(ANS – Madrid – September 23, 2026) – The Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr. Fabio Attard, will visit the Salesians in Atocha, in the heart of Madrid, from October 23–25, 2026. The visit will mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Salesian Cooperators and the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the Salesians in Atocha.

The visit, under the motto “A Dream That Continues,” will provide an opportunity to reflect on the origins of both anniversaries while looking to the present and future of the Salesian mission. Fr. Fabio Attard, the 11th Successor of Don Bosco, will meet with educators, young people, Salesian Cooperators, and representatives of the various groups within the Salesian Family.

Don Bosco dreamed of a vast network of people committed to the education and evangelization of young people. From that vision, the Salesian Cooperators were founded in 1876. One hundred and fifty years later, this dream lives on in the men and women who share the Salesian mission through their lay vocation and their presence in the Church and in society.

Twenty-five years later, in 1901, Don Bosco’s dream took root in Madrid with the arrival of the Salesians in Atocha. From the very beginning, the work focused particularly on formation and supporting young people who were most in need of opportunities. Thus began the first Salesian presence in Madrid, which for 125 years has accompanied generations of young people and sought to meet their educational, human, and spiritual needs.

The Program for the Visit

Friday, October 23, will be dedicated in particular to the educational community of the Salesians in Atocha. The Rector Major will offer his “Salesian good morning” to the students, visit various areas of the school, and unveil a commemorative plaque marking the 125th anniversary.

In the afternoon, a meeting will take place with educators from the schools and Salesian Social Platforms, particularly those from the Community of Madrid. During the event, the educational and social work carried out in the various Salesian presences will be presented, and there will also be an opportunity for conversation with the Rector Major.

The day will conclude with a moment of prayer together with the leaders of the Atocha Youth Center and the traditional “Salesian goodnight.”

The morning of Saturday, October 24, will be dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Salesian Cooperators. Fr. Fabio Attard will take part in a meeting with the Salesian Cooperators of the St. John Bosco Province and, late in the morning, will preside over the Eucharist in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.

During the celebration, several Salesian Cooperators will make their promise. This anniversary commemorates Don Bosco’s insight that he could count on committed lay people who, drawing on their own family, professional, and social circumstances, would share in the mission to support young people.

On Saturday afternoon, the Rector Major will meet with the leaders and young people of the Salesian Youth Movement. The young people will have the opportunity to talk with Fr. Attard and share their concerns, questions, and experiences with him.

The meeting will conclude in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians with a time of prayer and adoration. This will be one of the central moments of the visit, bringing together Don Bosco’s 11th Successor and the young people, the primary beneficiaries of the Salesian mission.

Finally, on Sunday, October 25, the Rector Major will meet with the various groups of the Salesian Family. Here too, the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians will host the Eucharistic celebration, the highlight of the day.

These three days will be an opportunity to give thanks for the journey undertaken, to thank the many people who have made it possible to reach these anniversaries, and to renew the commitment to the education and evangelization of young people.

The two anniversaries are not merely an invitation to remember the past; they are also a call to continue realizing, in today’s context, Don Bosco’s dream of education and evangelization.