ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 9, 2024 / 08:00 am
Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, the 10th successor of Don Bosco as rector major of the Salesians, recently released a video message in which he encouraged fostering young people’s dreams but “not with blows,” just as Christ himself asked the saintly founder of the Salesians in a prophetic dream-vision.
In 2024 the Salesian family commemorates the 200th anniversary of a dream that St. John Bosco had when he was 9 years old. The saint said that he saw himself surrounded by young boys who were laughing and playing. When several blasphemed, little John pounced on them to hit them and stop them from insulting God.
Suddenly Christ appeared and told him: “Not with blows, but with gentleness and charity.” Little John insisted that the person speaking to him tell him his name and the Lord introduced him to his Mother, who showed him that the boys had turned into ferocious animals and then into lambs. Finally, the Virgin told him: “In time you will understand everything.”
In this context, the Spanish cardinal introduced a theme for reflection for this year, traditionally known in the Salesian world as “the gift,” which says: “The dream that makes you dream. A heart that transforms ‘wolves’ into ‘lambs.’”