The young people gathered round him on his arrival in the parish of Mary Help of Christians in San Salvador. During the meeting with the Salesian Family, Fr Á.F. Artime gave an affectionate heartfelt message: "We are at the service of each other, each group with its own autonomy in communion with one another and with an attitude of reaching out to others," he said. He encouraged those present to continue to fight against violence which is one of the greatest scourges of the country.
On Sunday 4 September the Rector Major met the Salesian Youth Movement at the Ricaldone Technical Institute. The first part of the meeting was devoted to the Mass. In his homily the Rector Major pointed out that following Jesus goes beyond what you like on a personal level and that we should examine our lives and ask the Lord: "What is your plan for me?"
The meeting coincided with the canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta in Rome. The Rector Major pointed out that initially she followed her vocation as a religious, but later discovered that what God really wanted from her was to dedicate her life to serving the least among the poor, which was not easy for her.
He also said that Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero was another example of someone who listened to the call of God. From being an exemplary priest he became the courageous defender of the poor. For him there was a more profound call from God. The Rector Major concluded his reflection by stating that happiness is in serving, and said, "you have to love life."
In the afternoon the Rector Major, accompanied by his secretary, Fr Horacio López, privately visited the tomb of Archbishop Romero and the Divine Providence hospital, where he was assassinated.
