What prompted you to become a Salesian?
I believe I have always felt a profound desire for God and to give my life to others. One cannot see God, but He can be heard. Through the personal and community accompaniment I went through, prayer and apostolic life with young people, I gradually listened to this serene inner voice; and, with the grace of God, I went forward, confirming my belief that these deep inner desires truly came from God. Gradually, the impossible became possible, and I am repeatedly amazed to see how God has apparently "moved mountains" in the life of the people He summons, as He did with my person. Jesus never tires of calling: calling is for Him a form of the verb to love. This is how I feel.
You were elected outside the GC28. How did you take the news of the election?
I was serving as Director of the Santander work in Northern Spain. So I was unable to closely follow the work of the GC28 and, moreover, in those days we were struggling with the beginning of lockdown: the day after my election we had to prepare everything to send home teachers and start online lessons. In this context, as the school principal, I had many challenges; it was a real surprise. I thank the Lord for calling me to work for young people, wherever He wants. One of the most impactful passages in the Gospel for me is the “parable of the talents”, and so I believe that God is speaking to me and is telling me to discover that all I am is to serve others. We are all called to shine, which does not mean to dazzle. And so I take on this task with great humility.
What do you expect for the future?
I have set myself four objectives: careful reflection and dissemination of the educational-pastoral proposals of the Department; communication and accompaniment of the Provinces; seriousness in everything we do by a competent team; and personal commitment to the mission.
In six years, what do you dream of for the Congregation's Youth Ministry?
The future, I believe, passes through a Salesian Youth Ministry that knows how to combine: the vocational dimension (as a unifying principle of pastoral care); the option for the poorest young people in all sectors of the Salesian Mission; co-responsibility between Salesians and laity in the common mission; the effective and affective presence among and with young people; the reflection and practice of educational and evangelization processes in various contexts; the synergy between youth ministry and the family, within the educational model of Salesian ministry.
