Kaoru Tamura – Something about Mary. Reflections on Don Bosco, mother Mazzarello and the development of the “Spirit of Mornese”

Mary Mazzarello had not seen Don Bosco until October of 1864, when he visited Mornese. In fact, it was not until 1871, some seven years later, that she came under the direct authority of the Founder, when the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians was founded. However, she seems to have been well prepared for her work with Don Bosco and the Salesians, both in her philosophical formation and her life experiences. How then was a simple woman of peasant origins, with no formal schooling, prepared to co-found and lead the sisters of Don Bosco’s order? Her biographies show that she was prepared ideologically, through the spiritual guidance of Fr. Dominic Pestarino at Mornese; and practically, through her life experiences and activities which had many parallels in the life of Don Bosco.

Maria Mazzarello non aveva incontrato Don Bosco fino all’ottobre del 1864, quando visitò Mornese. Infatti solo nel 1871, circa sette anni dopo, passò sotto la diretta autorità del Fondatore, quando fu fondato l’Istituto delle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice. Tuttavia, sembra essere stata ben preparata per il suo lavoro con Don Bosco e i Salesiani, sia nella sua formazione filosofica che nelle sue esperienze di vita. Come poteva una semplice donna di origini contadine, senza istruzione formale, preparata a co-fondare e guidare le suore dell’ordine di Don Bosco? Le sue biografie mostrano che è stata preparata ideologicamente, attraverso la guida spirituale di p. Domenico Pestarino a Mornese; e praticamente, attraverso le sue esperienze di vita e attività che hanno avuto molti parallelismi nella vita di Don Bosco.

Contents:

• I. Introduction
• II. Mother Mazzarello’s Spiritual Preparation, and Life Experiences
  • Ideological Formation
  • Life Experiences and Activities
• III. Convergence: First Contact with Don Bosco
• IV. Living the Salesian Spirit: Development of the “Spirit of Mornese” in Mother Mazzarello’s Spirituality
• V. Conclusion and Query: Why is Don Bosco “absent” in the life of Mother Mazzarello?

Reference time period: 1864 – 1887

Reference institution:
Institute of Salesian Studies