(ANS – Rossiglione) – Following the preparation of the Position on the life and virtues of the Servant of God, Bishop Stephen Ferrando, concluded in December 2012, the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, founded by the Salesian Bishop, organized a Study Day dedicated to his memory. The event took place on Saturday 13 April at Rossiglione, birth place of the Servant of God.

The meeting opened with greetings from Bishop Pier Giorgio Micchiardi of Acqui and from the Parish Priest of Rossiglione, Fr Alfredo Vignolo. Both said they were pleased with this initiative which would serve to make the missionary witness of this great Salesian Bishop better known in the diocese and in the parish.

The next person to speak was Dr Lodovica Maria Zanet, a member of the team of the Postulator General’s office.  She outlined the virtues of the Servant of God in the light of the Position, describing his active life and hard work, inspired by a spirit of sacrifice and pastoral zeal, characterized by joy and optimism, and by a strong devotion to Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco.

Fr Pierluigi Cameroni, Postulator General of the Salesian Family, then gave a talk entitled “Bishop Ferrando’s testimony of faith and the way forward for his cause for beatification.” At the end of the meeting, Sr Brigid Jacob, Delegate of the Mother General for Italy, thanked the participants in the name of the many sisters present. The day ended with the Eucharist in the parish Church, with the postulator Fr Cameroni presiding.

Stephen Ferrando was born in Rossiglione in 1885 and became a Salesian in 1912. His studies were forcefully interrupted by the outbreak of the first World War, in which he served as an officer and was awarded a silver medal. After his ordination he left for the Salesian Mission in North East India where he became one of the great pioneers of Salesian missionary work in that vast region.

In 1934  he became Bishop of Krishnagar, but after just one year he was transferred to Shillong, which became, for the next 35 years, the scene of all his fruitful apostolic and evangelizing work. In 1942 he founded the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians. In 1969 he returned to Italy and took up residence at the Salesian Institute of Genova-Quarto where he died in 1978.

Published 17/04/2013