The Salesian celebration saw the participation of many Sons of Don Bosco present in the capital in various capacities: those active in the host community as well as those in the Roman communities directly dependent on the Rector Major; the Salesians from the closest houses of the Central Italy Circumscription; the Provincials participating in their dedicated Orientation and Formation Course; and also the Rector Major Emeritus Fr. Pascual Chávez Villanueva.
The first phase of the celebration was liturgical, with a Mass presided over by the Rector Major, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Titular Archbishop of Ursona. “We are here together to celebrate a day that is beautiful for us, primarily because it reminds us of our founder and father, Don Bosco,” said the 10th Successor of Don Bosco at the beginning of his homily.
Focusing then on the protagonist of the liturgical celebration, St. John the Baptist, he drew a parallel between the figure of this saint – the protagonist of a special project of God – and the ordinary lives of all present, where often, without evident episodes, Divine Providence is always at work. Regarding the Baptist, the Titular Archbishop of Ursona also recalled his pastoral zeal and clarity in affirming the truth, thus setting him as a model for all the Sons of Don Bosco up to the “daily martyrdom of fidelity to the Lord” that life often demands in the service to the mission and the young.
Therefore, Card. Á.F. Artime then exhorted: “We do not need mediocrity!” and reiterated that Salesians are called to be like the yeast that silently grows, fertilizes, and develops the good in society.
In concluding, he shared what he stated was a conviction matured in these 10 years of his Rectorate: “Truly, the Lord has taken care of our Congregation with much love. And we are significant not because we are strong but for the services we perform, for communion, for fidelity to the Pope... The Lord has guided us, and we have done what we could with our means.”
Lastly, he expressed his own words of gratitude, saying: “Thanks to God and to you. Ten years ago, at the time of my appointment, I didn't even know how to say ‘I accept’ in Italian, but I had faith in the Lord and the support of my confreres. And I must say that never has the Lord’s grace been lacking, never have I lacked the beautiful and sincere affection of the confreres, never have I lacked enthusiasm for the mission seeing the miracles that the Lord, with Don Bosco and the hand of Mary Help of Christians, perform every day in the Salesian world. May the Lord continue to bless our Congregation!”.
Subsequently, the celebration continued with the proper festive session, during which the anniversaries were celebrated:
50th of Religious Profession
- Fr. Jose Kuttianimattathil (24-05-1974)
- Fr. Phuoc Thinh Nguyen (15-08-1974)
60th of Religious Profession
- Br. Severino Ferro (16-08-1964)
- Br. Paolo Cappelletto (31-01-1964)
70th of Religious Profession
- Br. Tarcisio Gazzola (16-08-1954)
25th of Priestly Ordination
- Fr. Alphonse Owoudou (11-07-1999)
- Fr. Biju Michael (30-01-1999)
- Fr. Gabriel Hector Romero (11-12-1999)
- Fr. Ricardo Javier Campoli (11-12-1999)
50th of Priestly Ordination
- Fr. Giuseppe Costa (26-10-1974)
75th of Priestly Ordination
- Fr. Flavio Accornero (03-07-1949)
All of them were honored first with a brief congratulatory video and then with a time reserved for each to share their reflections after so many years of service. Even Fr. Accornero, who is 100 years old, was able to do so by sending a video message from Turin, as was Mr. Paolo Cappelletto, who was also unable to attend directly for health reasons. All the jubilarians present also received a parchment and a celebratory stole from the hands of the Rector Major.
Attention then returned to the Rector Major for the final part of the celebration, during which a celebratory video was projected in his honor, and he was also presented with three gifts by his Vicar, Fr. Stefano Martoglio: first, the keys to the Salesian house of the Sacred Heart. “With these, you can always return to what will remain your home,” said Fr. Martoglio as he handed them over; then a painting from the Brazil-Campo Grande Province depicting the Rector Major with the Xavante and Bororo indigenous peoples as a testimony to his attention to the indigenous cause; finally, a crucifix received from Fr. Chávez when he was Rector Major and part of the gifts set of the Rector Majors as a symbolic homage for his next ecclesial service.
The evening of festivities concluded with a convivial moment of agape among songs and moments of sincere fraternity on the sprawling lawns of catacombs of St. Tarcisius.
