Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Buenos Aires (Agenzia Fides) - On 11 November 1875 the church of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco (Turin, Italy) lived a great moment: the departure of the first ten Salesian missionaries destined to reach Argentina. Don Bosco saw his dream fullfilled. Today, 140 years later, over 11,000 Salesians have been sent to mission territories and the educational work of the sons of Don Bosco is carried out in more than 130 countries on five continents.
On the occasion of the First Vatican Council, several Bishops had asked Don Bosco to send the Salesians to China, the United States and Egypt. For three years Don Bosco studied to try to find out what was the "distant land" that he had dreamed when he was 9 years old. One day he received a request to go to Argentina, to the indigenous of Patagonia.
The first group of missionaries had three specific purposes: to dedicate themselves to the poor and abandoned youth, to open a new school and try to reach other places in Patagonia. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 11/11/2015)
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