While waiting for the final texts of the five Deliberations resulting from the work of the Commissions – which could be amended until 6:00 p.m. – the assembly had the opportunity to reread the documents together and informally assess the degree of shared consensus on the proposed formulations. This process not only allowed the Chapter members to carefully examine the texts but also to measure the level of approval for the ideas behind them, making the work more participatory and transparent.

During the session, the Chapter President, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, invited Fr. Pier Fausto Frisoli to provide clarifications on the total number of voters. Of the 227 Chapter members present, 7 do not have voting rights, while the 4 absentees yesterday (for various reasons) did not affect the total. Fr. Frisoli emphasized that each Chapter member expresses themselves on behalf of their Province, underlining the importance of a moral commitment to actively participate in the decision-making process. As evidence of this sense of responsibility, the first informal vote recorded 100% participation from those entitled to vote.

The five Deliberations under examination received significant support from the assembly, although about 16% of voters expressed concerns about certain points. This prompted the Chapter members to formulate improvement proposals, leaving room for further reflection. The General Secretariat will have the task, over the weekend, of integrating the proposed amendments, while many Chapter members will participate in a cultural trip to Savona and Alassio.

A particularly meaningful moment of the day was the intervention of Fr. Pascual Chávez, who was asked to retrace some key stages in the Congregation's history in the decades following the Second Vatican Council. The former Rector Major summarized the content and challenges faced during General Chapters 23, 24, and 25, highlighting how the Salesians have remained faithful to the core of their charism, even amidst profound cultural and geopolitical transformations.

Fr. Chávez recalled that CG23 focused on educating young people in faith, identifying a specific youth spirituality, strengthened by the celebration of the centenary of Don Bosco's death, an event that confirmed the Church's attention to new generations.

CG24, on the other hand, marked a turning point in the consideration of laypeople within the Church and the Salesian mission. "Twenty-one laypeople were present and participated in the Chapter for its entire duration," Fr. Chávez recalled, emphasizing that their participation should not be seen as mere collaboration but as genuine co-responsibility in Salesian life.

Finally, CG25 focused attention on fraternity within Salesian communities, seeking to overcome "the dichotomy between the need for communion and the saturation of community life," a condition that often led to the loneliness of many confreres.

The morning concluded with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Bosco Zaya Aung, Superior of the Myanmar Vice-Province. During the liturgy, which took place in the context of the first Friday of Lent, a prayer was offered for the population of Myanmar and all countries affected by armed conflicts. The situation in Myanmar remains dramatic: since the military coup four years ago, the country has been devastated by a civil war that has caused over 55,000 deaths and 3 million displaced people.

Chapter members from territories marked by conflict are direct witnesses to the suffering afflicting their populations, and the moment of prayer provided an opportunity to entrust to the Lord the hopes for peace and justice.

The day of March 8 represented an important transitional step for CG29, combining moments of reflection and practical participation. Through synodal work, the Chapter members continue to build a path of clarity and co-responsibility, aware that every decision made will help shape the future of the Congregation. The journey continues with confidence, illuminated by Don Bosco's charism and the mission to respond to the needs of young people around the world.

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