(ANS - Castelnuovo Don Bosco) - What is the general opinion of people and what are the fruits of the years of preparation and celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco? One answer might be: "Don Bosco is better known and loved around the world and is closer to the many people who visited the holy places." So says Fr Egidio Deiana, Rector of the Basilica of Colle Don Bosco.
Fr Deiana says: "We saw a big difference between groups from different provinces: some were very well prepared and others were not." Observing them, he also noticed how devotion to Don Bosco is widespread and strong, even to a greater extent among the lay people involved in the mission than among the spiritual sons of Don Bosco.
Fr Deiana, who is in charge of the guides to the Shrine, also hopes for a better preparation of provincial guides for groups of pilgrims, so that they can convey fully the enormous charismatic heritage that is offered by these places for the formation of all members of the Salesian Family.
The bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco brought hundreds of new groups of pilgrims to the Salesian places, with an average of 8 groups a day on the weekends and up to 20 groups per day in peak periods. It also led to the development of many new multilingual resources - paper or multimedia - for pilgrims, and an increase of alternative approaches to Don Bosco and some important figures of Salesian Saints throughout the region of Piedmont. Finally, even among the local population, there was an awakening of knowledge and appreciation for Don Bosco and his Salesians, through many local events and initiatives such as exhibitions, festivals and so on.
And now that we have returned from the extraordinary in the ordinary, all that remains for the Sons of Don Bosco is to give thanks to God for the many fruits of the Bicentenary, and assume wholeheartedly the invitation of the 27th General Chapter: to love Don Bosco - to know Don Bosco – to study Don Bosco – to pray to Don Bosco and to make Don Bosco known.
Published 28/01/2016
