(ANS – Rome) –Fr. Giuseppe Casti, the world Delegate of Salesian Cooperators, recounted to ANS how the Association of Salesian Cooperators lived the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth.

We were aware of the importance of this appointment, and because of this we wanted to prepare it with love and care. To us, the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth has been a return to the font. For this we spiritually prepared ourselves with a spiritual retreat in Lanzo Torinese, in the same sanctuary where Don Bosco left the confusion of the city and the daily hassle of so many worries to find once again the living contact with Spirit that animated him and spurred him to manifold initiatives in favour of the youth.

We met later, on August 15^th and 16^th, with the many young people and groups of the Salesian Family, to celebrate together our common father. Together we returned, not without emotion, to the humble little house of his birth, where everything commenced. Everything had its beginning there, and hence everything begins again, with a new vitality, new courage, with solid feet and a generous heart to walk new paths and face the new challenges of the third millennium.

The members of the Association of Salesian Cooperators coming from Spain were more than 200, well organized and full of enthusiasm. From Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan they were 120. These groups were joined by other Salesian Cooperators coming from Italy, Europe, the Americas and Africa. The World Council of Salesian Cooperators was also present: the outgoing councillors and the new ones chosen in the Regional Congresses. This was a unique opportunity to highlight the unity of the Association and express gratitude to our father who created a vast movement of religious and lay people all over the world, at the service of the education of the youth.

On August 17^th we lived a moment of high significance with the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime. We gathered early in the morning in the church of St. Francis de Sales. The apparently simple, but actually very intriguing questions of the children were followed by the message of the Rector Major, who encouraged us to assume our responsibilities in the Salesian Family, in the Church and in civil society. This unforgettable morning was crowned with the Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians. Together with a Spanish Cooperator, all the Salesian Cooperators renewed their promise of fidelity to the call, the mission and the charism, to be today true Salesians in the world, as Don Bosco wanted them to be.

Published 26/08/2015