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The Pope has praised the contribution of the Salesian order to the church and young people worldwide. In a message to their general chapter, Pope Francis expressed regret for not being able to meet the participants in person due to his recovery process. His message, released by the Vatican on April 7, coincides with the Salesian general chapter in Turin, which took place from February 16 to April 12.
The chapter focused on the theme: “Salesians, passionate about Jesus Christ, dedicated to the young.” The Pope appreciated this focus, saying it reflected dedication to service, akin to the vision of their founder, St. John Bosco, who established the order in 1859 in northern Italy to support young people facing poverty and exploitation.
“The challenges to be faced have in part changed since then,” Pope Francis said, acknowledging the evolving nature of the challenges but noting the Salesians’ "faith and enthusiasm remain the same, enriched by new gifts, such as that of interculturality."
The Salesians, numbering 13,750 members, serve in 136 countries, making them one of the largest Catholic Church religious orders for men, second only to the Jesuits.
Pope Francis also congratulated the new superior of the Salesians, Maltese Father Fabio Attard, who was elected as rector major in March. Father Attard, aged 66, previously worked on the Salesian general council and coordinated Salesian and Lay Formation in Europe. This initiative resulted in the creation of a master’s program for Salesians and lay collaborators at the Pontifical Salesian University, where he serves as a visiting professor.
Notably, Father Attard was not among the 220 members of the general chapter during his election. His selection marked the first time in the order’s history that a non-present member was elected. He accepted the election over the phone and subsequently traveled to Turin.
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