During his journey he met Salesians, members of the Salesian Family, families, representatives of the Church and local authorities, but above all he had the opportunity to converse with the students of the school and the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM), the main beneficiaries of Salesian activity and who were involved in several meetings with the 10th Successor of St John Bosco.
The program on 26 April began at 6:30 pm with the arrival at the Salesian presence where he was met by a reception committee and was able to admire the new facilities for early childhood education. The Cardinal then spent a fraternal moment with the Salesian community and prayed Evening Prayer with them. The Superior of Spain’s Mary Help of Christians Province, Fr Fernando Miranda, welcomed the Rector Major, thanking him for his presence and inviting him to feel at home. "Fr Ángel, thank you for being here and for being part of this story that we are building together" the Rector of the Salesian presence, Fr Santiago Muñoz, added, recalling the commitment that the house has to quality education and love for young people.
Then at 8:30 pm, the 10th Successor of Don Bosco visited the Casa Don Bosco, a social project of the "FISAT - Salesianos Social" foundation: he met the young people living there, shared dinner with them and addressed the Salesian "Goodnight" to them.
Saturday, 27 April activities began at 10 am in the St Anthony Abbot Parish where the Educative and Pastoral Community Day was about to get underway. This involved with the families of the Salesian presence throughout the morning, in a courtyard full of life, in "Valdocco style". "We have written a lot about the Educative and Pastoral Community, but today it is you, grandparents, parents and children, who give life to the documents, thanks to the Salesian charism that the Salesians planted in this fertile land", said the Rector Major to the families from the neighbourhood.
At 12:30 the Rector Major visited the headquarters of the FISAT Foundation to learn about the residential, socio-educational and professional integration projects that the Salesian organisation carries out among young people at risk. There he thanked the volunteers and committed people who make the implementation of social projects possible and stressed: "The most beautiful thing we have in Salesian presences is the reality that can be seen in social projects (...). You are the volunteer movement in all its expressions. Life as a gift makes more sense. You cannot imagine the investment you are making in the future, and also in the present, for your happiness."
In the afternoon, after meeting previously with participants in the vocational meeting, there was a moment with the young people from all Salesian presences in the Valencian Autonomous Community, which began with a celebration led by the "privileged recipients of Don Bosco" from the parish, which continued in the theatre and ended with a snack and games in the courtyard, in addition to the traditional family photo. It was a moment full of messages in which the Rector Major encouraged young people to be protagonists of their future.
"I hope that every young person can realise their dream, that life project that each of you is trying to build. It is not easy, because although you are a magnificent and prepared generation, society is not giving you all the opportunities you deserve. For this reason, my hope is that you will be able to fulfil your dreams by being happy and developing all the best you have available" he shared with them.
On the last day of his visit to Valencia, Sunday 28 April, Card. Á.F. Artime met with the Salesian Family at 10:00, encouraging all members present to continue living in the present and the future based on faith. "Our greatest contribution is what we are from a charismatic point of view: we take care of our families, our local communities, we continue to bear witness with our actions and we communicate who we are, what we do and with who we are" he said on the occasion.
At 12 noon, the Rector Major presided over the Eucharist to renew the Salesian commitment, which served as the closing ceremony of the visit as part of the program of these 125 years of "Living History" of Salesian work.
Finally, it should be noted that during the weekend several local and national authorities participated in the various events. "Being able to celebrate these 125 years is a great joy because there is so much life, so many stories, so many children, so many families who have passed through this house", concluded the SMX Salesians.
Source: Salesianos.info
