Building homes, families, fraternities, friendships, communities, and neighbourhoods where people learn the art of loving and genuinely supporting one another creates a wonderful human ecology for the future.
I am at Malta Airport, preparing to return to Rome after an incredible threeday experience with 15 vibrant young Salesians who live and work here. We gathered at Savio College in Dingli, a welcoming home on the south side of the island, where I spent four months in 1997 to im prove my English before heading off to Nigeria. This trip felt like a heartfelt homecoming—not only because the place rekindled memories from a pivotal time in my life, but also due to the warm, familylike atmosphere shared among the diverse group of Sal esian brothers from Malta, India, Congo, Poland, and Ukraine.
What struck me the most during our activities was how the bonds among these brothers flourished. I couldn’t help but wonder: if they were surrounded by their biolo gical family members—the broth ers and sisters they grew up with—would they still cultivate the same deep harmony that has blossomed among them in such a short time, despite the vast dis tances that separate their home lands? At the airport, I find myself sit ting next to two young French parents with four children, one still in a perambulator and the eldest around seven or eight years old. On my flight from Rome, I was seated next to another couple with a baby under a year old and a little girl in nursery school. I can’t help but admire the incredible patience and tenderness that young parents pour into their children. Becoming a father or mother is an unparalleled journey of love that profoundly transforms both individuals and families; nothing remains unchanged, both internally and externally.
Yet, it is disheartening to witness an alarming trend of increasing strain and challenges within family life. This observation spans the globe, regardless of the continent. Those who engage directly with young people see firsthand the troubling faces and stories that reflect family crises. The impacts of these challenges are significant and can be tragically heavy for our youth, underscoring the urgent need for support and understanding in these critical moments of their lives.
Due to the intricate and demanding nature of family experiences and home environments, it becomes increasingly essential to offer children and young people relationships grounded in genuine brotherhood. This means fostering a fatherly presence that pro vides unwavering support and a motherly presence that nurtures confidence and hope in life. Any educational relationship that cultivates environments and interactions rich in humanity — striking a balance between warmth and strength — becomes a truly valuable gift for the new generations across Africa, Europe, America, and Asia.
Fr. Edmundo Vecchi, Don Bosco’s successor, painted a vivid picture of the first oratory in Turin’s Valdocco in a letter from 2000: “A community that is not just visible, but genuinely unique, almost like a beacon in the night: Valdocco stands as home to an original com munity and a pastoral space that is welcoming, extensive, and open. Within this community, a new cul ture began to form—not in a tra ditional academic way, but through fostering new relationships among young people and educators, lay people and priests, apprentices and students—relationships that significantly influenced the neighbourhood and the city as a whole.”
The lamp in the night symbolizes the spark that Don Bosco ignited, underscoring the profound impact of the relationships we develop. This vital element is at the core of our humanity; it is what allows us to connect gen uinely with one another, no matter our backgrounds. When we nur ture the light of authentic rela tionships, the distinctions of our origins, languages, and cultures diminish, merging instead into a beautiful tapestry of harmony. I have seen this truth come alive recently right here in Malta, just as I did during my enriching three years in the Zeffirino community on Via della Bufalotta in Rome, where a vibrant spectrum of 27 nationalities coexisted.
In our digital age, the lantern in the night shines more brightly than ever, illuminating the need for these connections. The relent less glow of mobile screens cap tivates the eyes, thoughts, and hearts of those raised in this digital era we have created for them. Look around at the airport— it’s striking; I would estimate that 8 out of 10 people are fully absorb ed in their tablets or smartphones. I’m no exception to that statistic, as I’m currently seated here, focused on my laptop screen as I write this. It’s a reminder of how crucial it is to rekindle the light of personal interaction amidst our digital distractions.
As opportunities for genuine human interaction continue to dwindle, their significance only grows—much like the vital need for oxygen in times of scarcity (the memories of Covid are a vivid reminder). We must prioritize creating ‘homes,’ families, frater nities, friendships, and communi ties—places that teach us the essential art of loving and caring for one another. This rich tapestry of human connections is the cornerstone of our future.
Crucially, the foundation of that future rests with the children we encounter today, like those I met at the airport and on my flight to Malta. It’s worth imagining what kind of parents the teenagers we see on the streets or in public transport will become in ten or twenty years.
By learning to live as siblings, we not only grow into our roles as daughters and sons but also lay the groundwork for being comp assionate mothers and fathers. The guiding legacy left by Don Bosco—a lantern to light the way—is precisely what is requi red in every corner of the globe today.
I am grateful that I witness so many inspiring young people around the world who keep this light burning bright. Those I spent time with in Dingli, near the cliffs of Malta, are perfect examples. They belong to the same comm unity, yet they know how to fill it with the warmth of smiles, mean ingful gestures, and deep friend ships, rekindling joy and enthusiasm for life in powerful ways. Let us invest in nurturing this light in our communities; the impact could be transformative. Boarding has started for the Air Malta flight to Fiumicino, so I’ll sign off. This evening, I’ll be in Rome, in the very house where Don Bosco wrote in 1884 about the importance of young people: “It is not enough to love; they must realize that they are loved.” Thank you for being the guiding light that shows us the way forward together, no matter our back ground, location, or age.
Let’s continue to support each other on this meaningful journey.