{"id":15224,"date":"2026-03-10T07:50:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T07:50:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/index.php\/2026\/03\/10\/fr-fabio-attards-first-address-as-rector-major\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T07:50:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T07:50:32","slug":"fr-fabio-attards-first-address-as-rector-major","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/2026\/03\/10\/fr-fabio-attards-first-address-as-rector-major\/","title":{"rendered":"Fr. Fabio Attard&#8217;s First Address as Rector Major"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header pos-rel\">\n<div class=\"read-details\">\n<div class=\"entry-header-details af-cat-widget-carousel\">\n<div class=\"figure-categories read-categories figure-categories-bg categories-inside-image\">\n<ul class=\"cat-links\">\n<li class=\"meta-category\">\n                             <a class=\"morenews-categories category-color-1\" href=\"http:\/\/localhost\/ingoldsite\/index.php\/category\/gc29\/\" aria-label=\"GC29\"><br \/>\n                                 GC29<br \/>\n                             <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"entry-title\">Fr. Fabio Attard\u2019s First Address as Rector Major<\/h1>\n<div class=\"aft-post-excerpt-and-meta color-pad\">\n<div class=\"entry-meta author-links\">\n<p>                            <span class=\"item-metadata posts-author byline\"><br \/>\n                                            <i class=\"far fa-user-circle\"><\/i><br \/>\n                          <a href=\"http:\/\/localhost\/ingoldsite\/index.php\/author\/admin_gp\/\"><br \/>\n              Admin-ING      <\/a><br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p>\n<p>                            <span class=\"item-metadata posts-date\"><br \/>\n                    <i class=\"far fa-clock\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><br \/>\n                    March 26, 2025                <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"aft-comment-view-share\">\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p><!-- .entry-header --><\/p>\n<p>        <!-- end slider-section --><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-img pos-rel\">\n<div class=\"post-thumbnail full-width-image\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"655\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2025-03-26-15-58-42-4dc35d6bb9ce8f4bedb25b491bede950-l.jpg\" class=\"attachment-morenews-featured size-morenews-featured wp-post-image\" alt=\"2025-03-26-15-58-42-4dc35d6bb9ce8f4bedb25b491bede950-l\" loading=\"lazy\">        <\/div>\n<p>                                                                                    <span class=\"aft-image-caption\"><\/p>\n<p>\n                                                    Fr Fabio Attard SDB, Rector Major.                                                <\/p>\n<p>                                            <\/span>\n                                                                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"color-pad\">\n<div class=\"entry-content read-details\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In a 20-minute speech, Fr. Fabio, the newly elected Rector Major, outlined perspectives and clear priorities, offering thought-provoking challenges. Speaking in a warm and direct tone, he emphasized the importance of clarity in Salesian identity and the significance of the day\u2019s event.<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Congregation as the Focus<\/strong><br \/>\u201cThe most important subject today is not Fabio Attard, but the Salesian Congregation,\u201d he began, explaining that \u201ctoday, the Congregation has made a gesture that testifies not only to its vitality but also to the desire that this vitality continues through individuals chosen to serve for a period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He highlighted that those who serve the Congregation are not alone but are part of a greater dynamic: \u201cwhere the Spirit of God is speaking\u2026 a human history that serves as a vessel for the power of a God who continues to create, redeem, and sanctify.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, his first exhortation to his confreres was to \u201cremain open to this story of salvation, which has its beginning and end in Jesus Christ,\u201d starting with a sincere reflection on what it means to be a Salesian today. He urged them to truly embody the theme of the Chapter\u2014\u201dPassionate about Jesus Christ, Dedicated to the Young\u201d\u2014and to reflect on their personal attitudes and desires in advancing the Congregation and its mission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday, as Salesians of Don Bosco,\u201d he warned, \u201cwe are called to live our charism without falling into the trap of \u2018pastoral photocopies.\u2019 We recognize This danger intellectually, but transitioning from intellectual understanding to prophetic fidelity is not easy!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>From Passion for God to Passion for Humanity<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Building on this foundation, Fr. Attard pushed the reflection further. If the starting point is being rooted in Christ and conscious of the Salesian charism, then, in this era\u2014what Pope Francis has called \u201ca change of epoch\u201d\u2014Salesians must carefully reconsider their educational service. \u201cAre we benefactors, masters, suppliers\u2026 or are we servants?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n<p>Drawing from his global experiences, Fr. Attard observed that young people today live in a single, interconnected village, and their fundamental questions are the same, whether in Vietnam, Brazil, Spain, India, or elsewhere. However, while their questions are shaped by this new era, their thirst for meaning remains timeless.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe thirst is there\u2014but do we recognize it?\u201d he challenged. \u201cIf we are truly servants of the young, we must provide spaces, people, and opportunities where this thirst can be acknowledged, encountered, and\u2014hopefully\u2014quenched with a cup of water offered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This changing era should not be seen as an excuse or a problem but as an opportunity that must not be wasted. \u201cOur passion is the measure of our dedication, our fidelity is the backbone of our prophecy\u2014there is no alternative,\u201d he stated emphatically. He also noted that, even from an external perspective, through media coverage, it was evident that the Chapter was genuinely listening to the Holy Spirit. However, the real challenge would be to translate this spirit, dynamic, and attitude into the daily work of the provinces.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Salesians in War Zones<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Finally, Fr. Attard dedicated a thought to the many Salesians serving in conflict zones, including Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. \u201cThese confreres need our spiritual closeness because they are there to bear witness\u2014they are the martyrs of the new century,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He cited the example of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, the Salesian missionary in Yemen who was kidnapped for 557 days between 2017 and 2018: \u201ca man of prayer, serenity\u2026\u201d like so many other Sons of Don Bosco who, in extremely challenging circumstances, \u201ctestify that, for Jesus, it is worth being a Don Bosco today for young people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>A Journey to Be Taken Together<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fr. Attard concluded with a final reminder about the nature of service and a heartfelt request. He emphasized that \u201cservice must be lived credibly and visibly by the General Council first and foremost. We are there as an example of synodality, communion, fraternity, and fatherhood. We are there to serve\u2014nothing more, nothing less.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Finally, echoing Pope Francis, he asked for prayers.<br \/>\u201cPray for me and those you will elect to the General Council because we are a community\u2014we are brothers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Courtesy: ANS-Turin<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-item-metadata entry-meta author-links\">\n                                    <\/div>\n<nav class=\"navigation post-navigation\" aria-label=\"Continue Reading\">\n<h2 class=\"screen-reader-text\">Continue Reading<\/h2>\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"http:\/\/localhost\/ingoldsite\/index.php\/2025\/03\/26\/guwahati-province-felicitates-newly-appointed-rector-major-fr-fabio-attard-sdb\/\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"em-post-navigation\">Previous:<\/span> Guwahati Province Felicitates Newly Appointed Rector Major Fr Fabio Attard SDB<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"nav-next\"><a href=\"http:\/\/localhost\/ingoldsite\/index.php\/2025\/03\/26\/fr-stefano-martoglio-elected-vicar-of-the-rector-major-at-the-29th-general-chapter\/\" rel=\"next\"><span class=\"em-post-navigation\">Next:<\/span> Fr. Stefano Martoglio elected Vicar of the Rector Major at the 29th General Chapter<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GC29 Fr. Fabio Attard\u2019s First Address as Rector Major Admin-ING March 26, 2025 Fr Fabio Attard SDB, Rector Major. In a 20-minute speech, Fr. Fabio, the newly elected Rector Major, outlined perspectives and clear priorities, offering thought-provoking challenges. Speaking in a warm and direct tone, he emphasized the importance of clarity in Salesian identity and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gc29"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15224\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donboscoguwahati.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}