Benso Andrea

Father Andrea Benso (Genoa, January 1970) is a priest of the Diocese of Acqui Terme, known for his missionary work amongst the Lakota Sioux Native Americans on the reservations of South Dakota, in the United States. From a young age, he cultivated a keen interest in the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of North America, a passion that profoundly influenced his vocational journey. Ordained a priest on 10 June 2009, he carried out his pastoral ministry as parish priest in Moasca and San Marzano Oliveto, in Piedmont. In 2013, he left his parishes to prepare for missionary work at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome and, in 2014, he set off as a fidei donum priest for the Standing Rock reservation and the neighbouring Cheyenne River reservation, in Lakota territory.

Between 2014 and 2017, he lived amongst the Sioux communities, devoting himself to pastoral care, visiting families and fostering intercultural dialogue. His experience led him to study and promote Lakota spirituality and the relationship between indigenous traditions and the Christian faith. He is also committed to raising awareness of the figure of Black Elk and supporting his cause for beatification. Father Benso is regarded as an authoritative voice in the dialogue between Christianity and Native American cultures. Through lectures, public meetings and personal testimonies, he continues to raise awareness of the contemporary reality of the Sioux and the value of encounters between different peoples and traditions.