(ANS – Krakow)– Since Monday afternoon Fr Ángel Fernández Artime has been in Poland for the first time as Retor Major on a visit that will last about a week (15-21 September) and will take him to the four Provinces in that country. With him are his secretary, Fr Horacio López and the Councillor for the Central North Europe Region, Fr Tadeusz Rozmus. It is a particularly significant journey, set in the context of the celebrations for the Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco.

After being greeted by the Provincial of Krakow Fr Dariusz Bartocha and the other members of the Provincial house, the Rector Major went to the Theological Studentate where he met the Salesian community and members of the Salesian Missionary Volunteer Movement “Młodzi Światu” and gave an interview to the magazine “Don Bosco” and the daily newspaper “Dziennik Polski”.

The meeting with the volunteers of the “Młodzi Światu” was combined with a visit to the Education for Development Park. Each of the volunteers spoke briefly about their experience in the organisation and work on the missions. The Rector Major expressed his thanks for their efforts and invited them to persevere.

In the course of a talk to the community of the Theological Studentate Fr A.F. Artime emphasised the essence of the Salesian charism reminding them that all Salesians are called to establish a close relationship with God in order to be men who are happy, and live in communities that are truly evangelical marked by genuine fraternity. Then after a question and answer sesssion  the meeting concluded with Evening Prayer and the traditional “Good night.”

Later in the evening after an evocative visit to see the sunset over the historical centre of Krakow, in the Provincial House   the Rector Major met some representatives of the Salesian Family including the Major Superiors of the Michelite Sisters and Fathers, the President of the Past Pupils of Poland and the Regional Director of the Volunteers of Don Bosco. During his simple and cordial conversations Fr A.F. Artime touched on the themes of the challenges facing  Consecrated Life, the need to be genuine, the shared charism centred on the young although developed in each group according to its specific characteristics … 

Yesterday 16 September on the second day of the visit,  the Rector Major held a meeting with the Provincial Council and then went to Oświęcim. Here he met the staff and students of the Salesian schools in the city and afterwards, surrounded by all the Salesians in Krakow and representatives of the Salesian Family, he presided at Mass in the Church of Mary Help of Christians as the highlight of his visit to the city.

In the afternoon the X Successor of Don Bosco met all the Salesians of the Province – and as an extra item on the agenda visited the Auschwitz concentration camp with which he was deeply impressed. Then he left for Wrocław, on the second stage of his visit to the country.

Published 17/09/2014