Symposium in Genoa Remembers Fr. Lorenzo Massa, SDB

Symposium in Genoa Remembers 
Fr. Lorenzo Massa, SDB

(ANS – Genoa – November 13-17, 2025) – Already at the center of global Salesian attention for the events related to the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition, on Friday, November 14, Genoa experienced another significant appointment to rediscover the Salesian commitment in Latin America, with the event “Il Civico delle Radici – Don Lorenzo Massa” at the National Museum of Italian Emigration (MEI).

On this occasion at the MEI, a conference dedicated to the Salesian priest and missionary was held, with the screening of the mini-documentary ‘¡Ahí vienen los cuervos!’ This was followed by the inauguration of the “parlante” plaque affixed to the church of Sant’Ilario, where Fr. Massa was baptized. This is a “talking plaque.” Thanks to a QR code, the plaque allows visitors to listen to the voices and stories of those who lived through those years of courage and fraternity. The story can be heard in both Italian and Spanish by scanning the code or visiting MEI’s YouTube channel.

Fr. Lorenzo Massa, a Salesian of Italian origin, distinguished himself in Argentina at the beginning of the 20th century for his educational and social commitment on behalf of young people in the Almagro district of Buenos Aires. Wanting to provide a new recreational space for his youngsters, he transformed the St. Anthony of Padua oratory into an educational reference point for young people, especially by founding the San Lorenzo soccer team, as it is commonly known,

When Fr. Massa accompanied his boys—dressed in his long black cassock—to the outskirts to play soccer, local residents would exclaim, “¡Ahí vienen los cuervos!” (“Here come the crows!”). From that group of teenagers, the Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro was born, destined to become one of the most important soccer teams in Argentina. It boasted among its many fans the 268th Successor of St. Peter, Pope Francis (with membership card number 88235N-0), who was born and raised in Almagro.

The club has expanded its activities to include other disciplines such as basketball, volleyball, and hockey.

Some distinguished speakers took part in the event at the MEI:

• Paolo Masini, president of the MEI Foundation;
• Andrea Pedemonte, president of Sonio Liguria;
• Fr. Ricardo Campoli, Argentinean Salesian, member of the Salesian Communications Department;
• Juan Pablo Tobanelli, SDB, provincial delegate for mission animation and volunteers in the Argentina North Province;
• Fabio Niosi, MEI ambassador in Brazil
• Adele Repetto, genealogy manager for the network of researchers, guides, and tour operators of Italea Liguria.

Fr. Fabio Attard, Salesian rector major, attended. He commented:
“Fr. Massa’s parents represent the kind of emigrants who left to find better opportunities for work and family life. It is interesting to see how this wave of emigration generated a rich cultural, agricultural, artistic, and artisanal heritage… and has produced people of great stature, whose educational and human contributions we still appreciate today.”

Reflecting further on emigration and the meaning of the celebration, Fr. Attard concluded:
“It is a great honor for us to take part in remembering this figure. But like Fr. Massa, there were thousands of others: 10,000 Salesian missionaries—priests and brothers—set out for distant lands!”

The “Il Civico delle Radici – Don Lorenzo Massa” event is financed by the Liguria Region, on the occasion of the year of Liguria as European Region of Sport, and realized in collaboration with the Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro and Italea Liguria, which carried out the genealogical research on Fr. Lorenzo Massa’s parents.