(ANS – Rome) – The proceedings of the International Historical Conference, Salesian Missions: From the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud (1919) to the Conciliar Decree Ad Gentes (1965), have been published. The conference was held at the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) in Rome on May 2–3, 2025, as part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition (1875–2025).
The volume, sponsored by the Salesian Historical Institute (ISS) and published as Volume 39 of the Studi series, is edited by Fr. Francesco Motto and Fr. Hendry Selvaraj Dominic. One hundred fifty years after the first missionary expedition of 1875, it traces the development of the Salesian missions by examining their origins, growth, and transformation between 1919 and 1965, within the broader context of the Church’s missionary renewal during that period—from Maximum Illudto the conciliar decree Ad Gentes.
Using both historical and missiological perspectives, the book highlights the distinctive nature of the Salesian missionary model, which is rooted in education, human development, and the formation of young people as privileged means of evangelization.
Through its many scholarly contributions, the volume explores the expansion of the Salesian presence across different continents, missionary pastoral strategies, the contributions of Salesian priests, Salesian Brothers, and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the relationship between evangelization and social development, and the gradual strengthening of the missionary dimension within the Salesian charism. In doing so, it offers new perspectives for research into both the history and the continuing relevance of the Salesian mission.
The Structure of the Volume
The opening section presents the historical and ecclesial context of missionary work in the early 20th century, along with theological and cultural issues, missionary formation houses, and the missionary press.
The second section examines the first Salesian missions in Patagonia during the period from 1875 to 1919, selected ad gentes missionary experiences in non-European countries during the 20th century, and the witness of several lay missionaries.
The third section focuses on missionaries recognized for heroic holiness, as well as missions that gave rise to new missionary congregations.
The fourth section includes studies on Salesian filmography, recent Salesian missionary historiography, the 1926 Salesian missionary exhibition, and the importance of the Salesian Ethnological Museum in Campo Grande, Brazil.
The volume concludes with a summary of the conference and a brief reflection on the present and future of missionary work within the Salesian Congregation and the Salesian Family, set against the backdrop of the evolving missionary vision encouraged by Pope Francis and continued by Pope Leo XIV.
A Valuable Resource for Missionary History
The published proceedings serve as a starting point for understanding, evaluating, and further researching the rich and complex history of the Salesian missionary movement that began 150 years ago and continues today. As emphasized during the conference, the Salesian understanding of mission is inseparable from the history of the Congregation’s worldwide expansion and its educational charism reaching every corner of the globe.
As the Salesian Family marks 150 years since the first missionary expedition, this volume offers readers an opportunity to explore how education, evangelization, and human development have shaped a charism capable of spanning continents, cultures, and generations.
