(ANS – Rome) – Renewing a “beautiful tradition” of the Rector Majors, for the Feast of Don Bosco 2026 the 11th Successor of Don Bosco, Fr. Fabio Attard, will deliver a message of hope and engagement to the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM).
The Rector Major emphasizes three main points. First, Fr. Attard refers to the Strenna message for 2026, renewing the invitation to be, like Mary, attentive to what is happening around us and to always rely on Jesus.
Second, drawing on ideas from Pope Leo XIII, the Rector Major invites young people to “cultivate the gift of authentic friendship”—a truly Salesian trait.
Finally, again referencing what Pope Leo has emphasized during the first months of his pontificate, the 11th Successor of Don Bosco urges the boys and girls of the SYM to have “the courage of truth”—an attitude that means avoiding ambiguity and arrogance, even verbal, toward others.
All of this, the Rector Major concludes, is so that young people may become “protagonists of goodness, especially for the most needy young people.”
The full text of the Rector Major’s message is available in five languages (Italian, English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese) at the bottom of the page.
To spread the Rector Major’s message more widely to young people in the SYM for the Feast of Don Bosco 2026, the Youth Ministry Sector has also produced two short informational videos:
- A very short video, lasting one and a half minutes, with animated images about the Strenna 2026 (available in Italian, English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese)
- A 3½-minute video in which Fr. Attard himself speaks directly to young people, summarizing his message in a few sentences (available in Italian, English, Spanish, and French)
With Fr. Attard’s inspiring words and the contribution of the Youth Ministry Sector, Don Bosco truly continues to speak to young people.