop Hill, Mumbai. In 1988, the death centenary year of Don Bosco, he was appointed Editor of the popular magazine, Don Bosco’s Madonna, and so moved to the Provincial House, Matunga, where he worked for the next 20 years. In May 2007, due to ill health, he asked to return to Italy, and he spent the last two years of his life at the Salesian house at Arese. Fr. Moja was definitely an extraordinary person. An artist, poet, musician, preacher, linguist, writer, editor, physician, technician, farmer, builder, hunter… he defied, both, classification or definition. But as we look back, there is one thing we can say with absolute certainty, he was a great Salesian! And those of us, who walked a few miles of his life with him, will always remember him as a good friend and a wonderful person. Arrivederci don Moja!
son of Tanquillo and Elisa Clivio, was born on December 20, 1915 in Orino, Varese, Italy. He entered the seminary in 1928 and four years later, in 1932, he chose to come to India as a missionary. He began his novitiate at Shillong on December 7, 1933 and a year later he made his first profession as a Salesian. Because of his competence and diligence, he was appointed secretary to the Bishop of Krishnagar in the year 1937, a job he did with great proficiency. Next, he was appointed teacher and assistant at Sonada in 1940. On January 6, 1941 he made his perpetual profession. Those were the days of the Second World War and hence he was soon placed in the internment camp at Deoli. In 1943 the camp was shifted to Dehradun. He completed his theological studies in the camp and was ordained a priest on December 8, 1944. At the invitation of the famous Salesian pioneer of Goa, Fr. Suderi, Fr. Moja landed in Panjim in 1946 and worked in that city for several years. His next assignment was at Sulcorna, where, from 1962 to 1977, he literally transformed the jungle into a paradise using all his farming skills. He was transferred to Lonavla in the year 1977 as confessor and then to Poona as administrator. In 1985 he was appointed as Assistant Parish Priest and Administrator, at Antop Hill, Mumbai. In 1988, the death centenary year of Don Bosco, he was appointed Editor of the popular magazine, Don Bosco’s Madonna, and so moved to the Provincial House, Matunga, where he worked for the next 20 years. In May 2007, due to ill health, he asked to return to Italy, and he spent the last two years of his life at the Salesian house at Arese. Fr. Moja was definitely an extraordinary person. An artist, poet, musician, preacher, linguist, writer, editor, physician, technician, farmer, builder, hunter… he defied, both, classification or definition. But as we look back, there is one thing we can say with absolute certainty, he was a great Salesian! And those of us, who walked a few miles of his life with him, will always remember him as a good friend and a wonderful person. Arrivederci don Moja!