(ANS – Catania) – On the 30th and 31st August the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, went to Catania, Sicily, to preside at the opening of the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth. Also present was Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Superior General of the Salesian Sisters.  

On arrival at the airport on the evening of 29th August, it was a festive atmosphere as Fr Artime and Mother Reungoat were welcomed by a delegation of young people and adults from the Salesian Family led by the Provincial in Sicily, Fr Joseph Ruta and his counterpart, the FMA Provincial, Sr Anna Razionale. 

On the morning of August 30 the official events began at the St Francis de Sales Institute. The Rector Major presided. After Mass he and Mother General met rectors and community leaders of the SDB and FMA Houses in Sicily, along with confreres and sisters. It was a time for dialogue and a serene beginning of the new pastoral year and provincial planning.

While not overlooking any problems, they both encouraged those present to look at the present and the future with hope, to be loving fathers and mothers of their respective communities. Mother Yvonne said: “We can have many problems, many concerns but I hope the flame of the Salesian charism remains alight in us. ... May your loves be like bread broken and shared with your sisters, young people, the laity. Be broken so you can give yourselves to others.”

A press conference followed involving mass media from Sicily, then a 20 minute television programme to be broadcast through two regional networks and on the web. With great availability and heart, Fr Artime and Mother Reungoat fronted up to various questions on education, what were the real peripheries today, on youth problems, Don Bosco's relevance, and on the question of immigration.

In the late afternoon at the Mary Help of Christians Institute there was a meeting of those responsible for Salesian Family Groups. It was two hours of intense listening, festivity, reflection, prayer, during which they both answered questions on topics inspired by the "dream of the pergola of roses" under the head (in Italian) of the three "s"s: sogno (dream), sfide (challenges), santità (holiness). Fr Artime said, amongst other things: “I don't know what Don Bosco might do today since the world has changed, but one thing I am sure of is that as he went  to the outskirts of Turin in his day, there is no doubt he would go looking to meet young people today on today's outskirts”. Mother Reungoat emphasised: “We need to go out of ourselves by meeting young people and walk towards this new world in their midst, looking for signs of God.”

After supper at the PalaCatania, about hundred animators spent time in prayer and heard the traditional Good night from the Rector Major who put this invitation to them: “Bring Christ and Don Bosco to whoever you encounter, and do it with Love. Make it your life's plan to be happy.”

On August 31, 4,000 people from all over Salesian Sicily celebrated Don Bosco's birthday from 9.30 a.m. until 5 in the afternoon, at the PalaCatania with prayer, reflection, dance, games, fellowship, and a Mass at which the Rector Major was the main celebrant.

In his homily, Fr Artime said: “Today the island is shaking from God's grace poured out on us and becoming our daily task. ... Don Bosco and our charism should always be something new, a newness filled with the Gospel! ... The Bicentenary invites us to be the fire that God has lit in our hearts. ... Dear young people, the Lord Jesus and the Salesian Family need you, your life, your vocation, your project of life. The Lord Jesus needs each one of us!”

He also emphasised the need to be welcoming, far-seeing, generous, open to difference, not to isolate ourselves, to be alert from a vocational point of view. Amongst the addresses in the afternoon was one from Mother Reungoat concerning presence in schools and vocational training: “The Salesian school is a home before it is a school, for the pupils, teachers, staff, parents. Continue to be a home were people study happily, where they speak of the future, an open future with courage. The more we are formed the more the future will have possibilities, but formation has to be complete, cultural and the formation of personality. We need to get stirred up about this so we can build up people who can tackle life and its problems, and then leave school and happily share with others, with everyone else.”

Published 01/09/2014