Fraternal Meeting at the Vatican

Fraternal Meeting at the Vatican

Pope Leo meets with the general council of the Salesian Congregation

(ANS – Vatican – December 20, 2025) – Authentic ecclesial communion characterized the meeting on December 19 between the Holy Father and the rector major and the members of the Salesian general council at the Vatican. What could have been a formal occasion turned into a fraternal and spontaneous dialog, thanks to an initial choice that set the tone for the entire conversation.

The initial gesture: let’s abandon the scripts

Upon arrival, Pope Leo let his guests know that he preferred live conversations rather than long prepared speeches. The Pope himself would follow the same approach, thus opening a space for “a fraternal and spontaneous exchange that came from the heart.” This preliminary communication immediately created an atmosphere of ease and openness, shifting the focus from formality to genuine encounter.

“That is exactly what happened,” the participants reported. The rector major spoke with simplicity, sharing the Congregation’s desire for communion and unity with the head of the universal Church.

The 4 guidelines of the Salesian Congregation (2025-2031)

During the conversation, the rector major outlined the 4 guidelines that will guide the Congregation over the next 6 years:

Conversion and service to the poor. Personal and community spiritual rebirth remains the foundation of the Salesian mission, always oriented toward those who are marginalized.

Education and pastoral care in the charism. The deepening of educational proposals in the light of Don Bosco’s legacy, with particular attention to collaboration with the laity in sharing the mission.

Artificial intelligence and youth mission. A decidedly contemporary theme: the challenges and opportunities offered by AI in working with and for young people.

The role of the Salesian Pontifical University. Promoting study, reflection and formation for Salesians and lay people, keeping the charismatic heritage alive in today’s context.

The rector major also shared with the Holy Father the testimony of Salesians and lay people working in areas of conflict and war, asking for his special blessing for those working in the most difficult frontiers.

The Holy Father’s response: peace as a radical commitment

The Holy Father emphasized peace as a central theme, stressing that it is a “constant struggle” that deserves attention, prayer and, above all, witness. He highlighted how consecrated persons, in particular, have a special responsibility to bear witness to peace in the conflict areas where they work.

“The fact that you are supported by a large network of provinces and congregations places you in a privileged and demanding position to offer meaningful witness,” said the Pope, encouraging the Salesians not to lose heart in the face of difficult global situations.

Our friend Fr. Gabe Statowy, formerly of our N.R. community,
meets Pope Leo

Three crucial issues: from secularization to AI

The sincere search of young Europeans

When asked about secularization among young people in Europe, the Holy Father responded with realism and hope: many young people have authentic expectations and are sincerely searching. The challenge is to offer “a profound proposal and a meaningful response: not superficial or improvised answers, but proposals capable of going deep, touching the heart and facilitating conversion.” The witness of consecrated persons is an indispensable condition for an authentic pastoral educational proposal.

AI as a global ethical issue

Regarding artificial intelligence, the Pope emphasized the importance of a unified ecclesial response. It is not just a matter of using technology in schools, but of “offering the world a proposal of ethics and values in this area.” He pointed to the Salesians as strategic figures in the process of “humanizing artificial intelligence and supporting its ethical soul.”

The mission on its 150th anniversary

On the sidelines of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Don Bosco’s first missionary expedition (1875), the Holy Father thanked the Salesians for their global missionary work. He recalled that “the Church is and must be a missionary Church” for 3 fundamental reasons: proclaiming the Gospel to those who do not know Christ, evangelizing countries in need, and having the courage to “go where others do not want to go,” without giving in to fear.

Interreligious dialog

On the call to foster a culture of dialog and coexistence among different religions, the Holy Father encouraged us to continue promoting spaces for fraternal listening, for a culture that fosters healthy and mature human relationships. It is these experiences, marked by mutual respect and lived in an atmosphere of fraternal welcome, that have the potential to give meaning and hope to young people in their search for a future marked by peace and harmony.

“Do whatever he tells you” – an antidote to superficiality

At the conclusion of the meeting, the rector major emphasized how the next annual strenna will encourage the Salesian Family to take on the dispositions indicated by Mary of “looking, listening, serving, and acting”—qualities easily obscured by contemporary distractions, particularly the “fascination of technology.”

The Salesians committed themselves to echoing the Holy Father’s invitation, aware that the minds and hearts of young people “can so easily be drawn away by the concerns and superficial attractions of the world, weakening their generosity and diminishing their willingness to contribute and serve others.”

A meeting that illuminates the path

At the end of the meeting, the rector major asked the Holy Father for a special blessing for those present, for the Congregation, and for the entire Salesian Family, so that, sustained by the presence of the successor of Peter and in union with him, they may continue with hope to bear witness to the Gospel to young people.

The atmosphere of familiarity and closeness that characterized the meeting—underlined by the Holy Father’s open invitation—represents a model of authentic synodality. At a historic moment marked by global conflicts, technological transformations, and young people’s search for meaning, the dialog between the Magisterium and the Salesian educational tradition offers a clear compass: depth and authenticity, witness and closeness, courage and audacity in mission.

Fr. Attard presents a statue of Mary Help of Christians
to Pope Leo