(Università Pontificia Salesiana, Roma) – In the late afternoon of 28 September, in the University Church of the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS), Fr Guido Errico officially took up his post as Superior of the Mary Seat of Wisdom Vice-Province. The Rector Major, Fr Fabio Attard, presided over the Eucharistic celebration. Among those present were members of the Vice-Province, confreres from the General House – the community to which he belonged – and the Superior of the Southern Province, Fr Gianpaolo Roma, from which Fr Guido hails.
The Rector Major’s homily
Fr Attard began his homily by thanking Fr Aníbal Mendonça for his service as Superior. He assured him of his prayers for the mission that awaits him in his home Province, Portugal and Cape Verde (POR). He then welcomed Fr Errico, who is beginning his ministry ‘in a spirit of obedience and generous willingness.’
Commenting on the day’s readings, Fr Attard offered two points of encouragement.
The first comes from Job. God speaks well of him ‘behind his back’, even before he does anything: our dignity is a free gift and not a reward to be earned. The foundations laid in God during times of peace sustain us even in times of trial. Those who live ‘with open hands’ do not fear what might be taken from them, because they know that everything is a gift.
The second comes from the Gospel. When Jesus sees his disciples arguing about who is the greatest, he does not humiliate them. He places a child beside him and overturns the criterion of greatness. ‘Our frailties do not disqualify us,’ observed the Rector Major. There is room for everyone beside him, and there is no need to defend our own little worlds, because ‘goodness flourishes even beyond us’.
Fr Attard concluded by inviting everyone to go forth “encouraged: not because we are strong”, but because He who has given continues to give to us.
Fr Guido’s words
At the end of Mass, Fr Errico thanked those who had organised the celebration and all those present. He invited everyone to look to God’s fatherhood and to the ‘school of Don Bosco’s fatherhood’, which had enabled him to move beyond set patterns and plans and to embrace life’s surprises. As an example, he cited the start of his service as Novice Master, which he experienced whilst wearing anti-Covid face masks that prevented him from seeing the young people’s smiles.
Fr Errico also remembered his sister Chiara and his brother Carlo, who were present at the celebration, as well as his parents, who are watching over him from heaven. Finally, he said that, from that evening onwards, he felt part of the Visitatoria family, whose warmth he had already experienced in the preceding days.
Father Aníbal’s farewell
Father Aníbal Mendonça expressed his gratitude for the gift he had received and assured everyone of his remembrance in prayer. He looked back on his three years of service, which began in September 2023, and asked for forgiveness for his shortcomings. He then entrusted the leadership of the Vice-Province to Fr Guido, highlighting his fatherly qualities, his closeness to his confreres and his experience in formation – all of which are invaluable for service to the University. Finally, he invited everyone to walk together in prayer and collaboration.
The Rector Major’s full homily, in Italian, is available at the bottom of the page.
Source: ANS – “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana”