(ANS – Rome) – “‘The Ratio is a text to be read and understood, but above all it is a process to be entered into and made one’s own, following the example of the first followers of the Gospel and those who first accepted and passed on Don Bosco’s charism by embracing Salesian life.’” — Fr. Fabio Attard, Rector Major, from the Decree of Promulgation.

It is in this spirit that, in 2026, the year of the document’s promulgation, a gradual process of learning and assimilating the first five chapters is proposed. These chapters present the fundamental choices—the soul that gives life to the entire journey that follows.

Every two months, the text of a chapter will be shared, accompanied by a video interview to help capture its spirit, along with additional materials for community reflection and animation. The first chapter is being offered for March and April.

In the video interview, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, Vicar of the Rector Major, explains:

“It is about learning to live formation every single day. Formation is our continuous effort to enter more deeply into God’s plan for us; it is our response to God who calls us every day. This was Don Bosco’s life: a response to God constantly renewed in ever-changing circumstances.”

Among the seven keys for understanding that the first chapter offers for beginning the journey of growth in Salesian life outlined by the Ratio, Fr. Martoglio highlighted personalization y participation:

“The goal of formation is to become like Christ the Good Shepherd, and this cannot happen simply by changing external behavior or acquiring skills. Formation must reach the heart. It requires openness, personal reflection, and a continuous commitment to transformation with the help of accompaniment. This is the main path of formation modeled on the Preventive System.”

The involvement of young Salesians has been a defining feature since the long and extensive development process that led to the fifth edition of the Ratio. Once again, it is the young confreres—over 100 Salesians of Don Bosco in Initial Formation from various regions connected online—who are acting as facilitators, promoting an approach to the Ratio that is not only receptive but also interactive.

On Hyper-Ratio, the online platform they have created, you will already find:

• Downloadable web versions of the complete Ratio text in the five main languages. PDF versions will be available in a few weeks once the final graphic layout is complete.
• The Word format text of the first chapter, with an introductory Lectio Biblica page, as will be included for each chapter in the final version.
• An article by Fr. Koldo Gutierrez, SDB, explaining the harmony between the formation process proposed by the 29th General Chapter and the new edition of the Ratio.

In the coming months, the Hyper-Ratio website will become a virtual Salesian courtyard for sharing audio-visual materials, enabling interaction, reflection, and collaboration. This will allow the Ratio process to become a living expression of the Congregation’s energies, interests, and sense of cohesion.

Access to the video interview on the first chapter is available on Hyper-Ratio or via the hyperlinks below: Italian – English – Spanish – French – Portuguese.