(ANS – Turin) – The 43rd Salesian Family Spirituality Days began in Turin-Valdocco on the afternoon of Thursday, January 16, bringing together almost three hundred and seventy-five people from all over the world. The central theme, “Anchored in hope, pilgrims with young people,” is inspired by the Strenna 2025 and is aligned with the aspirations of the Jubilee Year.
The event began with a warm welcome to participants, both those who attended in person and those connected online. The opening sessions created a welcoming atmosphere, highlighting the atmosphere of “familiarity days” and underlining the importance of flexibility, openness and understanding. Participants were encouraged to adopt the spirit of communion.
A significant moment of the opening session was the reflection on the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition, sent in 1875 to Patagonia. Students from Valdocco High School staged this historic event, reviving the pioneering spirit of hope that motivated Don Bosco’s missionary work. This moment highlighted the enduring legacy of Don Bosco’s commitment to spreading the message of Christ and faith to the most remote parts of the world, reminding attendees of the crucial role that hope plays in the Salesian mission.
The opening session also included interventions by several Salesian personalities, each addressing the central theme of hope from their own perspective. Father Leonardo Mancini, superior of the Special Circumscription of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, shared an inspiring reflection on hope, taking as reference the words of the French poet Charles Péguy, who described it as the “younger sister” of faith and charity. Father Mancini emphasized the importance of educators cultivating hope, both in young people and in themselves; and invited all Salesians, members of the Salesian Family and lay collaborators to inspire young people to be “good Christians and honest citizens”, rooted in the message of hope of Christ.
Father Juan Lluís Playà, central delegate of the Rector Major for the Secretariat of the Salesian Family, focused on the theme of pilgrimage, an essential element of the Jubilee Year. He explained that pilgrimage is not just a physical journey, but a spiritual quest that leads to deeper faith, love and hope. He pointed to Valdocco as the first significant stage of this collective pilgrimage, marked by the opening of the Holy Doors, and invited the participants to undertake this journey together, as a family, united in the mission and in the search for hope.
Father Stefano Martoglio, vicar of the Rector Major, presented a presentation on the Strenna of the year. His intervention conveyed the greetings of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime and highlighted the Strenna as a living tradition that continues to guide the Salesian path. Father Martoglio stressed that the Strenna is a beacon for the Salesian Family, providing guidance and inspiration to each member to embrace the values of hope and love.
Then a video was shown with the central themes of the Strenna, from which the participants reflected on the profound message of hope. Key themes included the transformative nature of every journey, the desire to be different, and the essence of hope. The video illustrated how embracing hope can empower people to stay true to their values and beliefs, regardless of social pressures, from stories of people who found hope in various circumstances.
After the video, Father Martoglio shared his reflections on the Strenna, highlighting several themes. He stressed the importance of living every moment and highlighted the link between the Strenna and the Jubilee Year. He used the anchor as a symbol of grounding in Christ for spiritual stability, comparing it to climbing, where secure anchors are necessary to overcome external challenges and progress. He described hope as an internal energy that arises from union with God, making a person vibrant, attractive and capable of love. He highlighted the genius of Don Bosco in connecting inner spiritual experience with outer action, creating a powerful communion between inner life and outer action. He concluded by stating that the Kingdom of God is still developing, and that its construction requires continuous effort and personal encounters with God, who is the source of hope.
The session concluded with questions from participants, to which Father Martoglio responded simply, providing concrete examples and ideas about how hope can be translated into everyday experiences and cultivated in oneself and in the community.
The 43rd Spirituality Days of the Salesian Family, which have just begun, promise to be significant and spiritually enriching moments, through which to strengthen the invitation to live this path of hope with young people, in true faith and the Salesian spirit. .
