Salesians to elect new rector major to replace Cardinal Fernández Artime
Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime during his homily at the Mass of St. James the Apostle in the Spanish church in Rome. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/ EWTN News
ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 24, 2025 / 10:40 am (CNA).
The Salesian Congregation is in the midst of its 29th General Chapter, during which it will elect the successor of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as rector major. The cardinal has had to resign in order to take up his new duties in the Vatican Curia at the request of Pope Francis.
The proceedings began Feb. 16 in Turin, Italy, and are scheduled to conclude on April 12. Participating in the chapter are 227 representatives of the more than 14,000 Salesians present in 136 countries.
The assembly is usually held every six years, but on this occasion the time frame was shortened by one year due to the appointment of Fernández Artime, their superior general, as cardinal in September 2023 and his episcopal ordination in April 2024.
On Aug. 16, 2024, the Spanish cardinal resigned from his position as superior of the Salesians, who were placed under the authority of his vicar, Don Stefano Martoglio.
The theme of the Salesians’ general chapter is “Passionate About Jesus Christ, Dedicated to Young People” and aims to develop its work around three areas of reflection: caring for vocational life, the joint work of the Salesians with young people, and the reorganization of the government of the congregation.
The person chosen as rector major will become the 11th successor of St. John Bosco and will have a new general council.
The meeting is taking place in Valdocco, the Turin district where the mother house of the congregation is located and where Don Bosco first began his ministry to youth. Cardinal Roberto Repole, archbishop of Turin, offered the opening Mass held in Mary Help of Christians Basilica in the Piedmontese capital.
In his homily, the prelate invited participants to have “God’s way of looking at the world, at society,” pointing out that there are “great challenges, but they must be faced in an evangelical way, trusting in Christ, in his strength, in his presence.”
In the opening ceremony, the vicar of the rector major emphasized that the mission of the chapter assembly is to “rethink the governance of the congregation at all levels” with an attitude of “allowing ourselves to be challenged, not being passive, and offering responses both personally and institutionally. This is the path of the whole Church, guided by Pope Francis.”
Sister Simona Brambilla, prefect of the Vatican Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, also spoke. Referring to the Gospel passage on the road to Emmaus, she said: “The journey takes us far from Jerusalem, from the painful experience of the cross. But after the encounter with Jesus, [the disciples] start heading back, even in the night, but without fear, toward the community and life.”
The superior general of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sister Chiara Cazzuola, said that “this is an event of grace and synodality. It can radiate its strength into the daily life of the new generations and assure them a better future.”
Antonio Boccia, world coordinator of the Salesian cooperators, invited participants to “strengthen their interior life and discover reasons for improvement. Your duty is to keep alive the flame of Don Bosco’s charism, which is rooted in the spiritual community formed by the entire Salesian family.”
The process of discernment and election of the new rector major and the general council will take place March 23–29, and the chapter members will travel to Rome April 11–12 to conclude their work and make a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s in this jubilee year.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.