The significance of the Rector Major’s visit

Fr Attard’s visit comes at the end of the celebrations for the centenary of the Salesian presence in San Cataldo (1924-2024): one hundred years of history, education, faith and social commitment that have marked generations of young people and families. A journey that has been summed up in the motto of the centenary year, ‘The dream… in the dream’, which recalls Don Bosco’s charism and its continuing relevance today.

The programme for the two days

The highlight of the event will be the conferral of honorary citizenship on Fr Fabio Attard, a symbolic but deeply felt act which sanctions the bond between the city and the great Salesian Family. This gesture involves not only the Salesian community active in the municipality, but also the entire local civil and ecclesiastical community, and will also see the participation of the Banca di Credito Cooperativo ‘G. Toniolo e San Michele’ of San Cataldo.

The programme will begin on the morning of Saturday, 10 January, with a welcome to the Rector Major in the oratory and a meeting with the centre’s Educative and Pastsoral Community. This will be followed by the blessing of the ‘Corner of Remembrance’ and the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the visit.

In the afternoon, there will be entertainment activities for the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) and a moment of exchange between the Rector Major and the young people, followed by a walk to the BCC Toniolo and San Michele, where, at 5 p.m., in the G. Sapo­rito auditorium, the official ceremony for the conferral of honorary citizenship will be held. The day will continue with a return to the oratory and a moment of celebration and fraternity with the 11th Successor of Don Bosco, which will conclude with Fr Attard’s ‘Salesian goodnight’ on the theme of the Strenna 2026.

Sunday will be dedicated to more solemn moments, beginning with the celebration of the Eucharist in the town’s mother church, a walk to the village of Santa Fara, and at midday, the inauguration of the monument to Don Bosco, a tangible sign of a presence that continues to speak to the future. The visit will conclude with a reception with the Salesians in the local community, the Salesian Family, the clergy and the city authorities.

Ultimately, these will be two intense days of commemoration, celebration and relaunching of the Salesian presence in San Cataldo, an occasion for unity, remembrance and hope.

The illustrious precedents of this visit

In the long Salesian history of San Cataldo, three Rectors Major have already visited the town.

The first of these, Fr Philip Rinaldi – now recognised by the Church as Blessed, Don Bosco’s third successor – came to San Cataldo in March 1923, almost ‘forced’ by Canon Cataldo Pagano – already known to everyone as ‘the Don Bosco of San Cataldo’ – who had been pursuing the dream of having Salesians in the town for years. On that occasion, Fr Rinaldi, moved by the welcome he received, made a promise to the people of San Cataldo: ‘You will have the Salesians.’ And so, on 6 December of the following year (1924), the first Salesians arrived in San Cataldo.

The second Rector Major to visit the city was Fr Renato Ziggiotti, Don Bosco’s fifth successor, who arrived in San Cataldo in March 1953 during a visit to all the Salesian communities in Sicily.

Finally, San Cataldo also welcomed Fr Pascual Chavez Villanueva, Don Bosco’s ninth successor, at the end of the 90th anniversary of the Salesian presence. More recently, it should not be forgotten that the Mexican Salesian returned to the Sicilian town as Rector Major Emeritus in December 2024, precisely to preside over the celebrations marking the opening of the centenary year.

It is worth noting, however, that next weekend’s visit will be the fourth time a Rector Major has visited San Cataldo, but not the first for Fr Attard: in fact, he already visited in November 2013, in his capacity as General Councillor for Youth Ministry, on the occasion of the passage of the casket containing a distinguished relic of Don Bosco.

The fruits of the Salesian presence in San Cataldo

Don Bosco’s charism took deep root in San Cataldo and bore abundant and evident fruit. Many priestly and religious vocations arose in the presence of the Salesian Family (for years the city held the record in the Sicilian Province) and just as many were donated to the local Church. The fruits of this work are represented today by the eight groups of the Salesian Family present in the city: Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), Salesian Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Past Pupils of the FMA, Volunteers of Don Bosco, Volunteers with Don Bosco, Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA).

An open invitation to all citizens

‘We look forward to seeing you at this great historical event for our San Cataldo,‘ conclude the organisers of the San Cataldo oratory. ’Let us welcome the Rector Major of the Salesians of the world with great joy.’ It is a unanimous invitation from the committee preparing the celebrations and from all the institutions involved, reflecting the atmosphere of anticipation and participation that pervades the entire city.