{"id":33408,"date":"2026-08-21T15:59:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T22:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/?p=33408"},"modified":"2026-08-21T17:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T00:36:09","slug":"charity-is-patient-charity-is-kind-the-rector-major-unveils-the-theme-of-the-2027-strenna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/2026\/08\/21\/charity-is-patient-charity-is-kind-the-rector-major-unveils-the-theme-of-the-2027-strenna\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cCharity Is Patient, Charity Is Kind\u201d: The Rector Major Unveils the Theme of the 2027 Strenna"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(ANS \u2013 Rome)<\/strong> \u2013 The Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard<\/strong>, has officially unveiled the theme of the 2027 Strenna, offering the Salesian Family an in-depth reflection on the journey undertaken in recent years and on the prospects that lie ahead. The new theme, \u201cCharity is patient, charity is kind \u2013 \u2018Dedicated\u2019 to the integral good of young people<\/strong>,\u201d is rooted in St. Paul\u2019s hymn to charity and in the pedagogical legacy of Don Bosco\u2019s<\/strong> Preventive System, inviting every member of the Salesian Family to a renewed educational and pastoral commitment to young people, especially those most in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Significant Anniversaries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Presented at a time of great significance for the Salesian world, the 2027 Strenna forms part of the journey marked by the years 1875\u20131877, a three-year period rich in foundational events for Don Bosco<\/strong>, the Congregation, and the Salesian Family, the 150th anniversary of which is being celebrated this year. Fr. Attard<\/strong> recalls the journey already undertaken with the 2025 Strenna, \u201cAnchored in Hope, Pilgrims with Young People,\u201d dedicated to the first Salesian missionary expedition of 1875 and marked by the Jubilee, and with the 2026 Strenna, \u201cDo Whatever He Tells You \u2013 Believers, Free to Serve,\u201d focused on the foundation of the Salesian Cooperators and on Mary\u2019s words at the wedding at Cana (Jn 2:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To these two anniversaries is now added the 150th anniversary of the First Missionary Expedition of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, as well as the 150th anniversary of the writing, in 1877, of one of Don Bosco\u2019s<\/strong> most important works: The Preventive System in the Education of Youth<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Choice of Theme<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The title of the 2027 Strenna draws directly on the words with which Don Bosco<\/strong> himself described the foundation of his educational method, quoting St. Paul: \u201cThe practice of this system is entirely based on the words of St. Paul, who says: \u2018Charity is patient and kind… Love bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second part of the title\u2014the call to be \u201cdedicated\u201d to the integral good of young people\u2014takes up an expression that Don Bosco<\/strong> himself used twice in his writings, emphasizing how the rector and educator must be \u201cdedicated [the Italian is consacrato<\/em>] entirely\u201d to their pupils, ready to face any hardship for the sake of their civic, moral, and academic education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Structure of the 2027 Strenna<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In light of these references, Fr. Attard<\/strong> has structured the 2027 Strenna in two parts. The first part offers an in-depth reading of the context of St. Paul\u2019s hymn to charity, contained in Chapter 13 of the First Letter to the Corinthians, presented as \u201cthe most excellent way\u201d leading to conformity with Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally written in response to the divisions and rivalries within the Corinthian community, St. Paul\u2019s eulogy of charity becomes, for the Salesian Family, a criterion for gauging the authenticity of Christian life and pastoral charity toward young people. \u201cWe may speak all languages, know the mysteries of God, possess extraordinary faith and perform heroic deeds; but without love we are merely noise, and everything we do loses its deepest value.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second part of the Strenna reinterprets the three pillars of the Preventive System\u2014reason, religion, and loving-kindness\u2014in light of current educational challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of reason, Fr. Attard<\/strong> proposes rediscovering the Preventive System as a \u201cpedagogy of encounter,\u201d which places at its center not programs or structures, but each individual young person, with their own story and potential. This draws on the experience of Valdocco and the importance of educational networks built together with young people, not merely for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of religion, the Rector Major invites us to recognize the \u201cspiritual thirst\u201d that dwells in young people\u2019s hearts in an age marked by hyperconnectivity, loneliness, and a lack of spaces for silence, emphasizing the importance of accompanying them in recognizing God\u2019s voice in their own lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, in terms of loving-kindness, Fr. Attard<\/strong> proposes Jesus the Good Shepherd and the pilgrim on the road to Emmaus as models capable of walking alongside their disciples, listening to them, and shedding light on their experience\u2014a style characterized by closeness, gentleness, and kindness, already evident in Valdocco and directed with particular care toward the poorest young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Preventive System: Our Treasure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCharism and competence go hand in hand for the integral good of young people,\u201d writes Fr. Attard<\/strong>, recalling that the Preventive System is not merely a method, but the gift of a charism entrusted to the whole Salesian Family throughout the world, to be loved, understood, and safeguarded with humility and intelligence, avoiding all superficiality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the presentation of the 2027 Strenna, Fr. Attard<\/strong> invites all members of the Salesian Family to joyfully celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Preventive System in the education of young people, turning it into a precious and providential opportunity for a deeper understanding of the Salesian charism and for a renewed educational and pastoral commitment to young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official poster for the 2027 Strenna will also be presented to the whole Salesian Family at a later date, while the full text will be available beginning in late December 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fr. Attard\u2019s presentation is already available at the bottom of the page in Italian, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Polish.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join our WhatsApp channel<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(ANS \u2013 Rome) \u2013 The Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, has officially unveiled the theme of the 2027 Strenna, offering the Salesian Family an in-depth reflection on the journey undertaken in recent years and on the prospects that lie ahead. The new theme, \u201cCharity is patient, charity is kind \u2013 \u2018Dedicated\u2019 to the integral good of young people,\u201d is rooted in St. Paul\u2019s hymn to … Continuar leyendo \u201cCharity Is Patient, Charity Is Kind\u201d: The Rector Major Unveils the Theme of the 2027 Strenna<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":10336596,"featured_media":33411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[782003447,516714022],"tags":[5895957],"class_list":["post-33408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rector-major","category-salesian-world-news","tag-strenna"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p59ePG-8GQ","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/salesianbulletin.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026-08-21-Strenna2027-feature.jpg?fit=1600%2C875&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10336596"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33408"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33412,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33408\/revisions\/33412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}