Turin (Italy). On 8 and 9 November 2025, approximately 160 young people, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and Salesians of Don Bosco of the Italian Missionary Animation, joined by departing missionaries, gathered in Turin, Valdocco, to experience two days of formation, sharing, prayer, and celebration, in an authentic climate of Salesian familiarity and joy.
beAMission is the title of the event, born at the heart of a journey designed to animate the Italian Provinces as part of the celebrations linked to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first missionary expeditions of the Salesians (11 November 1875) and of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (14 November 1877). A stage, therefore, in a journey that began in November 2022, which over the past two days has seen a broader involvement of young people who have experienced missionary volunteering in Italy or abroad to return to the heart of the Salesian mission: the predilection for poor young people experienced not only for young people, but with young people themselves.
The journey is the result of the work of a National Missionary Animation Team established with the approval of Italian Provincials in January 2024, composed of an FMA and an SDB for each Province and 2-3 young people for each Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) organization. This immediately allowed for an extraordinary wealth of sharing in writing a new page of shared pastoral practice.
The land of Valdocco – “where it all began” – the inauguration of the traveling missionary exhibit, “Splendete come astri nel mondo” (Shine like the stars in the world), the testimony of the new missionaries, the presence of the Rector Major and the Mother General, made the days particularly appreciated by everyone.
At the reception, participants were invited to leave a photograph of their missionary experience on a planisphere set up at the entrance to the courtyard. From there, the activities were launched in the Oratory theater, prepared by the FMA and SDB Provinces of Southern Italy. This was followed by a period of in-depth study of Valdocco’s missionary spirituality, with a guided tour of the Casa Don Bosco complex and museum.
After the break, the gathering continued in the theater for a formative assembly, listening and dialogue time, curated by Fr. Jorge Mario Crisafulli, General Councilor for the Missions, on “What does mission and Salesian mission mean today?” It was a powerful intervention, made up of words and images that struck the hearts of those present and provoked important questions and reflections, which emerged especially in the subsequent time of reflection and sharing in small groups.
Before dinner, the inauguration of the missionary exhibit “Splendete come astri nel mondo”, curated by the Provinces of the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Lombardy and Triveneto, brought everyone back to the atrium of the Casa Don Bosco Museum, where the museum’s director, Ana Martìn Garcìa, moderated the experts’ presentations before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Here the participants heard, for the first time in recent days, the words of the Superior General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Mother Chiara Cazzuola, and the Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, who underlined the intrinsic missionary dimension of the Congregation and the Institute, with the desire of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello to leave as missionaries themselves, and the Marian dimension that has always accompanied Don Bosco’s sons and daughters on their youth mission.
During the evening, the participants enjoyed a missionary celebration, led by young people who had a missionary experience in various areas and brought food, objects, music, games, and dances from the mission.
The day concluded with Mother Chiara’s Goodnight. After sharing the entire afternoon with the young missionaries, she encouraged them to adopt a humble and positive attitude towards the suffering of contemporary reality and the needs of the world:
“Can anything really be done to change reality? Your missionary commitment is already an answer. (…) Before asking oneself what should I do, however, in my opinion, it is important that we ask ourselves, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ And then listen, cultivate listening. In silence, the Lord will answer our question and help us understand how to continue on the path. One thing is clear to us, we are called to be holy missionaries and holiness is the first way to mission. A daily holiness that is embodied in everyday life that welcomes suffering, joys, and hardships, knowing that they are privileged moments to realize our Christian vocation. Salesian holiness is made up of small and big things; it is not just a grace but a spiritual path, an invitation to live an extraordinary life in the ordinary.”
Sunday began with a rich morning of testimonies, listening, and sharing. First, listening to the missionary testimony of young people through the Living Library format, and then that of new missionaries with questions “to be played” during the listening period.
The culmination of the event was reached in the Eucharistic Celebration in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, presided over in the early afternoon by the Rector Major, who provoked the assembly into questioning themselves, “why are you here today?” and in reflecting on the three words that accompanied the days, “to thank, to rethink, and to relaunch”.
The solemn concelebration, led by the choir of the Valdocco oratory, concluded with thanks from four representative members of the national team: Gaia Greco, member of the national team for the SYM territory of Central Italy; Luca Scavino, member of the team for the territory of Piedmont, the coordinator of the national table of Delegates for Missionary Animation (DIAM); Fr. Fabio Maistro, SDB of the ITV Province; the contact person for the missionary leaders of the FMA Provinces of Italy, Sister Anna Maria Spina.
A thank you in four voices to express the gratitude of the entire team that coordinated the Turin days, of those who put themselves on the line by sharing their experiences, of the Rector Major and the Mother General, who chose to share this mission and joyful event with the participants.
The journey continues with new stages that will be announced along the way. The first event is in Genoa Sampierdarena on 14 November , with the inauguration of the Museum of Missionary Expeditions-with the presence of the Rector Major and Mother Chiara Cazzuola-desired and created by the Central Italian Salesian Province with the special dedication of Father Francesco De Ruvo, who also wanted the museum to provide a clear reference to the history of FMA missionary expeditions.
