"Young people carry the same hopes in their hearts"

“Young people carry the same hopes in their hearts”

A Good Nite Message from Fr. William Matthews

(ANS – Rome – November 10, 2026) – On the evening of November 9, during the session of the general council, which began on October 26, Fr. William Matthews, general councilor for the East Asia-Oceania Region, addressed the Sacred Heart community at Salesian headquarters. He spoke about the life of the region, geographically the largest in the Congregation, and his recent visits.

A vast and vital region

The region encompasses 23 countries, characterized by different time zones, languages, and cultures, ranging from tropical climates to harsh winters. They are united by the same Salesian spirit and the passion for young people inherited from Don Bosco. Approximately 1,500 Salesians work there, not counting the FMAs and numerous other members of the Salesian Family. New vocations and missionary enthusiasm continue to flourish. A few months ago, a new vice province was created in North Vietnam, with the appointment of its first provincial.

Visits in recent months

• Burma (Myanmar) (August): Fr. Matthews’s native country. He returned there to consult for a new provincial and for the ordination of w Salesians, amid a difficult political situation. He expressed his deep emotion at the suffering and resilience of the people and asked for prayers. The Salesians continue to serve young people with generosity and courage.
• Southern Philippines: He spent 7 weeks conducting an extraordinary visitation, meeting confreres, members of the Salesian Family, and young people. He was struck by their strength of faith and their joyful spirit. Numerous vocations for the Church and the Congregation come from the Philippines.
• Vietnam: In August, he attended the meeting of the Salesian Family delegates; in October, he took part in the consultation for the appointment of a new provincial, who was appointed last Friday.
• Japan: The Rector Major’s visit to mark the centennial of Salesian presence in the country was, he said, a historic occasion and the first time a Rector Major has visited the region in this way.

With a smile, he commented on the widespread belief in Rome that the region is very remote: the farthest country is about a 25-hour flight away. He invited the confreres to visit, promising a warm Salesian welcome.

The hope of young people

In Korea, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, he observed, young people share the same hopes: a life of meaning, peace, justice, happiness, opportunities, and values that guide their lives. This is not a phenomenon unique to the region, but a desire of young people worldwide. The Salesian mission is to walk with them, listen to them, accompany them, and help them discover God’s dream.

While acknowledging the challenges in the world, in society, and sometimes within the Congregation itself, Father Matthews finds reasons for hope in his encounters with young people: generosity, dreams, and faith demonstrate that God is still at work. He urged them to be messengers of hope, peace, and love, and to trust in Providence: “This is not our work, but God’s.” He concluded by asking for prayers for the region, which in turn remembers the headquarters community in its own.