A warm greeting to you.

I am pleased to address you on the day of the birth of our father Don Bosco. He was very keen to say that he was born very close to the Feast of the Assumption into Heaven.

If as Salesian Cooperators today we are what we are telling about ourselves in recent months, we also owe it to this unconditional devotion to Mary.

I often say that if, as members of the Family, we do not nurture a filial relationship with Our Lady of Don Bosco our identity as Salesians is weak.

For three months now we have begun the period of preparation for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Association of Salesian Cooperators.

Thanks to the commitment of the team that is proposing the various stages of this journey and to the animation that the whole World Council is carrying out in a synodal way, so that this journey is not an event that concerns a few but must be an expression of many, we have succeeded to have:

• The choice of the characteristic logo for the 150th anniversary, which contains the characteristic features of the Association, with a vote in which Salesian Cooperators from all over the world took part.
  • Having chosen to highlight the particular devotion to the Pope, placing the icon of Pope Pius IX next to that of Don Bosco, makes me think back to the news of a few weeks that reached all of us. We have learned that Don Angel, our beloved Rector Major, will be created cardinal on 30 September. How much trust the Church placed in the living Don Bosco and how much she does in the Salesian Family today.

• We asked all the Salesian Cooperators to be present with enthusiasm, recounting their vocational experience with messages.
  • As I speak to you on our social media channels there are around 50 videos and always with a view to everyone’s participation, the World Councilors are coordinating the collection of these contributions from all parts of the world where we are present. This collection of testimonies will continue until May next, when the first stage of the three-year period characterized by the verb “to remember” will end

These are just some of the initiatives we are carrying out at the beginning of the three-year period.

The movement that has begun will allow us to have a much broader vision of the worldwide dimension of the Association of Salesian Cooperators.

Everyone must feel involved and express their own creativity which, as Salesians, distinguishes us.

The starting point for reflection that I leave you in this first message for the three-year period is to think how much space we give to the relationship with Mary Help of Christians in our daily life as lay people in the world and then, not of secondary importance, let us commit ourselves to strengthening our affection for the Pope , as Don Bosco invites us to do and as it is also reported several times in our Project of Apostolic Life.

A hug to all and to each one in particular.