Marisa Baù (1963-2011)
1 February 2012 – updated on February, 8th 2012
The official identification is still to be done, but the Swiss police is by now certain that the body found two days ago at Cugy is that of Marisa Baù. This is confirmed by a meeting which was held today by the case attorney with Marisa’s relatives and those responsible of the Focolare Centre of Montet.
Marisa Baù had disappeared from the Centre of the Focolare Movement in Montet (Broye), Switzerland, on December 20th, 2011. The search since then did not produce any evidence (see info). Instead, Monday, January 30th, the police informed that they had found the body of a woman in an agricultural warehouse, in the close by locality of Cugy, in a place used to keep bales of hay.
The farmer who looks after the farm reported that he frequently goes to that place, but only when he had to move part of the hay did he realize there was a body.
The police, with the relatives, have considered to do further verifications to verify the cause of death. Now they will proceed with the autopsy and other related examinations, which could last a few weeks. The investigations will be closed if the results exclude an external involvement.
Marisa was found hanged in circumstances that are still to be clarified. The state of decomposition indicates that her death occurred before Christmas. In this moment the probable cause of death is suicide. On Tuesday, the 7th, her body will be handed over to her family and brought first to Montet where funeral rites will be celebrated and then to Asiago her city of origin.
“We find ourselves in front of a tragic and painful situation in which we find the Movement identifying itself now more than ever with the drama of humanity today”, as Maria Voce wrote to the community of the Focolare. She continues: “What remains to comfort us is the witness of the generosity with which Marisa gave herself to God, and with which she lived all these years, in the total giving of herself to the other focolarine, to the tasks entrusted to her which she brought ahead with responsibility and commitment. Believing more than ever in the love of God for Marisa, let us continue to pray for her and her family”.
On Monday, February 6th, in the locality of Cugy, 350 people took part in the funeral rite to give their last farewell to Marisa Baù on Swiss ground. The Holy Mass was celebrated by 8 priests. In their messages, the local bishop, Bishop Charles Morerod and Bishop Jean-Claude Périsset, the Apostolic Nuncio in Berlin, originally from Estavayer-le-Lac, near Montet, expressed their participation, closeness and support to the family members and focolarini of Montet.
In a brief speech, Marithé Vuigner, who is co-responsible of the Focolare Centre of Montet, went over the 40 days, from the disappearance on December 20th to the finding of the dead body, and a brief profile of Marisa Baù.
After the ceremony the corpse was transported to Italy, accompanied by some relatives who were present in Montet and a group of focolarini.
The next day, Tuesday, February 7th, a huge crowd was waiting for Marisa at the Church of the Sasso di Asiago village to pay their final respects in the funeral services celebrated by the parish priest of Gallio, Fr. Lauderio Dal Bianco. On behalf of the family members, a niece expressed a farewell greeting to Marisa, highlighting her love for the family and for life.
The reports on the autopsy which should verify the cause of death could arrive in a month’s time.
Marisa Baù was born on the 12th of May, 1963 in Asiago in the province of Vicenza, second to the last of 8 siblings. At the age of 15 she lost her mother, and so she took on the task of taking care of her siblings who were still at home. Hardworking and creative, she started a small gift shop with two of her former colleagues, after two years of working in a factory.
She met the spirituality of the Focolare Movement at the Genfest of 1980, making it her own with readiness and generosity. She felt the vocation to consecrate herself to God in the Focolare community, and she left in ’91, first for the Focolare Center in Padua, where she finished her degree in accounting, and then in ’92 for the School of Formation in Loppiano, while continuing to maintain a strong link with all of her relatives.
After the period of formation Marisa remained at the Center of Montet (Broye) in Switzerland, where she worked in the section of infant-ware, of which she was in-charge of the production section from ’94. In 1998, because of her human and spiritual talents, she was asked to take care of the focolarine who were undergoing their formation.
Marisa had a strong and creative personality, and she was admired by everyone for the quality of the relationships she established, her sens of responsibility and altruism.
Updated on February, 9th 2012
BF – UF