churches. From Rome he went to Milan to see his siblings and was ill in Milan for a brief time. Upon his return to Burma he was first assigned to the Toungoo mission but moved from mission to mission whenever and wherever he was called to do his work. He travelled long distances often on foot or horseback under the hot sun or in torrential downpours and he sometimes came across guerilla groups, or even wild beasts and animals such as snakes and tigers. He became noted for his constant efforts to improve the lives of local communities: he constructed churches and convents as well as schools and orphanages. Tantardini also oversaw the construction of hospitals and bridges to help improve the local infrastructure. He did work too as a carpenter or plumber and also did farming and orchard gardening while also working as a bricklayer. In 1973 the Italian Government awarded him the title "Master of Labor" due to his "contributing to honoring Italian work abroad". His superiors – including Bishop Giovanni Battista Gobbato (also from PIME) – asked Tantardini to retire after he turned 85 since his superiors believed he was pushing himself too much and was growing too frail. It was during this retirement period that his bishop asked him to write about his own life. He did so, recounting his works in the missions and how he coped during the Japanese invasion and bombings during World War II, while also writing about the struggles between the different ethnic groups. His retirement did not see him cease working for he continued to help people in local communities. The priest Father Mariano once said that Tantardini was "enthusiastic about his work, and his infectious enthusiasm about the work on hand would become contagious and affect all those who worked with him". Mariano also referred to Tantardini as "serene", and as one who could sometimes be seen "joking around" with others. Tantardini died on 23 March 1991; he had been ill for some time and in his final months could no longer stand. His remains were buried in the garden of the disabled center Holy Infant Jesus in the Payaphyu suburb. His tomb became a place for pilgrimage after his death with miracles reported at the tomb. Beatification process His death prompted insistent calls for a beatification process to be activated in 1994, and initial steps were taken in