Ostuni (Italy). From 29 June to5 July  2026, the Spiritual Exercises of the Salesian Family of Southern Italy took place in Ostuni (Brindisi, Puglia), an event marking the resumption of a journey that had been interrupted in the 1990s. Back then, participation was largely limited to the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and the Salesian Cooperators. The 2026 initiative, however, reflects a broader, more integrated, and representative composition of the various Salesian Family groups, aligning with the ongoing process of growth and maturation that has been engaging the entire Salesian charismatic community in Southern Italy in recent years.

Thirty-five participants attended the retreat, including FMA and SDB, Salesian Cooperators (ASSCC), the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA), the Daughters of the Divine Savior (HDS), and some laypeople, alongside national, provincial, and local delegates from the various groups (FMA and SDB Past Pupils, and ASSCC).

Acts of the Apostles, holiness, charismatic identity

The spiritual exercises, led by Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, SDB, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, were prepared and coordinated by an inter-provincial team comprising FMA, SDB, and lay members. From the outset, it was emphasized that participation was not merely a personal matter but represented an engagement of the Salesian Family’s communities and groups.

“Jesus’s missionary disciples with a Salesian heart” was the theme of the reflections, centered on the unifying thread of holiness within the Salesian Family. This theme was explored through the figures of members whose heroic virtue makes them exemplary, figures who remain alive and present in Salesian life, as well as through the biblical text of the Acts of the Apostles and the Charter of Identity of the Salesian Family.

The days alternated between moments of prayer, meditation, adoration, sharing of the Word, and the traditional Salesian Goodnight.

One evening was dedicated to a theatrical performance prepared by lay members of the Cisternino community, focusing on the life of the Venerable Francesco Convertini. Born in 1889 in a  trullo,  a traditional Apulian dwelling, situated between Cisternino and Locorotondo, his life was marked by poverty, war, and imprisonment. These experiences led him to become a Salesian of Don Bosco and, subsequently, a tireless missionary in India and Bangladesh, where he spent nearly fifty years serving the poorest of the poor. Beloved by Christians, Hindus, and Muslims alike, Convertini is remembered as a prophet of peace who remained close to the people and respectful of local cultures.

A more aware and co-responsible Salesian Family

This experience is part of the broader renewal process being pursued by the Salesian Family of Southern Italy, involving the reactivation of councils at local, regional, and inter-provincial levels; formation meetings for delegates; support and guidance to foster a more attentive and competent presence in local areas; a growing awareness of the lay vocation within the groups; study days, and so forth.

In particular, the study days marked a pivotal step in this journey with the experience titled, “Educating for to the Common Good,” held in February 2026 in Cassano Murge (in the province of Bari), which involved representatives from the 13 groups of the Salesian Family in Southern Italy. The theme stemmed from the awareness that today, the Salesian Family is called to maintain an active presence in contexts where fundamental rights and essential needs are most vulnerable.

While respecting the traditional dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises, the Ostuni initiative sought to translate the experience into a Salesian style, embracing both personal and communal dimensions oriented to  co-responsibility aimed at the spiritual growth of individuals, of groups, and of the local regions.

This is a significant step for the Salesian Family of Southern Italy, which continues to mature in the awareness of being a Family that journeys together, one that is generative, rooted in the Charism, and attentive to the needs of our times. It is a presence that bears witness to the desire to live out this spiritual experience not merely on an individual level, but as an expression of the communities and groups to which its members belong.