“Don Bosco encouraged an inner journey as an invitation to look on high and to work courageously …”

(Strenna 2004)

From earliest years Laura saw herself surrounded by majestic , inviting mountains and she lifted her gaze as she walked toward the heights.

She was born at Santiago ,Chile

on April 5th 1891, during

difficult times that influenced

her family life

Santiago

Her father,Joseph Vicuña,was persecuted politically and had to flee to the south of Chile with his family. There in Temuco, the second daughter of the family, Julia Amanda, was born.

Temuco

At Temuco Laura and Julia lost their father. The family remained without economic support. The mother, Mercedes Pino worked as a seamstress to earn a living.

In 1899, Mercedes decided to

emigrate to Argentina with

her two children.They arrived at

“Junín de los Andes”, a small

village in Argentina on the

border with Chile.

Junin de los Andes

During the vacation of 1900, on January 21, Laura and Amanda were admitted as resident students at the school of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians at “Junín de los Andes”

During the vacation of the summer of 1902,

Manuel Mora, who was living with Laura’s

mother, sought to abuse the girl.

Since Laura resisted him, she lost all economic help to provide for her studies...The Sisters, however,

accepted her without payment

Laura traveled a brief, but intense spiritual journey…

After having understood that her mother was living in sin, she offered herself to God for her mother’s conversion...

She continued her journey, and with her confessor’s permission, made the vows of the evangelical counsels...

On January 22, 1904, she died at “Junín de los Andes”, at 13 years of age

The way of Salesian sanctity that Laura courageously traveled was the same one proposed by

Don Bosco to the boys at Valdocco and by Mother Mazzarello to the Sisters and girls at Mornese

The invitation to Salesian

sanctity found a ready response

in Laura

(Strenna 2004)

Don Bosco used to say:“Constant and moderate

cheerfulness” “Participate actively in recreation with your

companions”

By this he referred to

sanctification in the joy of

living …(Strenna 2004)

…to the point of making

herself a free gift in the

offering of her life...

She discovered and learned to live life as a free gift that makes itself a response of

love toward God and others...

Witnesses tell us of: “an affable temperament, with delicate ways that attracted the esteem and appreciation of all...”

Laura , however, was not a born saint. There was manifested in her the work of the Spirit and her free response...in recognizing Jesus present in every person. (cf. circ. n° 853)

(Strenna 2004)

Don Bosco used to say...: “Be faithful in fulfilling

your religious and scholastic duties”

…she joined…that which seemed to be

“religious and of the Church” to that which seemed to be

of “the world”: study, work, entertainment… (Strenna 2004)

Laura’s words reveal everyday holiness lived lived with joy…

(cf. circ. n° 853)

“For me, praying, working, playing or sleeping is all the same...”

… Wherever I find myself,be

it in class or playground, this thought

accompanies me, helps me and comforts

me.”(Laura Vicuòa)

“I believe that it is God Himself who keeps alive in me the remembrance of His

presence...

(Strenna 2004)

Upon becoming good, his young students became missionaries

among their companions”(Strenna 2004)

“Work to obtain souls for God” Don Bosco often said.

“…We may say that all received the benefit of

contact with Laura.”(Circ. n° 853)

Discovering Jesus present in every person

“made Laura solicitous in accepting

every new event …”

“My God, I want to love and serve you all my life, and therefore I give you my soul, my heart and all my being. I want to die rather than offend you by sin...”

…I propose to do all that I can so that you may be known and loved and to make up for the offences that you receive each day, especially those of the persons in my family.”

“Love for Jesus and Mary Help of

ChristiansGuided her toward

being all for others, so much so that at the

school they called her the second Help of

Christians”.(Circ. n° 853)

Don Bosco zealously spread the devotion to the Mother of God, the Immaculate Help of

She is and always will be the “teacher”, “guide” and “refuge” of the young...

“How lucky I am to be a daughter of Mary !”

Laura’s great desire was to join the Children of Mary association

Laura loved life and all that

made it beautiful. The

gift of herself was the high point of her

living in a continual

reaching out to love(Circ#° 853)