Salesians Send
Out the 156th Missionary Expedition
Ceremony in
Turin Marks 150 Years of Salesian Missionary Work
(ANS – Turin – November 12, 2025) – O the afternoon of Tuesday, November 11, in the basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco (Turin), the beating heart of Don Bosco’s charism, the celebration of the missionary commissioning of the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMAs) took place on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the 1st Salesian missionary expedition.
The Eucharistic
celebration, presided over by Fr. Fabio Attard, rector major, and concelebrated
by several general councilors, numerous missionaries, provincials and provincial
delegates for mission animation, also saw the presence of the superior general
of the FMAs, Mother Chiara Cazzuola, accompanied by some of her councilors and
a representation of FMA sisters, a sign of a living and missionary communion
between the two religious families.
A memory that
becomes mission
In his
introduction to the celebration, Fr. Michele Viviano, rector of the basilica,
recalled with emotion the evening of November 11, 1875, when Don Bosco bid
farewell to the first 10 missionaries leaving for Argentina: “Who knows that
this departure and this little are not like a seed from which a great plant
will arise?” said Don Bosco between tears and hope.
“Today, after 150
years,” continued Fr. Viviano, “we want to give thanks, rethink, and
relaunch:
- Give thanks for the 10,700
missionaries who, in this century and a half, have brought the
Salesian charism to 137 countries around the world;
- Rethink mission in multi-religious and secularized
contexts;
- Relaunch a renewed missionary zeal, close to
the young poor and to those who have lost the meaning of life.
“And as then,” he
concluded, “today too the “inde gloria mea”[1]
resounds: my glory goes hence! - the glory of Mary Help of
Christians, the glory of God, the glory of Don Bosco and his Congregations.”
“We are useless
servants”: the Gospel’s invitation to be rooted in Christ
In his homily,
inspired by the Gospel of Luke 17:7-10 (“We are useless servants; we have done
what we had to do”), Fr. Attard linked that moment 150 years ago to today’s
mandate, offering 3 keys to spiritual interpretation:
- The centrality of Christ - “Don Bosco did not send
officials or administrators, but apostles. Everything is born and finds
meaning only in Christ: without him we can do nothing, but with him we can
do everything.”
- Fidelity to the charism - “Knowing Don Bosco and
living his spirit means letting oneself be shaped by the educational love,
fraternity, and evangelical joy that make the mission credible.”
- Service to the poor - “Serving the poor means
choosing evangelical poverty as the way to freedom and authenticity; only
a poor and moderate community becomes a living Gospel.”
He concluded, “May
the Lord give us the strength of his Spirit so that, like Don Bosco, we may
live and transmit the beauty of the Gospel, rooted in Christ, faithful to the
charism and servants of the poor.”
Handing over
the missionary crosses
After the homily,
the general councilor for the missions, Fr. Jorge Crisafulli, approached the
ambo to proclaim the names of the new SDB missionaries of the 156th SDB
Expedition. One by one, each missionary stood up, emotionally pronounced his “Here
I am!”, and approached the altar.
Immediately
afterward, the general councilor for the missions of the FMAs, Sr. Ruth del
Pilar Mora Velazco, read out the names of the new FMA missionaries of the 148th
FMA expedition, who also were greeted by “Here I am!” together, a proclamation
of confidence and availability.
The most touching
moment was the handing over of the missionary crosses:
the rector major
placed the missionary cross around the necks of the departing Salesians, while Mother
General Cazzuola placed the missionary cross around the necks of the FMAs, a
sign of unity in the same missionary call and in their consecration for
life.
The SDB missionaries of the 156th expedition
The new
destinations include Bangladesh, Mozambique, Brazil, Mongolia, Greece, Turkey,
Romania, Thailand, and other countries.
Alongside them,
some missionaries from previous expeditions, already working in different
regions of the world, have renewed their mandate.
The FMA missionaries of the 148th expedition
Coming from
Vietnam, India, South Korea, and Italy, the new FMA missionaries are leaving
for the communities that await them in various continents, to be a sign of
consolation, trust, and evangelical hope among the young.
A mandate in
the sign of gratitude
The celebration
ended with a heartfelt thanksgiving pronounced by one of the missionaries on
behalf of all those leaving, who expressed gratitude to the Lord, to the
Salesian Family, and to those who accompany and support the mission with
prayer.
At the end of
Mass, the new SDB and FMA missionaries, together with their superiors, went in
silence and prayer to Don Bosco’s tomb, to entrust their mission to him and ask
for his paternal blessing. There, amidst recollection and songs, they raised a
short prayer for the young people who await them in every part of the world and
for all the Salesian missionaries who have gone before them. The gesture ended
with a group photo, a sign of communion and continuity in the missionary
history that began 150 years ago from that very same house.
In front of the
altar of Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco’s tomb, Valdocco once again
renewed its “yes” to the mission: a mandate that, for 150 years, has continued
to make evangelical hope and the Salesian dream of being “signs and bearers of
God’s love to the young” flourish in the world.
You can read
and download, in several languages, the full text of the homily of the Mass.
Download
attachments:
- 20251111_Omelia_-_SPEDIZIONE_MISSIONARIA_-_ITA.pdf
- 20251111_Omelia_-_SPEDIZIONE_MISSIONARIA_-_ENG.pdf
- 20251111_Omelia_-_SPEDIZIONE_MISSIONARIA_-_SPA.pdf
- 20251111_Omelia_-_SPEDIZIONE_MISSIONARIA_-_FRA.pdf
- 20251111_Omelia_-_SPEDIZIONE_MISSIONARIA_-_POR.pdf
[1] A
phrase that our Blessed Mother spoke to DB in a dream with reference to the
future basilica that he would build.
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