Friday, September 5, 2025. 12:00–1:00 PM. Washington Square - 666 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA. Join us for the next celebration of Fr. Piperni! We will unveil a plaque honoring Fr. Raffaele Piperni, the first Salesian pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul Church and guiding force behind the Salesian Boys’ & Girls’ Club. 

Arriving in San Francisco in 1897 with three fellow Salesians, Fr. Piperni dedicated his life to uplifting Italian immigrants. He established the city’s first “Americanization” school, giving newcomers English language skills and a pathway to opportunity.

After the 1906 earthquake, when the parish was destroyed, he famously turned wagons and tents into makeshift chapels to keep the community together. And in 1904, he blessed the opening of A.P. Giannini’s Bank of Italy, linking two remarkable legacies now honored side by side. 

His plaque will be the fourth marker installed at Washington Square, a lasting recognition of his vision, resilience, and compassion for generations of San Franciscans.