NECCHI, LUDOVICO (VICO). - Physician, b. in Milan on 19 Nov. 1876, d. there on 11 Jan. 1930.
In Nov. 1889, he began attending the second gymnasium class at the Parini Gymnasium, a religiously dangerous environment; but at his side was the Jesuit G. Mattiussi, who remained for over thirty years his counselor and spiritual father.
At the «Parini» he met as a fellow pupil Edoardo Gemelli, who, converted from atheism and made a Franciscan, always wanted him at his side as a counselor. Having earned his degree in medicine and surgery at Pavia in 1902, he attended the University of Berlin from Jan. to Aug. 1904, then, having declined the post of a proposed chair of anatomy at Freiburg, he devoted most of his time to the care of the sick, particularly in the field of neuropsychiatry, which he chose on the advice and encouragement of his friend Fr. A. Gemelli, both in private consultations and at the outpatient clinic of the Institute of St. Vincent in Milan for the education of mentally abnormal children. Beyond strictly medical means, with exquisite charity, delicacy and prudence he applied to his nervous patients a truly supernatural treatment, awakening in them a sense of the fullest trust in God's Providence. Thus, often the cure was the fruit of conversion, or conversion followed the recovery of physical health.
In the social apostolate, he inserted his work in that sector of activity that extends and serves as a bridge of union between the ecclesiastical hierarchy and lay society, often hostile and closed to the work of the priest. Living in the world, he became its apostle through action and word, availing himself of his profound philosophical, religious and medico-scientific preparation. Still a high-school student, he gave life to a Catholic association; at the University, he was president of the Catholic circle St. Severinus Boethius. Subsequently, he took part in the administrative life of the country and in the religious-social action of the Church, from the times of the Christian Democratic Fascio to those of the Popular Union and finally of Catholic Action; he was a municipal councilor in Milan in 1908, distinguishing himself by his intelligent and strenuous defense against the socialist attack on religious instruction in schools; in 1923 he was a provincial councilor of the V District of Milan.
He had the joy of seeing the rise of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, of which he was a professor and of which he can well be considered a «co-founder», for the continuous precious work of counselor carried out in every circumstance during the years of preparation.
On 7 Jan. 1951 the cause of beatification was introduced.