By Sr. Mini Joseph, MSMHC

Gabutu, Port Moresby PNG 10 June 2024 -- Dreams are a universal human experience that can be described as a state of consciousness characterized by sensory, cognitive, and emotional occurrences. Some studies show that dreams result from a process that often combines fragments of multiple life experiences and anticipates future events. Don Bosco began his gigantic mission among the youth with a dream. Don Bosco’s dream was to provide shelter, education, and spiritual guidance to the poor and abandoned youth. His dream ultimately transformed the lives of thousands of young boys in 19th-century Turin, Italy. Over a century later, venerable Bishop Stephen Ferrando was inspired by a similar audacious dream. As the founder of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, venerable Stephen Ferrando envisioned an order of religious sisters devoted to continuing Don Bosco’s mission to uplift women, girls, and children, the most vulnerable ones in society.

Like Don Bosco, Bishop Stephen Ferrando started with just six pioneering lilies. Yet, he had an ambitious dream to establish a congregation to run boarding schools, hostels, dispensaries, catechism centers, and seminaries across India. His sisters would be educated but humble, following Don Bosco’s principle of “Work and Temperance.” Guided by the Salesian preventive system of reason, religion, and loving kindness, the sisters would serve the poor and the marginalized in far-flung areas.

As the daughters of Stephen Ferrando, the MSMHCs feel a special bond with Don Bosco and our founder, who dared to dream big dreams to empower women, girls, and children. We strive to emulate their trust in divine providence, their compassion, zeal for souls, and their commitment to education as the surest path to a better life. When faced with obstacles and challenges in the mission, the spiritual daughters of venerable Stephen Ferrando draw inspiration from his bold visions, which started small but blossomed to uplift thousands. Therefore, like their founder and Don Bosco, the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians daily renew their vocation to be humble instruments of God’s love and His Gospel.

For more than a century, since Don Bosco’s first dream of helping the street youth, his legacy and spirit have thrived. It lives not just through the Salesians but through all who have been caught up in the inspiration of his vision. Today, the MSMHCs are proud to become part of the great dream started at Valdocco, the cradle of Salesian spirituality, which remains as relevant as ever in bringing hope and light to the young, especially women, girls, and children in the villages. Wherever the MSMHCs serve, they strive to echo Don Bosco’s timeless message: “Have faith in your dreams, and anything is possible.”

The MSMHC sisters are in the community of Don Bosco Technical School, Gabutu, are assisting with the Pastoral Ministry in the parish of Mary Help of Christians, Sabama, working in the school and running programs for mothers.

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