An international conference on Francis de Sales, organized by the Institute of Spiritual Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS), concluded in Rome on Sunday, November 20. 200 participants, who came from four continents,
The first part of the conference was devoted to posterity. In this part, each congregation and institute inspired by Francis de Sales presented itself, starting with the first, the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary founded by Francis de Sales himself in the early 17th century, and ending with the youngest congregation, founded by Monsignor Giuseppe Cognata, SDB: the Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart.
In the second part of the conference, several themes of his spiritual and theological legacy were explored. International speakers accepted the request to delve into a specific theme. The following were developed among others: Mariology, convergences with Don Bosco, spiritual direction, spiritual accompaniment of women, use of Latin in letters, ecclesiology and vision on the Pope, and communication.
It was, in fact, the first time in 400 years that 13 Salesian-inspired congregations gathered together.