Together with them, Fr Martoglio met the confreres of the community, where there is already a large group studying Italian in view of the formation and academic year that will begin in just over a month, in this same community and at the UPS. Newcomers come from the following Provinces and Vice-Provinces: AFC, AFE, AGL, BBH, BMA, HAI, INN, INS, KOR, MDG, POR, TZA, ZMB.
In a time of exchange with the more than 40 young confreres, the Vicar of the Rector Major highlighted the universality of the Congregation that the two groups together represent: those who are preparing to begin missionary life in many countries within the 7 Regions and those from many countries of these same Regions whoa are here in Rome for a time of specific formation. This universality of the Church and the Congregation is already in itself a great gift and an original and essential aspect of being Salesians of Don Bosco, as we approach the assembly of the synod on synodality in the Church, the 200th anniversary of the dream at nine years of age in 2024 and the 2025 Jubilee, which will also be the year of the 29th General Chapter and the 150th of the first missionary expedition. They are not just celebrations: they are signs of the path towards which the Spirit is leading us and that young people, the Church and the world expect from Salesians who have this openness to everyone as their charism. This is an openness that Pope Francis strongly recalled during the World Youth Day in Lisbon, which saw a strong and active presence of the Salesian Youth Movement, another sign of this same universality.
Fr Martoglio also highlighted how something new, potentially rich to make the Salesian charism grow and spread, is the presence under the same roof of the Postulation and the Theology students community. And indeed the Zeffirino Namuncurà house is the headquarters of the Postulation for the Causes of Saints. One of the reasons for his visit was the supervision of the work in progress for the final arrangement of the premises that will house 550 offices, archives and library of the Postulation here in Via della Bufalotta starting next autumn. Having students of Theology from 26 Provinces here, in a community that has 27 countries of origin a quite remarkable grace. This is synodality, this is the walking together of those who have lived their love for God and for their brothers and sisters to the point of heroism and those who now focus precisely on the mystery of this love: a harmony that can produce fruits of great value already here in Rome and even more so when they return home.
In the time dedicated to questions and answers, it was possible to better understand the journey of the Congregation in coming months, once the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, becomes Cardinal.
Fr Martoglio also had the opportunity to visit another sector on the third floor, under renovation to allow the community to have the necessary environments for the activities of the formation house that are still lacking. In addition to the two purposes already referred to, namely the Postulation and international community of Theology students, the Zeffirino Namuncurà house is equipping itself to offer a hospitality service limited to available rooms and settings, as it is now doing for the new missionaries course.
