2. Maria Domenica was born on 9th May 1837 at Mornese in the Alessandria region of Italy. When she was fifteen she joined the Association of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, run by her parish priest
3. Mary soon set herself apart for her sound judgment, dedication, joy, and love of the young . It was a precursor to the founding of the Salesian Sisters
4. When she was 23 a typhoid epidemic hit Morneseand villagers started rapidly dying. Soon her uncle and aunt were taken ill andMary volunteered to care for them and their many children.
5. After a week they were healed, but when she returned home Mary became ill with typhoid herself. She received the last ritesof the Church and recovered, but the illness left her weak.
6. After she recovered from her illness, in the month of October, Mary was walking in her village and was suddenly astounded to see before her a large building with a courtyard and many girls playing and laughing. A voice said to her, “I entrust them to you.”
7. Mary was to become the co-foundress of a religious order to care for young girls, just as the Salesian priest and brothers cared for young boys. Fifteen young women now comprised the Daughters of Mary Immaculate.