In a press conference, Fr Raúl García, parish priest of the Salesian parish of Our Lady of Carmine, expressed his gratitude to all the Salesians and lay people who passed through Salto doing good. "When Father Aschieri, the first parish priest, took over the parish, a hundred years ago he sowed the Salesian seed. Then the Salesian work in Salto was expanded and there are three presences today: the Don Bosco Social Work, the Parish and the Salesian Institute. These works have permeated society and have shaped generations of young people."
Looking back over 100 years ago, the first Salesians who left Italy with the sole purpose of "saving souls" were remembered. In fact, in 1875, with the First Missionary Expedition to Argentina, an important stage in the history of the Congregation began. And that First Expedition, on December 13, 1875, passed through Montevideo, bound for Buenos Aires. It was led by Fr Giovanni Cagliero, who according to Fr García, was enchanted by the beauty of the Montevideo bay, and then by Uruguay and its people. He intended to meet the Apostolic Vicar, Msgr. Jacinto Vera, today venerable, but was unable to do so, since the prelate was in the countryside, occupied with encouraging the humblest in faith and administering the sacraments in a country where priests were extremely scarce.
From that moment on, Fr Cagliero understood that the Salesian charism had to be sown in Uruguay too. That day, one of the Salesians who accompanied him to Buenos Aires wrote: "May God grant the Salesians the happiness of opening a school in Montevideo."
In this context of pandemic, the celebrations for the hundred years of presence in Salto were not moved or postponed, but celebrated, even if in virtual form.
“Despite the situation generated by Covid-19, the parish church will remain open and the centenary book in which you can leave a message and your signature will be available. A space has also been arranged around the tomb of Farther Aschieri. There, we will be able to celebrate a grateful memory of those who built this story,” emphasize the organizers.
Among the activities to celebrate the hundred years there will be the conference of Prof. José Luis Guarino, Thursday 25 June, broadcast by various virtual media; the visit to the Salesian communities; a commemorative plaque on the walls. The celebrations will culminate on Sunday 12 July with the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with the celebration of the Eucharist and the procession with the statue of the Virgin around the city, of which she is the Patroness.
