Oreste Marengo (29 August 1906 - 30 July 1998) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate and professed member from the Salesians of Don Bosco.
[1][2] His time spent in India saw him learn prior to his ordination under Stefano Ferrando and the Costantino Vendrame.
[3][4] Oreste Marengo was born in Diano d'Alba in the Cuneo province on 29 August 1906 to Lorenzo della Cecche and Agostina Montaldo.
His parish priest Falletti served as an inspiration to him since he was part of the Salesians of Don Bosco whose spirit enthralled Marengo.
He later in 1929 was sent to Shillong again for theological studies under Costantino Vendrame, whom Marengo referred to as both a "marvelous figure" and a "tireless worker" who embodied the Salesian spirit.
[1][2] He was later reassigned – to his displeasure at having to leave his work – to the mission in Dibrugarh, but after a brief period there was allowed to return to Gauhati after a Polish colleague took over for him.
This prompted his superiors to send him a telegram inviting him to Calcutta where he learnt he had to leave his mission in order to teach Italian novices at a school; he did this for a decade.
[1] He was pleased to be able to resume his work in the missions after Italian novices could no longer be sent to India due to the outbreak of World War II.
The worried sisters believed the government would do little to help in the rebuilding and insisted that he correspond with the noted stigmatist Padre Pio to ask for his guidance.
The Franciscan friar responded to Marengo instructing him and the sisters to "continue the work with zeal" and assured them that the government would help.
Marengo had in his career mastered more than 20 regional languages and was considered a pioneer in health care and education in his sees.
[2] The beatification process opened in Tura on 12 April 2007 to begin collecting documentation and witness testimonies in relation to Marengo's life and holiness.