Giovanni Bosco – “Sources prior to the first missionary expedition” in “Salesian Sources 1. Don Bosco and his work. Collected work”

The first seven documents offered here belong in some way to the first missionary expedition which sailed from Genoa on November 14, 1875.

In particular there are three letters sent to correspondents in Argentina. In the first of these, in December 1874, after having got the necessary information and essential contacts with the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and his Vicar General, Don Bosco put forward a proposal to the latter to send Salesians for two foundations one in the capital and one at San Nicolás de los Arroyos. He assured him that his personnel would be able to offer services superior to those requested by the Argentinian promoters (no. 91). In the second letter, in summer 1875, once he had accepted requests coming from the founding committee for the college at San Nicolás de los Arroyos, and through the local Italian parish priest, Fr Pietro Ceccarelli, Don Bosco told them of variation to the personnel that was to be sent halfway through November, the name of the superior responsible for the early times, Fr John Cagliero and his immediate successor, Fr John Bonetti. He had no scruples in asking payment for the majority of the tickets for the journey (no. 93). Some things were still uncertain so he sent the parish priest a list of precise information he needed in advance, so there would be no problems on arrival and beginning the work in places so far away.

Reference time period: 1874 – 1875

Reference institution:
Istituto Storico Salesiano