World, 29 August 2022 -- More than 20 years after the Beatification of Brother Artemides Zatti (1880, Italy - 1951, Argentina) on 9 October 2022 we will celebrate the Canonization of this first Salesian Brother Saint, as Pope Francis shared at the Public Consistory of the Cardinals on 27 August in Saint Peter's Basilica. The context of the canonization brings attention to one of the main world challenges to day - Migration. Br Zatti will be canonized together with Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, called the 'Father of Migrants'. He founded two Congregations (Saint Charles Borromeo) dedicated to the migrant ministry.
In his letter to the 'Provincials and Salesian confreres the world over' (August 27, 2022) the Rector Major offers an invitation to the canonization event in Rome (Sunday - 9 October): “... the purpose of this letter is to invite Provincials and confreres from all 91 provinces to the canonization of our Salesian Brother Artemides Zatti.”
Moreover, Fr Ángel shares: “The Holy Father Pope Francis has also granted us the great gift of a private audience on the eve of the canonization, Saturday 8 October at 12 noon, open to all members of the Congregation and the Salesian Family....”
There are 206 Salesian Brothers in the EAO Region, as well as a few houses under the protection of Brother Artemides Zatti - starting from the Dili Postnovitiate in Timor Leste (TLS), Tan Ha TVET community in Vietnam (VIE), Manila Zatti Clinic in the Philippines (FIN), Dumangas community in Ilo Ilo, Philippines (FIS) and some others. A good number of the provinces celebrate a variety of events around November 13 (the liturgical memory of Brother Zatti) aimed at promotion of the Salesian Brother vocation.
May this time of grace for the whole Salesian Family help us to know Brother Artemides Zatti a little bit more, to be inspired on our way to holiness, imitate his passion to serve youth in need and make him better known in our Salesian Family and within the local Churches. Since the canonization of Saint Dominic Savio (1954) there has never been such a similar opportunity.
Thanks to the diligent Argentine Salesians we have many valuable audio-visual materials now at hand, like the 32 minute movie (2020) now in 5 languages, the photo-book (2021) and many other resources available on the Boscolink. (See below)
The miracle that opened the way to the canonization happened 6 years ago in the Philippines. Let this occasion help us to journey closer with our Salesian Family holy members, our best companions and models, who intercede for us!
VIDEO-FILM (32 minutes) published in 2020 - now in 5 languages:
