STRENNA_2025_pres_EN


STRENNA_2025_pres_EN

1 Page 1

▲back to top
PRESENTATION OF THE STRENNA FOR 2025
Anchored in hope, pilgrims with young people
Dear Brothers,
Dear Sisters,
Dear Salesian Family of Don Bosco,
As I do every year in July, I am sending out a simple outline presenting
the theme of the Strenna for the new year. In this way, those who have
to plan the new educative and pastoral year starting in September in
some countries, will already find some guidance.
This time the presentation is written “with two pairs of hands” (like when two
people play a duet together on the same piano). In fact it is
the Rector Major and his Vicar who have sketched out these lines which
later (certainly starting from October and November) Father Stefano
Martoglio himself, at the head of the Salesian Congregation and,
therefore, as animator of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco, will prepare
and develop in the text of the commentary on the Strenna which he will
present to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and to the entire
Salesian Family.
When, together with a team, we gave thought to the Strenna for 2025,
we immediately agreed on one point: the theme should be in tune with
the great ecclesial event of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 which
the Holy Father Francis announced with his Bull Spes Non Confundit
(Rom 5:5), [Hope does not disappoint]. The Pope then points out an
interesting perspective in the subtitle: “To all who read this letter, may
hope fill your hearts.”1
At the same time, let us not forget that 2025 also marks the 150th
anniversary of the first missionary expedition sent by Don Bosco to
Argentina. 2025 will therefore be an extraordinary year.
All this has led us to think that the Strenna for 2025 must have “hope”
at its core, and the path that we will follow with the young. This justifies
the title “Anchored in hope, pilgrims with young people”.
1 FRANCIS, Spes Non Confundit, Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025, Rome 9 May
2024.
1

2 Page 2

▲back to top
1. A hope that takes us beyond fear
The Holy Father writes in the Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee: “In the
spirit of hope, the Apostle Paul addressed these words of
encouragement to the Christian community of Rome.”2 Thinking about
the Jubilee means thinking of everyone as pilgrims of hope. We will be
so many pilgrims of hope in every part of the world, in many particular
Churches; we will be on a pilgrimage with young people, on a journey
that will lead us to a personal and living encounter with Jesus, who is
the “door” of salvation (Cf. Jn 10:7,9). Together we will be able to
witness that he, Jesus, is “our hope” (1 Tim 1:1).
And again in the Pope’s words: “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In
the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of
good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may
bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to
conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness,
from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt.
Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and
cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them
happiness.”3 Faced with this reality that is part of life, of our lives, of
the families of young people and of the young people themselves, we
believe that the new year and in it, this Jubilee, will be a magnificent
opportunity for everyone to renew hope.
Together with young people we will discover – and we will help them to
discover, personally and as a community – that hope, true hope
anchored in the Lord does not succumb in the face of difficulties
because it is “founded on faith and nurtured by charity.”4 Thus we can
continue on the path of life, not just any old how, not simply surviving,
but living with Christian authenticity. Saint Augustine puts it perfectly:
“Whatever our state of life, we cannot live without these three
dispositions of the soul, namely, to believe, to hope and to love.”5
2. We will walk this path anchored in Christian hope.
Christian hope does not disappoint, does not deceive, because it is
based on the certainty that nothing and no one can ever separate us
from the love of God. This certainty is recalled by the Apostle Paul
2 Ibid., 1.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid, 3.
5 AUGUSTINE, Discourses, 198 augm., 2.
2

3 Page 3

▲back to top
(Romans 8: 35,37). Therefore, the word of God assures us that in the
midst of darkness we perceive the light and acquire the strength that
come from the Lord himself and his resurrection.
Certainly it is the path of life, of every life, and above all of the life of
every Christian, a path that must be supported by special moments,
special occasions, strong opportunities. These are necessary to nourish
and strengthen the hope that leads us to meet the Lord and to live with
true and full meaning.
Going on pilgrimage – something that we will experience in a thousand
ways and in a thousand places with young people throughout the
Jubilee year – is something common for those who want and need to
leave their places of comfort, to abandon those places in which each of
us has comfortably settled and which have perhaps even made us feel
disenchanted, demotivated. Going on pilgrimage will require us to make
an effort on many occasions, to be silent and choose to go to the
essentials.
We will have to place ourselves in this attitude of availability, together
with the young. This will do us much good and allow the Lord to
encounter each of us when and where he sees fit, but always touching
the most precious and deepest part of our heart, our spirit, our being.
And we have to be available for the encounter at that point. We must
not be afraid to “take risks” when it comes to encountering the Lord.
He never disappoints, especially if we are clinging to him, anchored in
him.
3. There are many young people who dream with authentic
hope
For us Salesians and all members of the Salesian Family, it would be
impossible to talk about the life of Don Bosco, about him, without
talking about his dreams. He kept his dreams in his mind and heart
throughout his life, even after achieving them.
Inspired by Don Bosco’s dream and by what they are living and
experiencing in our Salesian settings, young people will discover that
their beautiful desires are the driving force that makes them capable of
great things and they will learn that every challenge can be overcome
with courage and self-confidence. Young people have big dreams, but
they must be encouraged to dream! And we educators have this task:
to accompany them on the authentic path of life.
3

4 Page 4

▲back to top
Young people have the right to dream of a better tomorrow; they have
in their hands the possibility of being reborn and of always starting
over, of studying and working, of building a future rich in humanity
and hope.
The young people with whom we share our lives, those who are to be
found in Salesian houses, in the houses of the entire Salesian Family,
the young people who have dreams (some of which they share with us)6,
are the artisans of tomorrow, those who will shape the world with their
young hands. They are the face of a humanity that advances and wants
to improve. A humanity wounded by war, poverty and pain, but a
humanity that has the face of charity and love. A humanity capable of
getting up again and hoping, of getting up from the ground and starting
to walk again. A humanity capable of welcoming and giving, without
ever ceasing to smile and love.
Through these stories and these hidden desires that everyone carries
within themselves, all of us can discover how we can overcome
limitations, face the biggest problems and how, even in the most
difficult moments, we must not let ourselves be overcome but find the
personal resources, and resources from different social contexts, to face
any challenge. Not all dreams are the same, but one thing is certain:
we all have dreams!
Among the hundreds of dreams young people have, let us present some
by way of example. Like them, day after day, we must continue our
daily pilgrimage, following a path that leads young people to live in
hope, because young people know that it is possible to dream,
convinced that, when dreams are guaranteed by the Lord who supports
them, they will become reality.
The dream of Ámar Gazel Hernández, 18, from San José, Costa Rica,
could have as its title: Lost Stars.
Ámar tells us: “If you had asked me six years ago what my life’s dream
was, I would probably have replied that I dreamed of being a dancer, of
wearing ballet shoes and dancing on stage. However, with the passage
of time and the changing circumstances of life, that dream took a back
seat. Today, at seventeen, I realise that my dream is still there, but the
attention I give it is different; the reality is that today society asks too
much of us, and on many occasions these dreams end up becoming
frustrations, because we are faced with high expectations, high levels
of stress and requirements that end up being irrational. For me,
dreaming is finding happiness in small things, in achieving goals
6 Cf. SALESIAN YOUTH MINISTRY, Diamanti nascosti (Hidden Diamonds), Rome 2024, 225.
4

5 Page 5

▲back to top
however small they may be, in going against the demands of the world,
because after all we are all ‘lost stars’ in the sky trying to achieve
fullness and show their light. Finally, my answer to the question ‘what
is my dream’ is: my dream is to achieve my goals, so that I can also give
happiness to those around me. So I find not only the meaning of life,
but also the satisfaction of being able to do what I want, the joy of
knowing that I am moving forward, no matter how difficult it may be
and that every night my reason for life supported by hope and joy is
made of those small conquests that make my loved ones proud. This is
where my dreams have evolved: in the constant struggle to thrive, in
the awareness of everything I have done to get here, but enjoying what
the moment offers me. I cannot answer this question specifically
because, like everyone, I am that ‘lost star’ in the immense sky that is
still looking for its splendour, but that never stops working for what it
wants and eagerly awaits what it could achieve on this journey called
life.”
From the Ivory Coast, 18-year-old Anani Henry Joël Kouadio tells us
that his dream could be called The Choice.
“My dream is to become a doctor. First of all, why this choice? I can say
that all those who aspire to this kind of work do so to save lives. That’s
the main idea that comes to mind. But for me personally the motivation
is greater. Seeing people who are sick, who do not have the means to
treat themselves and who die for lack of doctors, put this question to
me as a Christian: ‘Why not be an instrument through which God heals
and saves lives?’ What drives me is the fact that my father is a doctor
and at his side I feel more stimulated, more motivated, more interested.
This makes me hope to be a part of the group who call themselves
doctors. I would like to become a neurologist, a specialist in neurology.
My great desire is to realise my dream according to the will of God, and
the Don Bosco’s example motivates me.”
Anita Martòn is 24 years old. She is an Italian from Mogliano Veneto
and today she tells us about her dream that came true: she calls it All
my life.
“I was in terza superiore (Year 11 approximately, or the equivalent to
the last years of high school), and we were studying Dante. The teacher
was lazy and explained it without passion. All she did was to convey
boredom and impatience, and we were learning to hate Dante.
Teachers “leave a mark” on the children in front of them and if it is their
moods rather than their loves that they bring to class, as D’Avenia says,
these are what attach themselves to the thirsty souls in front of them
and dull them. Instead, I wanted my classmates to discover beauty. At
that moment I realised that this was my dream, the call I had to answer.
5

6 Page 6

▲back to top
Eight years have passed since that day, and after eight years this dream
has come true. Today I am in a classroom teaching. I see these young
people sitting in front of me and I see myself in search of a dream
towards which to point life’s compass. Who knows what desires dwell
in their hearts. Who knows what hopes and fears. Here I am in front of
these young people: they do not know that for all my life I have dreamed
of being with them.”
From India, in the State of Tripura, in Agartala, thirty-year-old Bipasha
Hrangkhawl continues to realise her dream: A light along someone’s
path.
Here are her words: “I dream of shining a better light on the lives of
some disadvantaged people in this world, in any way I can. Growing
up, I realised that there are many people in this world whose path is
dark, hope is closed for them, the future is gloomy, and happiness is
far away.
Being luckier and with better opportunities, I realised that I could do
my small part to help improve the lives of some people, at least a little.
Charity begins at home, and only by doing small deeds will I eventually
be able to realise my dream on a grander scale.
I dream of a society of happy people who love their lives and who,
despite differences, live together in love and peace. I dream of being a
happy part of it, an effective tool to give meaning and purpose and at
the same time to make this world a better place to live in: a light on the
path of someone who calls me to action and discipline. I will walk in
the light, in my enchanting path where God himself is my light that I
will radiate along the way, so that the path others follow is lit up.”
Clarissa Budianto lives in Indonesia, in Asia-Oceania, more precisely
in Jakarta. She is 26 years old and her dream is to become a true
educator.
She says, “Hang your dreams as high as the sky! Dream as high as the
sky. If you fall, you will fall among the stars – as Soekarno Hatta, the
first President of Indonesia, said.
My dream is to accompany young people when life becomes complex
and difficult for them. To be by their side not because they depend on
me, but because through me they may see hope in God and in
humanity. I know what it’s like to be alone and confused. The desire to
be there for others like me, to accompany them through their dreams
and to face the complexity of life is what keeps me awake. What keeps
me going are the surprises of the Holy Spirit on my life’s journey. It is
these that remind me of the dream at times and also the small and
significant rewards of life, while I continue to follow it.
6

7 Page 7

▲back to top
My dream is to be a kind, sincere and capable educator, getting to know
my students in depth, above all being a teacher able to help young
minds find their dreams and achieve them.”
And then there is Daniel Flores, 28 years old, a Venezuelan originally
from Caracas. He has a deep conviction: if you can dream it, you can
do it.
Here are his words: “I come from Venezuela. Ever since I was a child, I
dreamed of becoming a doctor. I studied in a Salesian school and the
missionary experience fueled my dream of serving others. In 2016, one
year after graduating in medicine, my family decided to emigrate to
Chile due to the situation in my country. Despite the difficulties, I
worked and studied at the same time; so in 2022 I graduated in general
medicine and, thanks to the good grades obtained, I won a scholarship
to pursue a specialisation in pediatrics, which I am currently following.
I practice my profession in a low-income area of Santiago de Chile, but
I dream of returning to help the children of Venezuela, a dream that,
little by little, is coming true, since with the help of friends from the
University of Caracas, I am sending some supplies from Chile to
support medical assistance days in the suburbs. I also plan, upon my
return to Venezuela, to create a community pediatric care centre.”
4. Missionaries in the world. Missionaries of Life
As we have already pointed out, this Jubilee Holy Year runs parallel
with something else that is at the origin of what the Family of Don
Bosco is today in the world because – and let us restate this firmly and
with certainty – none of us and none of the institutions that today form
the great tree that is the Salesian Family, the Family of Don Bosco,
would exist in the Church had the Holy Spirit not given rise to its
missionary zeal from the beginning.
This jubilee year marks the 150th anniversary of the first missionary
expedition to Argentina, promoted by Don Bosco in 1875.
The celebration of this very important event in the Jubilee Holy Year
2025 therefore puts us in a favourable position to recognise, rethink
and relaunch:
• Recognise: we thank God for the gift of the missionary vocation that
today allows the children of Don Bosco and his family to reach poor
and abandoned young people in 136 countries.
7

8 Page 8

▲back to top
• Rethink: because it is an opportunity to rethink and develop a
renewed vision of Salesian missions in light of the new challenges
and perspectives that have led to new missiological reflections.
• Relaunch: because we not only have a glorious story to remember
and to be grateful for, but also a great story to do and still to write!
We look to the future with missionary zeal and renewed enthusiasm
to reach out to even more poor and abandoned young people, so that
they can live with hope and with a true sense of life, a life in God.
Recognise, rethink and relaunch: three verbs that revive and feed hope,
urging us towards new missionary frontiers of the Congregation and
the Salesian Family, especially to encounter the poorest and most
marginalised young people.
Recognising, rethinking and relaunching are not verbs of facile
optimism. They are actions rooted in faith in Jesus Christ, who is
always with us even when we experience moments of worry, fear and
difficulties that arise in the proclamation of the Gospel.
Recognising, rethinking and relaunching revive and nurture the hope
that launches us towards new missionary frontiers. There are and
always will be challenges and missionary difficulties, but, endowed with
hope “filled with faith”, they will courageously urge us towards new
socio-cultural, digital and geographical frontiers, so that we ourselves
become a small torch of hope for others, especially for the poorest and
most needy young people; because today we are called above all to be
true Missionaries of Life.
5. A jubilee and missionary hope that translates into
genuine results.
Pope Francis, in the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee 2025, tells us that
“The signs of the times, which include the yearning of human hearts in
need of God’s saving presence, ought to become signs of hope”7 and
invites the Church – and ourselves as part of the Church – to live this
2025 Jubilee and missionary year by committing ourselves to becoming
tangible signs of hope. Signs that materialise in the following results to
be pursued8:
o The first sign of hope translates into peace in our world, a world
once again immersed in the tragedy of war.
7 FRANCIS, op. cit., 7.
8Cf. Ibid., 8,9,10, 11,12,13, 14, 15.
8

9 Page 9

▲back to top
o Looking to the future with hope entails having a vision of life filled
with enthusiasm to share with others. As Christians we cannot fail
to contribute to a social covenant for hope.
o In this jubilee year we are called to be tangible signs of hope for
many brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.
o Offering signs of hope to the sick in their homes or in hospitals.
o This hope is also needed by those who are the very embodiment of
hope: namely, the young (Pope Francis tells us): “We must not
disappoint them... With renewed passion, let us demonstrate care
and concern for adolescents, students and young couples, the rising
generation... Let us draw close to the young, for they are the joy and
hope of the Church and of the world!”9
o There should also be signs of hope for migrants, for the elderly
who often experience loneliness and feel abandoned.
o Finally, the Pope asks us that the signs of hope of this jubilee year
be translated into hope for the thousands of poor people who do
not have the most basic goods to live with dignity.
The Pope invites us – and we make his invitation our own – to live
anchored in hope10 because this, together with faith and charity,
constitutes the essence of Christian life, but above all “hope is the
virtue that, so to speak, gives inward direction and purpose to the life
of believers... we need to ‘abound in hope’ (cf. Rom 15: 13),11 and in this
Jubilee Year we want and we must do so with young people, as a
Salesian Family, so that with them we can give a more credible and
attractive witness of faith, perhaps of our poor faith, so that “each of
us may be able to offer a smile, a small gesture of friendship, a kind
look, a ready ear, a good deed, in the knowledge that, in the Spirit of
Jesus, these can become, for those who receive them, rich seeds of
hope.”12
May Mary, Mother of the Lord, Mother of the Church and our Help, who
was also a pilgrim of hope, accompany us on this journey.
9 Ibid., 12.
10 Ibid., 18.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid.
Ángel Fernández Card. Artime, sdb
Rector Major
9