Anyone visiting the Salesian missions in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, in the Peruvian Andes and in the forests of Cusco, will discover that Fr Facchinello has not been forgotten. His name lives on in the communities where he proclaimed the gospel, in the stories told by those who shared their lives with him, and in the affection of a people who still remember his warmth, his infectious joy and his tireless missionary spirit.
The most eloquent tribute to his memory is to be found in the district of Yanatile. There, the district administration has decided to name one of the area’s most important bridges after Father David Facchinello; it is crossed every day by hundreds of vehicles and local residents. It is not merely a piece of road infrastructure, but a permanent sign of gratitude towards a priest who made those mountains his home and their inhabitants his family.
Thousands of people cross that bridge every day. Perhaps many do not know who the priest was whose name appears on the structure; nevertheless, that simple plaque keeps alive the memory of a Salesian who travelled difficult roads to proclaim the Gospel and accompany the most remote communities of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The bridge “In memory of Fr David Facchinello”, whose plaque also bears the names of the authorities who made its construction possible, is much more than a public works project. Above all, it is a tribute from a grateful people who do not forget those who dedicate their lives to others.
This bridge is a tangible tribute to Fr David and, at the same time, to all the Salesian missionaries of yesterday and today who, following Don Bosco’s dream, continue to bring hope to places where the journey is longest and the need greatest. It is a tribute to those who today continue to proclaim the gospel in the most remote communities, where the mission requires travelling long distances, braving the bitter cold, the high altitudes of the Andes and the difficulties typical of a challenging terrain. For being a missionary in these lands is not always easy or comfortable; yet love for Christ and for young people ensures that every sacrifice is transformed into fruitful dedication, capable of leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of a people.
The memory of Fr David remains alive, not only on a plaque or a bridge, but in the hearts of those who witnessed his dedication. For a missionary’s life is not measured by the years lived, but by the love sown. And that love continues to unite, like a bridge, God to his people.
The Italian Salesian missionary, who died in a road accident in May 2022, lives on in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where his pastoral dedication continues to bear fruit.
“Without memory there is no remembrance; without remembrance there is no gratitude,” wrote Bishop Salvador Piñeiro. “May these words,” they write from Peru, “invite us to offer a prayer for Fr David Facchinello and for all the missionaries who, with generosity and dedication, bring the gospel to the remotest corners of the world.”
