At the end of the year Fr Attard gave you his first glimpse of the Province...
Yes, the Extraordinary Visitation is an important moment in the life of our Province and therefore we have prepared it with great care. In August, Fr Attard was able to participate in the presentation days for the pastoral year which took place in Deusto, Madrid, Valladolid and Ourense and this helped him to grasp as it takes place in SSM.
The demanding work plan, which led him to visit half of the houses during this period, was completed by his presence in some strategic forums, such as the meetings of Principals and Rectors of the houses, were held in October, or the Youth Centres Congress, the meeting of the parish priests and directors of the Youth Centres that took place in November and, finally, the Christmas session of the Provincial Council, in which we took a moment to reflect on the future path that awaits us.
What strengths did Fr Attard see?
During these months I was able to share various impressions with Fr Fabio, who visited our houses in different parts of the Province.
At this point he presented to the entire Council some ideas that he has perceived in recent months: we have a Province with a lot of vitality and with young leaders convinced of their Salesian commitment; he stressed that the identity of educators is strong and that his evaluation of lay people in positions of responsibility is very high.
He pointed out as strengths the organisation, the processes, the cohesion generated over the years thanks to the meetings coordinated by the heads of the different pastoral environments of the Province, the pastoral teams in the houses...
And what challenges did he bring to the table?
I could mention some that you mentioned and that we already know well because they concern our houses: the low birth rate, the economic situation or the high average age of the Salesians, which forces us to anticipate situations so that the management of the houses can continue to move forward.
But the challenge on which Fr Fabio has placed the greatest emphasis is the vocational one. He told us that young people are looking for men and women whose first love is Jesus, who are truly passionate about Jesus Christ and demonstrate this in their lives.
The challenge is to deepen the motivation to believe, which is at the heart of our activity, the challenge of spirituality, of spiritual accompaniment and direction, of prayer that transforms lives and is shared in communities and houses.
In March he will return to complete his Visitation: what will be the work over these months?
The schedule is demanding due to the large number of houses in the Province and their complexity, which means that the time for the many meetings with people and teams is almost always limited.
And in addition to the houses, Fr Fabio will take part in our Provincial Chapter during Holy Week and then in May at the Provincial Feast day, as well as at the Assembly of Youth Ministry General Coordinators and with the Directors of the Social Platforms.
As an Provincial, do you know what this Extraordinary Visitation has meant for the various houses?
The houses are welcoming this visit with enthusiasm and family spirit. The Salesian charism is really rich in familiarity and the visits of the provincial or the person appointed by the Rector Major are not a formality or check on us all; they are a living expression of Don Bosco's fatherhood, of the bond with the Rector Major and of the sense of belonging to the Salesian Family in our Houses.
Certainly, the way in which the Salesian Family, educators and young people welcome a visit like this is an indicator of how Salesians are deeply part of wherever they are located. And the closeness that Fr Fabio shows generates an atmosphere of familiarity.
Taking advantage of the end of the year, with the Strenna for 2024 just delivered, what is Fr Fernando García's dream as Provincial of SSM?
My dream is that we know how to generate fertile environments in which ferocious animals become lambs and, even more so, in which lambs become shepherds.
I dream that we know how to find the right ways to bring Jesus closer to the lives of young people and that this encounter gives rise to commitments to vocational life. I dream that we Salesians take care of each other and never stop living for others and taking care, to the extent of our possibilities, of the lives of the people with whom we share our life.
