(ANS - Turin) –After three years of preparation and one of celebration, the great day of the 200th birthday of Don Bosco has finally arrived. “Today we thank God for his wonderful intervention in History, and even more concretely in this history that commenced on the hills of Becchi”, said the Tenth Successor of Don Bosco during the solemn Eucharist.
by Gian Francesco Romano
After the slow awakening (for those who slept) from the long night of the Bicentenary, the young of SYM DON BOSCO 2015 began once more to animate Colle Don Bosco with their typical cheerfulness.
Then in the presence of thousands of faithful, and not only of young people, the Mass started in Colle Don Bosco. It was presided over by the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, and was concelebrated by the Archbishop of Turin, Msgr. Cesare Nosiglia, By Fr. Pascual Chávez, Rector Major Emeritus and by dozens of other priests.
After greeting the youth (“the reason of Don Bosco’s priestly and pastoral life, and of all of us today”), the Rector Major recalled the spirit with which, one year ago, always in Colle, the Bicentenary Year was inaugurated: the spirit of those who wanted to seize the opportunity for a true spiritual and pastoral renewal and to render the Salesian charism livelier.
After 12 months, today’s Eucharist was meant “to thank the Lord for this year we lived, for all the grace he bestowed on us, and for the life that is being renewed and bears fruit as the gift of this Bicentenary”; at the same time it was also meant to set once again our look on that priest of the 19th century “who very seriously lived the words Jesus said to the twelve” becoming the servant of all, and in particular of the poorest, those abandoned and in danger.
Fr. Á.F. Artime recalled also the points offered to the Salesian Family by Pope Francis in the course of the year, with his visit to Valdocco and the letter of June 24th: the reference to Mamma Margherita; the call to reach out and to the courageous choices of Don Bosco; the intention to found a vast movement of the poor for the poor, beyond the barriers of language, race, culture and religion; his style of welcoming and joy.
In the end, the Rector Major indicated what must be the following step after the Bicentenary: “dreaming of a future of evangelizing and educational mission of our Salesian Family, with strength and evangelic novelty, with courage and a prophetic look, letting ourselves be guided by the Spirit”.
The text of the homily in Italian is to be found in ANS section Service.
Published 16/08/2015
