Italian priest Anselmo Zambotti, a pioneer Camillian missionary to the Philippines, died due to “cerebral hemorrhage” in his home country on Wednesday, August 19. He was 71.
Born in Pejo town in the northern Italian region, Father Zambotti was ordained priest in June 1975.
Few weeks after his ordination, he was sent to the Philippines with a small group of young confreres to start the Camillian mission in the country.
The task of vocation promotion launched at that time resulted in the steady increase of local vocations and the establishment of several Camillian religious houses.
He served as vice pastor of the Our Lady of La Paz Parish in Makati City, where he founded the “Friends of the Sick”, a volunteer-based organization, from 1977 to 1982.
In January 1983, he returned to Italy and was assigned to the formation of the temporary professed in Verona S. Giuliano.
For four years, he served in different capacities, including as chaplain at the Borgo Trento hospital and secretary of the Provincial Center for Vocations.
In 1987, Father Zambotti returned to the Philippines as Master of the Temporary Professed at St. Camillus Scholasticate in Quezon City.
He also served as Superior of the St. Camillus Chaplaincy Community.
In 1992, he was appointed as coordinator of the Manila archdiocese’s Ministry of Health, a post he served until he was elected consultor and secretary of the General Consulta in Rome in 1995.
From 2001 to 2014, the priest served various positions in Taipei, Milan, and Rome.
In September 2015, he returned to Verona S. Giuliano where he served in the Church of San Giuliano and where, on June 13, 2017, he was named Superior.
In 2018, Father Zambotti was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy. He was scheduled for surgery this year but the medical procedure was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
