“The general theme stems from this year's Strenna addressed to the entire Salesian Family: ‘Anchored in Hope, pilgrims with young people’ which in turn is in tune with the great event of the universal Church of the Ordinary Jubilee 2025”, the Rector of the Basilica, Fr Michele Viviano said, introducing the evening.
"We want to be ‘pilgrims of hope with young people’ having Don Bosco as a model, reflecting on three fundamental aspects of his life updated today: his religious, pedagogical and social dimension", he added, before giving the floor to the moderator of the evening, Fr Luca Ramello, National President of the Association "NOI Oratori & Circoli", in charge of youth ministry in the archdiocese of Turin for 11 years.
After greeting the numerous faithful and clergy, he invited the guest of the evening, Prof. Fr Luigi Maria Epicoco, a young priest, appreciated writer and lecturer, who explored the theme of "Don Bosco and his religious dimension today".
In his reflection, the speaker focused on the apostolic and social commitment of the Saint of the Young, framing it in his all-encompassing vocation to convey God: "When you approach Don Bosco, a great question arises. Why does Don Bosco approach the poor, the abandoned children, these very young people? What did he want to give them? Just a little study, a trade, a salary, a piece of bread, a snack? This kind of charity is too little for Don Bosco, who could give this to anyone. Don Bosco's passion goes much deeper: this man wanted to give his boys Christ, a stable foundation on which to build life, meaning, the essential, the thing that matters most" Fr Epicoco explained as he began.
Then with examples very relevant to daily life and his experience, Fr Epicoco outlined the religious dimension of Don Bosco cleverly through the famous "three main loves" that characterised his life: love of the Eucharist, Our Lady and the Pope.
And at the end of his address, he said that "the religious dimension is what holds life itself together. Without this dimension we are only the sum of our experiences.” Don Bosco, he said, lived his life from this perspective, and generated men and women capable of perpetuating this vision of life. For this reason, he concluded, "the best way to pay homage to Don Bosco and show devotion to him is to continue to generate people as he taught us".
The evening of reflection and in-depth study was framed by singing and musical prayer performed by the young people from the Theological Studentate at the Crocetta, who, despite the delicate and intense period – during exams – sang two hymns: at the beginning, "The heart speaks to the heart" by the Master and Director of the Choir at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, Fr Maurizio Palazzo; and at the end "Sapientiam dedit illi", by Salesian missionary and bishop Luigi Lasagna, founder of Salesian works in Brazil and Uruguay and, previously, also Master of the Salesian Basilica in Turin.
