Tribute to Fr. Luke E. Vannucci, The Unsung Hero
(September 30, 1882 to March 16, 1976)
Fr. Luca Earnesto Vannucci or Fr. Luke Earnest Vannucci was born on September 30, 1882 in Glaciana in the Diocese of Prato, Italy.
He joined the Order of Capuchins and made his first solemn vows on September 10, 1899. He was ordained a priest on December 21, 1907 and his province sent him as a missionary to the Agra Mission. He arrived in India on December 17, 1910. He was appointed parish priest of St. Mary’s Church, Old Delhi on February 11, 1919. He remained in Delhi till 1940.
He started three schools in Delhi and also helped RJM sisters to start the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Gold Dak Khana with the blessings of Archbishop Angelo Raffaele Bernacchioni, O.F.M. Cap. (who was archbishop of Agra from 7 August 1917 to 21 August 1937).
The three schools that he started are: Presentation Convent School (Originally St. Teresa’s Parish High School); St. Anthony’s Boys’ School and St. Anthony’s Girls’ School.
Fr. Luke Vannucci received the Silver Medal for outstanding work form the then Government of India on May 6, 1935 and the Government of India again awarded him with another Silver Medal of Honor on May 12, 1937.
There is one very interesting and sad thing that happened in the life of Fr. Luke. That is, the three schools he founded did not publicly acknowledge Fr. Luke as the founder of their schools and sometimes were claiming the credit to themselves. This had pained Fr. Luke very much when he was India and he had brough it to the notice of the church authorities. But nothing happened.
Fr. Luke left India in April 1969 for his native Italy due to his illness. And in the year 1971 there was a General Election in India and Mrs. Indira Gandhi of Congress was elected to be the Prime Minister of India. Fr. Luke, who was in Florence at that time, wrote a letter to Mrs. Indira Gandhi. He had two reasons to pen this letter. One, to congratulate her on winning the election and second, to bring to her notice the criminal neglect of not acknowledging him as the founder of these schools. Interestingly, Mrs. Indira Gandhi replied to his letter on 23rd of April 1971. This is what she wrote to him in reply:
“I have visited all those institutions you have constructed in New Delhi. All of them are well appreciated and I am sure that the people especially the parents would know that you are the author of all those institutions.” (From, Like a Mustard Seed, p. 578).
He did not write this letter in order to seek attention to himself. He had two valid reasons to do that. One, if he is not the founder of these schools, then where did the benefactors and doners money go? Second, if he is not the founder of these schools, then why did the Indian Government award him silver medals twice? Was the award given to a wrong and undeserving person or did he buy the award by bribing the award selection committee members? As none of these was true by writing this letter, he was only putting the records straight.
Fr. Luke left this earth to the heavenly abode from Florence in the Order’s Convalescence Home on 16th March 1976.