The Holy Mass was presided over by the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr. Fabio Attard, and concelebrated in the presence of the Superior General of the Little House of Divine Providence, Fr. Carmine Arice, together with the Cottolengo Fathers, the Sisters, and all the participants in the Spirituality Days. The entire celebration was marked by an atmosphere of deep welcome and sincere hospitality, making visible the beauty of a communion rooted in history and confidently open to the future.
The Greeting of the Superior General: A Communion That “Smells of Heaven”
In his opening greeting, Fr. Carmine Arice, Superior General of the Little House of Divine Providence, expressed his great joy at welcoming the Salesian Family and highlighted the special significance of this encounter. The celebration took place on the eve of the 198th anniversary of the foundation of the Little House, inaugurated with First Vespers and set within the journey of preparation for the approaching bicentenary.
Fr. Arice recalled that this second year of preparation is accompanied by a theme inviting growth in trust in Divine Providence and in ecclesial communion, noting that heaven itself seemed to be “celebrating” this meeting. Hence his invitation to live ever more deeply, even on earth, a true communion of charisms—not as mere coexistence, but as an authentic “neighbourhood of holiness”, capable of radiating light and hope to the city and the world.
With particular gratitude, the Superior General greeted the Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, recalling the esteem and friendship that unite their two charisms, already experienced in previous moments of encounter and collaboration. His presence at the Cottolengo was described as a precious gift, a sign of a communion that continues to grow over time.
Fr. Arice concluded by thanking all those who made the celebration possible and invited everyone to entrust their shared journey to the Lord, so that, sustained by Providence, they may continue to witness joyfully and faithfully to the Gospel of charity.
A Celebration of Fraternity between Charisms Born of the “Folly of Charity”
Taking the floor after the greeting of the Superior General, Fr. Fabio Attard, Rector Major, thanked the community for the deeply family-like welcome. He recalled that this relationship has deep roots, born not only in recent months but also through simple, everyday encounters lived as authentic signs of Providence.
This bond, he noted, directly recalls the friendship and charismatic communion of the founders, Saint John Bosco and Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, united by what Fr. Attard described as a true “folly of charity.”
The presence of the Salesian Family at the Cottolengo, he emphasized, expresses the desire to continue drawing from the same sources that inspired the founders, allowing themselves to be nourished by a faith that becomes concrete service—especially in times marked by fragility, tension, and forms of violence that strike the most vulnerable.
Providence as Relationship and Intercession
In his homily, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, Vicar of the Rector Major, first reflected on the significance of the place of celebration: the Little House of Divine Providence as an authentic citadel of charity, a concrete sign of a faith that entrusts itself to God and is translated into works. A reality that speaks of Providence lived, not merely proclaimed.
In this perspective, Fr. Martoglio observed that the “chromosomes of the Cottolengo” are also present in the spiritual DNA of the Salesians: trust in Providence, so central to the experience of Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, also belongs deeply to the charism of Don Bosco and the Salesian Family.
Commenting on the Gospel of the healing of the paralytic, the Vicar highlighted how Jesus first looks at the faith of those who carry the sick man. It is a faith born of an inner movement, the fruit of a deep relationship, which dares concrete actions in order to place one’s brother before the Lord.
The miracle, he recalled, occurs not because of the paralytic’s faith, but because of that of his friends, underscoring the value of intercessory prayer. The greatest gift is the forgiveness of sins, a sign of inner renewal that precedes every visible healing.
Finally, he invited the community to be today a people capable of bringing others before God, trusting in the patience and fidelity of Providence, which continues to accompany the journey of humanity.
The Faith of the Cottolengo in Divine Providence
At the conclusion of the celebration, Sr. Maria Teresa Materia, a Sister of Saint Joseph Cottolengo, offered a reflection on the theme “Faith in Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo,” highlighting the profound spiritual bond between the Saint of Divine Providence and Saint John Bosco.
Through writings and testimonies of Don Bosco himself—who was the first biographer of Cottolengo—Sr. Maria Teresa described a faith that is anything but naïve or disengaged: a faith forged through trial, marked by a trusting and responsible abandonment to God, capable of transforming suffering into a place of encounter with the Father’s love.
The Little House was born precisely from this gaze of faith: to look at people with the eyes of God’s heart, so that everyone may feel welcomed, loved, and never alone. A message deeply intertwined with the Salesian charism and one that continues to be a living prophecy for the Church today.
The Eucharistic celebration at the Cottolengo thus revealed itself as a luminous sign of fraternity, shared memory, and hope, confirming that the communion of charisms, lived in faith and charity, is a powerful force capable of renewing the Church and generating life for the world.
