(ANS – Vatican City) – Weeks of reflection, dialogue, and above all, personal and communal discernment in listening to the Holy Spirit culminated meaningfully on the morning of Friday, April 11, 2025. The Salesians participating in the 29th General Chapter gathered for a powerful moment of unity and faith: a Jubilee Mass at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over by the Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard.

Around 250 Salesians of Don Bosco, traveling by bus from the various communities hosting them during these final days of the Chapter, arrived early under a bright, cool Roman sky. With hearts and minds prepared, they came together for the solemn Eucharistic celebration.

The moment of prayer, pilgrimage, and thanksgiving began with the time needed to reorganize the large group of Don Bosco’s Sons into an orderly assembly of pilgrims. The numerous dozens of Chapter Salesians walked in procession, repeating the ancient yet ever new and life-giving gesture of passing through the Holy Door of the Basilica. Passing through the Holy Door towards the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter, they immersed themselves ever more deeply in the atmosphere of grace that the Jubilee of Hope – and, in a Salesian spirit, also the 29th General Chapter – seek to spread, to begin the Holy Eucharist.

On the eve of the official close of the General Chapter, this Holy Eucharist gave Fr. Attard the opportunity to remind his fellow Salesians of the profound meaning of their faith—the foundation of their vocation to be “Passionate for Christ, dedicated to the young.”

Reflecting on the Gospel readings from the preceding days, the 11th Successor of Don Bosco noted: “Jesus’ message is not made of lofty words and abstract ideas, but of a total gift of self. This message provokes diverse reactions—ranging from outright rejection to a healthy, healing curiosity in those who seek meaning and truth.”

Fr. Attard then posed some thought-provoking questions: “As consecrated persons, do we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God to the point that we allow ourselves to be disturbed by it? When young people encounter us in our day-to-day lives, in our homes, and through our pastoral activities, do they sense that spirit which gives meaning to our decision to follow Jesus, the Son of God made man for us? In other words, does our identity as Salesians with and for the young raise in them genuine and healthy questions about the purpose of our life—and, by reflection, about their own?”

With a sociological lens, Fr. Attard pointed out that in today’s globalized world, “spiritual and religious indifference is often not a conscious choice, but simply a default state accepted as ‘normal.’” In such a context, he emphasized, consecrated persons are called to give a witness that is credible and attractive—one that provokes questions and opens paths to meaning.

Quoting Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac, he highlighted two forms of powerful Christian witness: One is martyrdom, not sought out but still very real in many Salesian missions around the world. The other is the quiet, humble witness often found in everyday life—those Christians who don’t ask if their faith is ‘effective’ or ‘relevant,’ but simply live it as the most authentic reality. Their presence helps prevent the world from becoming a kind of hell and brings forth “beautiful fruits.”

Keeping alive the fraternal spirit that had marked their days in Turin, the Salesians took time afterward, in smaller groups, to enjoy the historical, artistic, and spiritual treasures of Rome. Many then gathered in the courtyard of the Salesian Headquarters for a moment of fellowship and shared celebration.

In the afternoon, they concluded the day with a guided pilgrimage in the footsteps of Don Bosco in Rome—rediscovering the deep, charismatic presence of the Salesian mission in the Eternal City.