Fr. Facchinello reached the Father's House with just 48 years of life, 28 years as a Salesian, and was about to complete his 20 years of priesthood, which he would have celebrated next June 21.
"David arrived in Peru as a Salesian missionary five years ago. Since then he gave himself generously to the mission in the Yanatile Valley area. He was a pastor of Mary Help of Christians Parish in Quebrada Honda, where he gave himself integrally with great enthusiasm, work and joy. His so sudden death hits us hard, leaves us a little more alone, and invites us to root ourselves even more in hope. His missionary and Salesian testimony will surely bear fruit," the PER Province writes in a statement issued because of his untimely death.
Msgr. Richard Daniel Alarcón Urrutia, Archbishop of Cusco, and his Auxiliary Msgr. Lizardo Estrada Herrera, OSA, along with the entire family of the Archdiocese of Cusco, also expressed their closeness to the Salesians and Fr. Facchinello's family in a message of condolence.
Fr. Facchinello was born on May 21, 1974, in Treviso; he came to know the Salesians at the "San Giorgio" Institute in Venice, then experienced the path of the "Comunità Proposta" in Mogliano Veneto and did his Novitiate at Pinerolo, taking his first vows on Sept. 8, 1994.
This was followed by his perpetual vows, near Caorle on September 16, 2001, and his priestly ordination, on June 21, 2003, in the evocative setting of the Basilica of Aquileia.
He served at the Salesian community in Mogliano Veneto (2005-2011) and in Este (2011-2017), with the duties of community vicar and pastoral animator among the students of the Vocational Training Center, until, after he matured his missionary vocation, he was sent to Peru.
"As soon as he arrived at the mission site, he devoted all his energies to getting to know the people and to their integral pastoral service... Kind and attentive to the brothers in the community, he was always an exemplary religious and a hard-working and devoted apostle... Eager to get even closer to the souls he served, he insisted on learning the Quechua language," PER's provincial secretary, Fr. Rafael Vildozo, said of him.
Due to Fr. Facchinello's passing, the first session of the Provincial Chapter was suspended. The Salesian missionary's funeral was held last Saturday, May 28, at the cathedral in Cusco, and at the same time in Italy, at the house in Castello di Godego, a recitation of the Rosary was held in his suffrage.
"We pray so much for him, for his mother Marinella and father Ivone, for all his family, many Salesian friends, and many people who feel that in David they are losing a father, a brother, and a friend," the Salesians of Peru added in their statement.
"The Help of Christians welcomes him with tenderness and surely he is already spreading his joy in the Oratory of Heaven together with Don Bosco," the communiqué ends.
https://www.infoans.org/en/sections/news/item/15498-peru-salesian-missionary-fr-david-facchinello-dies-in-a-car-accident#sigProIdebaab2036d
