A certain art in growing old

Brother Mario Iori was born in 1922 at Turania, in the Latium, not far from Rome. For some years he has been in the rest home at Carmagnola. There he fills his days in writing. His latest work is a very long poem on the Virgin Mary, a poem of 13,820 lines in the style of Dante?s Divine Comedy. This is his way of allowing the Virgin Mary to take her place in his life. The poem was presented in a prose and poetry competition, and earned the following appreciation from the literary critics: « Mario Iori is distinguished by his excellent poetic technique. »

Thanks to the generosity of a family in Rome, the poem has been printed with a very special intention: to help the families of Aquila who lost everything in the earthquake of Spring this year. The initiative is meeting with good success. Thus Brother Mario Iori?s hymn to the Virgin Mary becomes a concrete gesture of assistance.

Brother Mario Iori is not new to poetry nor to the art of writing. A teacher for 57 years, he has found time to write 8 books, 6 for children, among which one came runner-up for a literary prize.

To poetry he has always added music and theatre. With his pupils he has appeared twice on television, to the great joy of the parents.

Brother Mario has also always had a heart attentive to the poor. With his pupils he collected used paper, and was able to send thousands of euros to the lepers.

In his spare moments, he liked to drive the tractor. Certain people used to tell him: « When you are on the tractor, you are quite different? » Close to nature, he has succeeded in becoming an expert on grafting.

This look backwards shows how a Brother?s life can be a full one. In his teacher?s heart are thousands of children and youths. They come back to mind whenever he walks saying his rosary.