The Rector Major's greeting: fidelity to Don Bosco, love for the Pope

The Holy Father was welcomed by the Rector Major, who expressed the joy and gratitude of all the confreres for the visit, describing it as “a source of blessing, courage and hope”.

Recalling the history of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Rector Major evoked the meeting on 5 April 1880 between Pope Leo XIII and Don Bosco, when the Pontiff entrusted the construction of the temple to the Saint of young people. Faced with the Pope's hesitation – aware of the economic difficulties of the undertaking – Don Bosco replied with words that remain engraved in Salesian memory: “The Pope's wish is a command to me.”

And to the Pontiff's clarification that he could not offer financial support, Don Bosco replied: “I do not ask Your Holiness for money: I only implore your apostolic blessing and those spiritual favours that could benefit the undertaking.”

That dialogue, the Rector Major emphasised, is for the Salesians a permanent paradigm of devotion to the Holy Father and of full availability to the mission of the Church. Today, as then, the Congregation renews its fidelity “Cum Petro et Sub Petro”, walking with renewed energy in the footsteps of the Second Vatican Council.

With particular emotion, the Rector Major then conveyed to the Pope the greetings of his confreres working in areas of war and conflict. “We are united with them, we pray for them, assuring them in every way of our human and spiritual closeness,” he said, asking for the Holy Father's blessing for all.

Pope Leo XIV: “You are a sign written in the heart of Jesus”

In his address, Pope Leo XIV began with the words of the Gospel of John (20:30-31), inscribed on the ambo of the chapel: “Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, performed many other signs that are not written in this book... these have been written so that you may believe.”

“Among the many signs that have not been written,” added the Pope, “there is consecrated life. And I would like to say to you sincerely: there is the Salesian community.”

With these words, the Holy Father recognised in the Congregation a living and present sign of Christ's presence in the world: a sign that may not be ‘written’ in books, but is deeply engraved in the heart of Jesus. A sign that continues to manifest itself through generous service to young people, especially in contexts marked by war, poverty and conflict.

The Pope expressed his closeness to the Salesians working in the peripheries of the world and fondly recalled their service in Rome, particularly in the Termini area, where the Salesian community offers hospitality, educational programmes and opportunities for integration to many young people, both Italian and foreign.

A personal memory and a family atmosphere

In an atmosphere of great simplicity, Pope Leo XIV also shared a personal memory: as a young man, before entering the Augustinians, he visited a Salesian community. “You came second, I'm sorry,” he said with a smile, provoking laughter from those present.

In an affectionate tone, he then added that, in the first ten months of his pontificate, he had visited more Salesian communities than Augustinian ones, a sign of his concrete and sincere closeness.

The Holy Father praised the Salesian charism, emphasising the richness of its educational and pastoral service to young people, and encouraged the confreres to live the spirit of the Sacred Heart of Jesus following the example of Don Bosco: a spirit of active love, dedication and joy. “Let us walk together, united in the Church, united in the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” he concluded.

The blessing and personal encounter

At the end of the meeting, Pope Leo XIV imparted his blessing to all the confreres present. Subsequently, with great attention and fatherliness, he greeted each one personally, stopping to exchange a few words and give his individual blessing.

It was a moment of intense grace, experienced in the simplicity of a religious family renewing its love for the Pope and the Church. In the heart of the Generalate, next to the Basilica desired by Leo XIII and built by Don Bosco, a historical and spiritual bond was renewed that continues to sustain the Salesian mission in the world: to serve young people, especially the poorest, as a concrete sign of Christ's love.

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