Messina, Italy - September 2022 - The "St. Thomas" Theological Institute of Messina kicked off the 2022/2023 academic year on September 26 with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Giovanni D'Andrea, Provincial of the Salesians of Sicily and Tunisia, surrounded by presbyters from the Salesian and academic community, students and faculty. During his homily, the Provincial invited everyone to "study for life, ... where the Lord calls us to be witnesses, and to be a sign of hope in the places and times in which we live, still characterized by the effects of the pandemic, by the war behind our doors, by an economic and energy crisis that is putting many families in difficulty. Studying and deepening the mystery of Christ must help us to conform ourselves to Him; it is not enough just to 'pass the exam.'" So, concluded Fr. D'Andrea: "In this year, but as always, attention to the other, welcoming those around me, even among the corridors of the Institute, will be fundamental. The family atmosphere that characterizes St. Thomas and the variety of charisms and cultures that constitute it makes it a beautiful testimony of ecclesial and human communion. To each of the students and faculty members the wish that they may grow more and more in this communion, in the wake of the synodal journey that the whole Church is experiencing. May Mary, Seat of Wisdom, guide and sustain us also in this new year."