Turin (Italy). On January 21, 2018, with the Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians and the subsequent summary in the Theater of Valdocco, the 36th edition of the Salesian Family Spirituality Days concluded. They were days of discussion, sharing, fraternity, and serious commitment to growth as Salesian Family in the art of accompanying the young of the whole world.
Presiding at the Eucharist was the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, who indicated in his homily to the Salesian Family the traits to be proactive and incisive in their action in favor of the young: to be “contemplatives and with eyes wide open”, because only by contemplating God is it possible to bear witness to Him; to be “a pilgrim in places and in hearts”, because the invitation to be an outgoing Church must find the Salesian Family at the forefront; being a “Salesian Family of the already and the immediately”, that is, aware that the time to act is now, because there are many young people all over the world who “thirst for God” and who “are waiting for a helping hand and for a heart that welcomes them “.
In the second part of the morning, the participants gathered in the Great Theater of Valdocco, where they shared the synthesis of the group work and the experience of the Spirituality Days.
Fr. Eusebio Muñoz, Delegate of the Rector Major for the Salesian Family, presented a summary of the work of the groups to which they belong: the resources available to the Salesian Family, starting with the presence of well-formed and committed young people, beginning with those of the Salesian Youth Movement; the challenges and the tools for educators, and he concluded with some commitments: centrality of the Preventive System, work in synergy, care of Vocational Pastoral.
Sr. Leslie Sandigo, FMA Delegate for the Salesian Cooperators, presented the “Decalogue of Salesian Accompaniment”, fruit of the workshop of various groups of the Salesian Family, followed by the assumption and commitment to disseminate it and bring it into the Salesian realities.
To conclude, Fr. Á.F. Artime presented the author of the poster of Strenna 2018, the cartoonist “Fano”, present with his entire family.
He then concluded with an invitation to all the members of the Salesian Family to look with hope to the future: “Today we all have to be the new Don Bosco, Mother Mazzarello, the different founders of the various groups in the world. Don Bosco’s dream is a dream that becomes reality “.
The texts of the presentations are available in various languages on the site sdb.org
