The first was on 27 January with a visit to a group of young inmates by some boys of the Don Bosco Foundation Project. The screening of a film on the life of Don Bosco in the Day Centre, was followed by an interesting discussion on what the film meant to each of those present.
Then a meal was organized in the parish halls for a total of about 70 people, including several members of the Salesian Family. The activities ended with an exchange of experiences during which some of the detainees, who as boys had attended the Day Centre, were very moved.
Another part of the celebration was a second meeting of teachers with past pupils of the Foundation who are in prison. This was an unforgettable experience both for the twenty detainees who participated, and for the teachers. They recalled the time they had spent together and watched a video that retraced those experiences and showed the care and attention the young people had received. "You were our family when we needed it most"; "I loved you more than my parents"; "Despite the difficulties we gave you, you were always on our side." These were some of the comments of appreciation and affection that were heard in the midst of so much emotion.
These were two truly Salesian experiences that remind us of what Minister Rattazzi asked Don Bosco: "How is it that you win them over when we cannot?" And Don Bosco answered: "Because the state controls and punishes, and can do nothing else, but I love them."
