(ANS – Rome) – The Summer Plenary Session of the General Council officially opened on the afternoon of July 6, 2026, at Salesian Headquarters in Rome. The session will continue through August 7 and represents an important period of discernment, governance, and strategic planning, lived in the spirit of communion that animates the Congregation in its service to young people, especially the poorest.

The Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, inaugurated the proceedings by welcoming the members of the Council following months of intensive pastoral animation throughout the various regions of the Congregation. In his opening address, he expressed heartfelt gratitude for their dedication and generosity, particularly in accompanying Provincials and their councils. He emphasized that personal closeness, regular communication, and genuine fraternity have become indispensable signs of support for Salesian communities facing complex and often challenging situations around the world.

The Rector Major invited the Council to keep in prayer and solidarity those Provinces experiencing humanitarian emergencies, armed conflicts, and political instability. He made particular reference to the devastating earthquake in Venezuela and the difficult situations affecting Haiti, Cuba, Myanmar, Ukraine, Goma, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Middle East. In this context, he expressed sincere appreciation for the prompt response of the Don Bosco Network and the generous commitment of the Salesian Mission Offices, whose solidarity ensures that the mission continues even under the most difficult circumstances.

Turning to the internal life of the Congregation, Fr. Attard encouraged the Council to view the present moment with faith and clarity. He invited members to reflect on what signs of fragility within consecrated life and leadership are revealing to the Congregation today. These realities, he observed, call for honest and shared discernment because they touch on the credibility of the Church’s witness and the authenticity of its service to young people.

At the heart of his reflection was a renewed appeal to place Jesus Christ firmly at the center of Salesian life. Announcing his forthcoming letter, Thinking According to God (Mt 16:23), the Rector Major stressed that a vocation cannot be sustained by activity alone. Without a deep and living relationship with Christ, there is a real risk of gradually losing the vitality of the Salesian charism and drifting away from the spirit of Don Bosco. The call today, he said, is to rediscover the path of discipleship marked by self-giving, sacrifice, and holiness.

As a moving example of faithful daily witness, Fr. Attard shared passages from the spiritual testament of Fr. Francesco Andreoli, who recently died in a road accident along with the young animator Alberto Fioretto. His words, filled with gratitude for his vocation and love for young people, served as a reminder that authentic holiness continues to flourish quietly within the Congregation.

The Rector Major also underscored the importance of ongoing formation. He encouraged a careful and collaborative study of the newly approved Ratio, describing it as an essential instrument for renewing Salesian formation and strengthening the Congregation’s identity. He further invited the Council not merely to read but to study attentively the recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, highlighting its importance as a foundation for the Congregation’s ongoing reflection on artificial intelligence and its pastoral implications.

Concluding his address, Fr. Attard urged the Council members to care for their health, maintain a balanced rhythm of work, and make this session an opportunity to deepen communion and collaboration. He recalled the words of Fr. Jorge Ghazal following the earthquake in Venezuela: although the suffering has been immense, the solidarity shown by the Salesian Family throughout the world has been even greater. Such witness, he noted, is a concrete sign of hope.

An Intensive Agenda of Discernment and Responsibility

Over the coming weeks, the General Council will address a substantial agenda of governance and strategic reflection.

Among the first matters to be considered are the appointments of new Provincials or Superiors, with the presentation of dossiers prepared following consultations in the respective Provinces, as well as reports resulting from Extraordinary Visitations.

Significant time will be devoted to several study topics, including:

• the canonical consultation concerning the Salesian Pontifical University;
• the convocation of Provincial Chapters;
• the preparation of the Team Visits;
• the Council’s pastoral projects;
• the statutes of the Curatoria of Formation Houses;
• the approval of budgets, the distribution of resources, and other financial matters; and
• previously initiated issues requiring further deliberation.

During the session, the formation course for newly appointed Provincials will take place July 12–24, providing an important opportunity for accompaniment and preparation for those beginning their ministry of leadership. The schedule will also include opportunities for spiritual renewal, including the monthly retreat led by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, as well as moments of fraternity, such as the meeting with the General Council of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA).

The Council will also continue accompanying newly appointed Provincials in their ministry, reflect on matters concerning the future of the Salesian Pontifical University, and prepare for several significant international initiatives. These include the International Congress marking the 150th anniversary of Don Bosco’s writings on the Preventive System and a Congregation-wide meeting dedicated to artificial intelligence.

In a world marked by profound global challenges and rapid change, the Summer Plenary Session of the General Council serves as a laboratory of discernment and shared responsibility, committed to safeguarding and renewing Don Bosco’s charism with creative fidelity in service to young people today and in the years to come.