The Rector Major, Fr Fabio Attard, inaugurated the proceedings by welcoming the members of the Council following months of intense pastoral animation across the various Regions of the Congregation. In his opening address, he expressed heartfelt gratitude for their dedication and generosity, particularly in accompanying Provincials and their Councils. He emphasised that personal closeness, frequent communication and concrete fraternity have become indispensable signs of support for Salesian communities facing complex and often challenging situations around the world.
The Rector Major invited the Council to keep in prayer and solidarity those Provinces living amid humanitarian emergencies, armed conflicts and political instability. He made particular reference to the devastating earthquake in Venezuela and to the difficult situations affecting Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba, Myanmar, Ukraine, Goma, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and the Middle East. In this context, he expressed sincere appreciation for the prompt response of the Don Bosco Network and the generous commitment of the Salesian Mission Offices, whose solidarity ensures that the mission continues even in the most trying circumstances.
Turning to the internal life of the Congregation, Fr Attard encouraged the Council to read the present moment with faith and clarity. He invited the members to reflect on what certain signs of fragility within consecrated life and leadership are saying to the Congregation today. Such realities, he observed, call for honest and shared discernment, since they touch upon the credibility of the Church’s witness and the authenticity of service to young people.
At the heart of his reflection was a renewed appeal to place Jesus Christ firmly at the centre of Salesian life. Announcing his forthcoming letter, Thinking According to God (Mt 16:23), the Rector Major stressed that vocation cannot be sustained by activity alone. Without a deep and living relationship with Christ, there is a real risk of gradually losing the vitality of the Salesian charism and drifting away from the spirit of Don Bosco. The call today is to rediscover the path of discipleship marked by self-giving, sacrifice and holiness.
As a moving example of faithful daily witness, Fr Attard shared passages from the spiritual testament of Fr Francesco Andreoli, who recently died in a road accident together with the young animator Alberto Fioretto. His words, filled with gratitude for his vocation and love for young people, were presented as a reminder that authentic holiness continues to flourish quietly within the Congregation.
The Rector Major also underlined the importance of ongoing formation. He encouraged a careful and shared study of the newly approved Ratio, describing it as an essential instrument for renewing Salesian formation and strengthening the Congregation’s identity. He further invited the Council not merely to read but to study attentively the recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, highlighting its importance as a foundation for the Congregation’s continuing reflection on Artificial Intelligence and its pastoral implications.
Concluding his address, Fr Attard urged the Councillors to take care of their health, maintain a balanced rhythm of work and make this session an opportunity to deepen communion and collaboration. He recalled the words of Fr Jorge Ghazal following the earthquake in Venezuela: although the suffering has been immense, the solidarity shown by the Salesian Family throughout the world has been even greater. Such witness, he noted, becomes a concrete sign of hope.
An Intense Agenda of Discernment and Responsibility
Over the coming weeks, the General Council will address a substantial agenda of governance and strategic reflection.
Among the first matters to be considered are the appointments of new Provincials or Superiors, with the presentation of dossiers prepared following consultations in the respective Provinces, as well as reports arising from Extraordinary Visitations.
Significant time will be devoted to various study themes, including:
- the canonical consultation concerning the Salesian Pontifical University;
- the convocation of Provincial Chapters;
- the preparation of the Team Visits;
- the Council’s Pastoral Projects;
- the Statutes of the Curatoria of Formation Houses;
- the Approval of budgets, distribution of resources and other financial matters;
- and issues previously initiated that require further deliberation.
During the session, the formation course for newly appointed Provincials will take place from 12 to 24 July, offering an important moment of accompaniment and preparation for those beginning their service of governance. Times of spiritual renewal will not be lacking, including the monthly retreat to be guided by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, as well as moments of fraternity, such as the meeting with the General Council of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA).
The Council will likewise continue accompanying new Provincials in their service, reflect on matters concerning the future of the Salesian Pontifical University, and prepare significant international initiatives. These include the International Congress marking 150 years of Don Bosco’s writings on the Preventive System and a Congregation-wide meeting dedicated to Artificial Intelligence.
In a world marked by profound global challenges and rapid transformation, the Summer Plenary Session of the General Council stands as a laboratory of discernment and shared responsibility, committed to safeguarding and renewing Don Bosco’s charism with creative fidelity, for the service of young people today and in the years to come.
{gallery}RMG – Inizio sessione Consiglio 2026{/gallery}
