Significant Dates:

· Appointed for career service to Italy, November 1983.
· Departed for field in February 1985.

Serving in Italy

Biographical Information:

Mario was born in a small village in southern Italy and immigrated to Canada at a very young age. Raised in a strict Roman Catholic home he accepted the Lord as his personal Lord and Saviour while attending Peoples' Church in Toronto. In 1972, Mario graduated from Ontario Bible College (now known as Tyndale College) with a BTh degree. After spending two years in Italy with Greater Europe Mission, Mario served with Fellowship Home Missions for five years as the pioneer pastor of the Italian Baptist Church in Toronto.

Rose was born in Toronto into a Roman Catholic home. She accepted Christ when she was a child. In 1980, Rose, a gifted musician, graduated from Ontario Bible College with a Bachelor of Sacred Music degree.

Mario and Rose, along with their four daughters, left for Rome, Italy in 1985. Mario pastored the church that he, Rose, and WorldVenture missionary partners planted in 1990. During this time he was able to train national leadership that brought the church to the place where they could be independent of missionary personnel. Rose was involved with the church through music and Sunday School.

In 1998, a building, now used for the church, was rented from a government agency. From 1999 to 2001, several work teams from Canada assisted the church members in Rome with renovations, saving thousands of dollars in labour costs.

Today, Mario and Rose are involved in establishing a new church plant in Rome and Mario continues his involvement in leadership development as well as helping nurture another work in Isernia, about two hours from Rome. He also continues to work on the streets in evangelism, a ministry which has brought him vauable contacts and has resulted in many ministry opportunities.