Maria Domenica Mazzarello

2.1. Early Life and Background

Maria Domenica Mazzarello was born on May 9, 1837, in Mornese, a village located in what is now the province of Alessandria, northern Italy. She was the eldest of ten children born to Joseph and Maddalena Calcagno Mazzarello, a devout peasant family who worked in a vineyard. Her upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of faith and responsibility. At the age of fifteen, she joined the Association of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, a pious union known for its charitable works and led by the local parish priest, Domenico Pestarino. This association served as a crucial precursor to the eventual founding of the Salesian Sisters. Within the association, Maria quickly distinguished herself through her rational judgment, unwavering dedication, joyful spirit, and profound love for young people. Children in the village were often drawn to her, following her wherever she went and enjoying her company.

2.2. Illness and Transformation

In 1860, when Maria was 23 years old, a severe typhoid epidemic swept through Mornese, causing widespread illness and death among the villagers. Maria's aunt and uncle fell gravely ill, and she bravely volunteered to care for them and their many children, demonstrating immense selflessness and compassion. After a week, her relatives began to recover. However, upon returning home, Maria herself contracted typhoid. Her condition was so severe that she received the last rites of the Catholic Church. Though she miraculously recovered, the illness left her significantly weakened. The robust physical strength that had previously allowed her to work diligently in the fields was gone, leaving her thin and frail. This profound experience of illness and recovery prompted a deep spiritual introspection, guiding her life's mission towards serving the vulnerable and dedicating herself to a higher purpose.

2.3. Educational Mission and Early Community

Following her recovery, Maria Mazzarello sought an apprenticeship as a seamstress in Mornese, diligently mastering the craft. Like John Bosco, she possessed the remarkable ability to pass on the skills she acquired in her youth to others who came after her. In October, after her illness, Maria was walking in her village when she was suddenly struck by a vision: she saw a large building with a courtyard filled with many girls playing and laughing. A voice distinctly said to her, "I entrust them to you." This vision solidified her conviction to dedicate her life to the education of girls, a pressing need in the 19th century.

Many young women in the city, including farm girls from the countryside, domestic servants, factory workers, and street vendors, faced significant risks, including juvenile prostitution. Maria was determined to educate them and teach them a trade, thereby protecting them from the dangers of street life. She persuaded several of her friends to join her in this ambitious project. This group, initially comprising fifteen young women, formed the nucleus of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate. Domenico Pestarino, their spiritual guide, dedicated himself to training them in the spiritual life and helped secure a communal living space for some of them, marking the beginning of religious life in Mornese. The Daughters welcomed and housed a few young girls, providing them with religious instruction and imparting their knowledge of dressmaking.

3.1. Collaboration with John Bosco

The work of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate came to the attention of John Bosco through Domenico Pestarino, who was himself undergoing training as a Salesian of Don Bosco under the saint. Inspired by his own vision concerning young girls, Bosco decided to meet with the Daughters. He traveled to Mornese with his boy band, ostensibly to raise funds for his Oratory. However, his true intention was to explore the possibility of establishing a female counterpart to the male Salesian religious order, drawing from the dedicated group of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate. This meeting proved to be a significant turning point, uniting their shared visions for youth apostolate and laying the groundwork for a formal partnership.

3.2. Establishment and Early Rule

In 1867, following his meeting with the Daughters and their enthusiastic reception of his proposal, John Bosco drafted their first rule of life. Maria Mazzarello, known for her good spirit, sense of humor, optimism, and charity, was the natural choice for the first superior of the new community. Despite her initial reluctance, she accepted the role out of obedience, becoming the first Mother of the young community at the age of thirty.

The early days of the congregation were marked by much formation, struggles, and difficulties, including challenges with the townspeople. A school for boys, which the town had raised money for and built, was turned over to the Daughters for their work by Bosco, causing some local resentment. Despite these obstacles, the day of their profession arrived. On July 31, 1872, Maria Mazzarello led the fifteen young women in professing their vows as religious women in the presence of the Bishop of Acqui, their spiritual father Bosco, and Pestarino. This date marked the official birth of the new religious family, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. As the feminine branch of the Salesian religious family, their mission was to do for girls what the Salesian priests and brothers were already doing for boys in Turin.

After being elected Mother General of the Salesian Sisters, Maria Mazzarello recognized the importance of literacy for herself and the other sisters, many of whom had never had the opportunity to acquire reading and writing skills. Her dedication extended beyond intellectual development; she was an attentive and caring mother figure in every sense, which is why she is still affectionately known as "Mother Mazzarello" by the Salesian Sisters today.

3.3. Missionary Endeavors

The Salesian Sisters' apostolate soon expanded beyond Italy. The first missionary sisters embarked on their journey to Uruguay in 1877, marking a significant step in the order's global outreach. Mother Mazzarello accompanied them to their port of call in Genoa, Italy, and then traveled by boat to France to visit the sisters already established there.

During her journey, their ship broke down in Marseilles and required repairs, forcing all passengers to disembark. Despite assurances that lodging had been prepared, a mix-up left the sisters without beds. Undeterred, Mother Mazzarello, known for her resilience, took the sheets they had brought, stuffed them with straw, and created makeshift beds for everyone. After a difficult night, everyone awoke, but Mother Mazzarello found herself unable to get up, suffering from a high fever and intense pain. The next morning, out of concern for her already exhausted companions, she managed to rise, see the missionaries off, and then continued her journey with the remaining sisters to their house and orphanage in St. Cyr.

6.1. Contributions to Education and Social Welfare

Maria Mazzarello's vision for the education and protection of young women continues to be realized through the ongoing work of the Salesian Sisters, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Her initiative to provide vocational training, particularly through sewing schools, was revolutionary for its time, offering girls practical skills that enabled them to achieve economic independence and avoid societal risks. The Salesian Sisters today operate schools, orphanages, and youth centers across the globe, providing comprehensive educational opportunities that encompass academic learning, vocational training, and spiritual formation.

Their work actively addresses social inequalities by focusing on marginalized young people, especially girls, who might otherwise lack access to quality education and supportive environments. By fostering their intellectual, moral, and social development, the Salesian Sisters empower young women to become self-reliant, contributing members of society. This commitment to holistic development and the provision of opportunities for the vulnerable aligns strongly with social liberal values, emphasizing the importance of education, protection, and empowerment for all, thereby significantly improving social conditions and fostering the well-being of countless young lives.