This message concerns us Salesians in a special way, because it touches the roots of our identity and what is characteristic of our vocation and charismatic presence in the Church. Remember the words of Don Bosco: "I have promised God that I would give of myself to my last breath for my poor boys."(Biographical Memoirs XVIII, 258).
The Pope's invitation places us, as Salesians, on land that is familiar to us, in our environment, our natural habitat, which is the situation of young people, which today undoubtedly presents conditions that are unprecedented in past generations.
The juvenile reality is essentially dynamic in continuous movement, a flowing, a becoming, a change. Young people, now more than ever, live in constant motion, roam the city and social networks, build virtual communities to share opinions, dreams and frustrations. Today more than ever the way of being in the world is not staying still, but being on the move. "Like it or not, it is the world we have entered, our duty as pastors is to help them through this world," as Pope Francis has always said.
Our young people today are continually confronted with the turmoil of a world in which they are forced to fight to position themselves as important actors in society, trying not to be put with their backs to the wall. But it is enough to look in the eyes of today's youth to realize the degree of uncertainty in which they are immersed.
Living in a particularly difficult situation, young people are the main victims of the economic crisis, and, today, they are the great forgotten of our society. In the so-called "third world" there are millions of young people who are unable to study or work. They live in complete frustration and discouragement at the lack of opportunities.
It is true that young people are a force for change, but because of the lack of opportunities and public policy, in particular with regard to educational and employment, many of them are forced to migrate to other places to achieve their objectives - with all the consequences that entails. They have no other practical option in their lives.
The next Synod on the theme of youth and of vocations is a wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with this generation of young people who are living at a particularly difficult time. It is a strong challenge to us to reconsider our commitment to them and to rethink our way of being present among them today, to help them achieve their goals, realize their dreams and live their hope.
It will be an opportunity to be more radical in solidarity with the young and to "give new significance to the way we serve", our way of being Salesian today. It is not enough to change the structures and forms of service. The fundamental change must be in our own presence among them, our willingness to renew the promise that Don Bosco made to God and that we made on the day of our religious profession: "I have promised God that I would give of myself to my last breath for my poor boys."
