(ANS - Ljubljana) - The three-day visit of the Rector Major to the Province of Sts Cyril and Methodius in Slovenia included a day for the Salesians, one for the Salesian Family and another for the new Shrine of Don Bosco, the first in the country.

On Friday 13 November Fr Ángel Fernández Artime met with his confreres in Slovenia in a pleasant atmosphere of fraternity.  He told them about the importance of following a path of renewal and constant return to the source of the Salesian charism. Then, during the Mass, he blessed and gave each confrere a copy of the Salesian Constitutions. The afternoon was spent in a short meeting with the Provincial, Fr Janez Potočnik, and his council.

On Saturday, Fr Á.F. Artime met members of all the branches of the Salesian Family in Slovenia. After praying at the shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Rakovnik, he presided at a solemn Mass, during which two new Salesian Cooperators made their promise.  In his homily the Rector Major encouraged everyone to give witness to the love of Jesus, in the style of Don Bosco, and to keep their hearts always open to others.

In the evening, the Rector Major was the guest of honour at a performance of the musical "I live for you", in the Great Hall of the Theology College in Ljubljana. The Rector Major gave the traditional Salesian Goodnight and thanked the artistes for their creativity in paying tribute to Don Bosco for the bicentenary of his birth.

Yesterday, Sunday 15 November, he blessed the first shrine dedicated to Don Bosco in Slovenia. It is located in Maribor, in a work that also hosts an oratory-youth centre.

The solemn event was attended by many of the faithful. Among those present were Archbishop Alojzij Cvikl of Maribor and the Salesian Archbishop Stanislav Hocevar of Belgrade, Bishop Andrej Glavan of Novo Mesto, and retired Archbishop Franc Kramberger of Maribor. Also present were all the previous provincials of Slovenia still living as well as the superiors or their representatives of the neighbouring provinces of Croatia, Hungary and Austria; and numerous local authorities.

At the Mass there were singers from sixteen choirs.  The Rector Major invited those present to try to build a shrine in their hearts as beautiful as the new church of St John Bosco in Maribor. He also hoped that the new shrine would become a place of prayer, in particular for young people, and a sign of hope for the city of Maribor and the whole Church in Slovenia.

Published 16/11/2015