This was the first time Fr Attard had met with the ABS in his capacity as Rector Major. During the meeting he shared some points of interest regarding the service that the Salesian Congregation offers to the Church today, focusing on areas such as research and the accompaniment of young people, the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence, missionary work and inter-religious dialogue.

In this context, Don Bosco’s successor encouraged Salesian biblical scholars to offer their contribution not as an additional service, but as an essential proposal for listening to and welcoming the Word of God in daily life. The Rector Major also emphasised that, in the formation processes of the Congregation, one of the most appreciated experiences is living contact with the Word, highlighting the need to offer tools that help to meditate on it deeply and constantly, forming Salesians as authentic men of listening.

The meeting was chaired by the President of the ABS, Fr Shaji Puykunnel, and was attended by Fr Silvio Roggia, General Councillor for Formation and Representative of the Association to the Rector Major and the General Council.

The Salesian Biblical Association, canonically erected in 1983 by Fr Egidio Viganò, has contributed significantly to biblical teaching in the Congregation’s theological student residences. In recent years, it has also expanded its service to the promotion of biblical animation experiences in the pastoral care of the Salesian Family.

At the end of 2025, the ABS had 105 members: 5 Bishops; 93 Salesians of Don Bosco; 5 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and 2 Salesian Cooperators. Its members are present on five continents: 22 in America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela); 10 in Africa (Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania); 23 in Asia (China, India, Israel, Japan, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam); and 50 in Europe (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Italy, Poland and Slovakia).