GC29 Makes Pilgrimage to Colle Don Bosco

CG29 Makes Pilgrimage to Colle Don Bosco

Some chapter members in front of DB's boyhood home.
Fr. Dominic Tran is in back row, 5th from right.

(ANS – Turin - February 21, 2025) – The spiritual preparation for the 29th General Chapter concluded yesterday with the participants’ pilgrimage to Colle Don Bosco, the symbolic place of Salesian origins.

Despite the below-freezing temperature, the welcome was warm, thanks to the dedication of the resident Salesian community, supported by a dozen volunteers. The director of the community, Fr. Vijaya Thathireddy, greeted them with these meaningful words: “You have returned home; we were all born here. Here there is a father, and we are all brothers.”

In 1942, the Rector Major, Fr. Peter Ricaldone, chose this location to protect the relics of Don Bosco, St. Joseph Cafasso, St. Dominic Savio, and St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello from the dangers of World War II. This place, he recalled, is “a space saturated with holiness,” capable of inspiring reflection on the challenges and aspirations of young people, on new forms of poverty, and on how they manifest themselves.

The chapter participants, divided into 6 language groups, visited the sites of the “Salesian cradle,” where Don Bosco was born, raised, and matured in his vocation. For many, the itinerary awakened memories of previous visits, but for all, it was an invitation to live the present responsibly and make significant decisions for the future of the Congregation.

The highlight of the day was the Eucharistic celebration in the Shrine of Don Bosco, described as an “ark of salvation,” with the large statue of the Risen Christ welcoming the faithful with open arms. During the homily, Fr. Pascual Chavez offered a reflection to conclude the 3 intense days of spiritual retreat that he had guided in Valdocco.

“Two hundred and ten years after the birth of Giovannino, raised in a poor and humble family, with a mother who made him a masterpiece of the Holy Spirit, we are here to give thanks for the great gift of our founder,” said Fr. Chavez. He urged the Salesians to renew their desire and promise to “continue to be Don Bosco for the youth of today,” recalling Johnny’s dream at the age of 9 and his service to those most in need.

“Let us think these days about the refugee camp in Goma, Congo, where 30,000 people fleeing war seek refuge, accompanied by our confreres who support them in their struggle for life. We live in a time when it is not the wolves that become lambs, but the risk of lambs becoming wolves,” he added.

Fr. Chavez concluded with a hope: “Something similar must happen to what occurred in 1954, when Pope Paul VI [ed.: while still Archbishop Montini of Milan] asked us to be missionaries among the victims of negative experiences. It was then that the Salesians in Italy entered juvenile prisons, in Thailand cared for blind children, in Sri Lanka fought against sex tourism, in Sierra Leone rehabilitated child soldiers, and in Colombia freed minors from working in mines. We must create generations capable of changing the culture, ensuring that wolves are transformed into lambs.”

In the afternoon, the chapter participants visited Chieri, a city deeply linked to Don Bosco’s formative years. They were welcomed by Fr. Genesio Tarasco, director of the local SDB community, who introduced them to the history and significant places of Chieri, a pivotal setting in the youth and vocation of the Saint of Youth.

Walking through the historic streets steeped in Salesian memories, the participants stopped at the Cathedral of Chieri, where they were warmly welcomed by Mayor Alessandro Sicchiero, who extended a gesture of friendship and hospitality. The visit concluded at the chapel of the Blessed Virgin of Graces, a place of silence and contemplation, where the participants gathered in prayer, entrusting the entire journey and work of the general chapter to the Madonna.

This pilgrimage renewed in the general chapter participants a sense of belonging to the Salesian mission and Don Bosco’s vision, strengthening their commitment to serving young people with a forward-looking perspective.