(ANS – Rome) – Next week, from May 25–31, 2026, the Zefirino Namuncurà Community at Bufalotta in Rome will host a meeting for Salesian Rectors of Specific Formation for both Salesian Brothers and candidates for the priesthood. The event, organized by the Formation Sector, will provide participants with a structured program of reflection, study, and sharing aimed at exploring key aspects of the Salesian formation journey in light of the perspectives emerging from the 29th General Chapter and the current challenges facing the Congregation.

Meanings, Dimensions, and Perspectives of the Meeting

The course, long-awaited by many, had originally been planned during the previous six-year term by the Formation Sector but was postponed following the appointment of the former Rector Major, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, and the resulting reduction in working time for the central governing bodies of the Salesian Congregation.

Approximately 30 Salesians from across the world will participate, particularly from the Congregation’s theological colleges on every continent and from the three centers currently dedicated to the specific formation of Salesian Brothers: the Sandor Community in Parañaque, Philippines, for English-speaking Salesians; CRESCO in Guadalajara, Mexico, for Spanish-speaking Salesians; and the center in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for French-speaking Salesians.

The initiative is part of a broader project launched by the Formation Sector to bring together those responsible for the various stages of Salesian Initial Formation. The objective is both to promote the innovations introduced by the new Ratio Fundamentalis and to create collaborative forums for discussion and exchange where participants can learn from one another’s experiences and explore possible responses to shared challenges.

“We will have the opportunity to share our experiences and reflect on what the Congregation’s journey proposes for this stage,” said the General Councilor for Formation, Fr. Silvio Roggia, principal organizer and promoter of the gathering.

The Program

The initiative will begin on Monday, May 25, with the welcome of participants and the first moments of community life, following a schedule designed to integrate spiritual formation, academic study, and discussion of formation experiences.

Tuesday, May 26, will take place entirely at the Salesian Central House – Sacred Heart. The day will open with an address by the Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, titled: “The Formation Process in Light of GC29.” The reflection will be framed within the broader renewal currently underway in the Congregation and will offer guidance for accompanying the formation journeys of new generations of Salesians.

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit important sites of Salesian heritage, including the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Chapel of the Letter from Rome, and the Salesian Museum. In the afternoon, Fr. Jose Kuttianimattathil, from the Formation Sector, will lead a session on interpretive keys to the new Ratio, followed by time for personal study and reflection.

Wednesday, May 27, will focus more deeply on the dynamics of formation. The General Councilor for Formation will lead a dialogue on Salesian identity and accompaniment, followed by personal reflection. In the afternoon, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, Vicar of the Rector Major, will offer a presentation on how religious discipline challenges the formation process, followed by regional group discussions to encourage the exchange of experiences from different contexts.

The program for Thursday, May 28, will combine spiritual and cultural dimensions. Following the Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Major Penitentiary, will offer a session dedicated to the formation of the pastoral heart. Fr. Andrea Bozzolo, Rector of the Pontifical Salesian University, will then present a reflection on the role of the cultural dimension in supporting vocation, opening further opportunities for discussion and exchange.

Friday, May 29, will focus on the Preventive System as a formation model in a session led by Fr. Michal Vojtàš, professor at the Pontifical Salesian University. Participants will then divide into separate groups for Salesian Brothers and candidates for the priesthood. In the afternoon, young Salesians in Initial Formation residing at the Bufalotta house in Rome will contribute through a discussion dedicated to interculturalism, an increasingly important reality within international Salesian formation.

On the final full day of the meeting, Saturday, May 30, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, will address the theme “Holiness as a Model for Formation” and guide participants on a tour of the General Postulation offices. The afternoon will include discussions on the management of Curatoriums and formation teams through the presentation of concrete experiences and opportunities for shared dialogue. The meeting will conclude with a review of the program.

Finally, on Sunday, May 31, the event will conclude with a community Mass in the morning before participants return to their communities, bringing with them the insights and experiences shared during their days together in Rome.