Family Portrait

St. John Bosco.............. St. Mary Mazzarello

St. John Bosco and St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello were the chosen instruments of God, whose work, begun in the late 19th century, rapidly spread into a worldwide family dedicated to young people.

Don Bosco's dream was to teach the young practical life skills, and to nurture their hearts with the experience of God's love. For over twenty years he worked only with boys. Then Mary, in one of his dreams, made it clear that girls "were her children too". It was at that point that the Holy Spirit brought Don Bosco and Mary Mazzarello together.

Her presence and work with the girls in her town resonated in many striking ways with his work for boys. But above and beyond the work itself, Don Bosco was deeply impressed by the selfless dedication that motivated her. From this spirit-filled encounter, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians were born.

The work begun by St. John Bosco and St. Mary Mazzarello in the later 19th century rapidly spread into a world-wide family dedicated to the service of youth.

On July 16, 1908, the first four missionary Salesian Sisters arrived in New York City. They settled in Paterson, NJ, to begin their ministry with the children of Italian immigrants.

The beginnings were challenging. Their new home consisted in three bare rooms, no furniture and a partial roof. They had no food of their own, nor a stove, but depended on the rectory for meals. Their diet was spartan but the dire situation surprised none of them. Work, privation and sacrifice had been foreseen as part of their offering to the Lord for the fruitfulness of the mission. For many years there would even be sisterly rivalry to see who could get along with the least for herself so the others could have more; who could do extra work so the others could have a bit of rest.

With courage, self-forgetfulness and creativity they were able to overcome the many challenges that come with the total giving of one's life to the Lord. God blessed their sacrifices and the Sisters were able to establish schools and youth centers for the Christian education of the young not only in Paterson but in many places throughout the United States.

Almost a hundred years have passed since the arrival of the first four Salesian Sisters. Today we continue to be actively engaged in ministering to youth and with youth, especially the poor and marginalized.

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