Arriving at a good port – Mornese in Patagonia

Bahía Blanca (Argentina) The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of the Province of Saint Francis Xavier (ABB) this year 2020 celebrate the 140^th of their arrival at Carmen de Patagones, the city where the history of the Institute and the Salesian Family in Patagonia began.

On 24 August 2020, to “open the doors of memory and meet the presence of the living God in history”, they commemorated this historical event through a ‘virtual conversation’ entitled: “Arrive at a good port – Mornese in Patagonia”, broadcast on the YouTube Channel of the Salesian Bulletin.

At the opening of the live streaming, the Provincial of the ABB Province, Sr. Marta Liliana Riccioli, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be able to celebrate together as a family with the whole Institute of the FMA and the Salesian Family, this important moment of arrival in the land dreamed of by Don Bosco, but also the destination desired by Mother Mazzarello, who was the to want to go there as a missionary.

After the initial video-synthesis, the moderator, Ezequiel Herrero of the editorial staff of the Salesian Bulletin, gave the floor to the experts, starting with Prof. Sonia Belloso, who illustrated the historical context, placing the participants in the city of Carmen de Patagones of 1880.

Subsequently, Fr. Pedro Narambuena, parish pastor of Patagones, spoke of the reality of the Salesian Family of that time, of the arrival of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians together with the Salesians of Don Bosco, and of how a real Salesian community has arisen around them.

Sr. Lucia Dumrauf, FMA, instead referred to the Missionary Spirituality Project (PEM), an itinerary of interest for the FMA from all over the world, through which they have the opportunity to return to the roots of the charism in Patagonia and feel part of the dream of the Founders.

Prof. Sergio Villafañez led the listeners to immerse themselves in the life of Mother Angela Vallese, the first Superior of the Carmen de Patagones House, and above all, she spoke of the personality that God forged in her to be one of the pioneers of the Salesian charism in these lands.

Lastly, Prof. Christian Abraham, Lay Director General of the work of the FMA in Carmen de Patagones, told of his experience in this mission shared between sisters, laity, and young people.

The ‘virtual conversation’ in which each of the experts shared in addition to their own knowledge, the common passion for the Salesian charism, ended with answers to the questions posed by young people and those who followed the event online.