After exhorting all Salesians to an intensive spiritual and praying life, which "must be top of the list in the program of your Congregation", Benedict XVI recalled that "faithfulness to the Gospel lived sine glossa and your Rule of Life, in particular an austere lifestyle and evangelical poverty practised in a consistent way, faithful love for the Church and the generous giving of yourselves to the young, especially the needy and disadvantaged ones, will guarantee the thriving of your Congregation". The Pope highlighted that "the other distinctive trait of the Salesian model is the awareness of the invaluable worth of the ‘souls’". Just like for the founder, Saint Giovanni Bosco, and the other saints and blessed souls of the Congregation, even today he added every Salesian "will not be afraid of boldly venturing out into the most difficult spheres of the evangelising action for the young, especially those that are materially and spiritually poorer". He also spoke of commitment to "training lay people with an apostolic heart, inviting everyone to walk in the holiness of life, that produces brave disciples and authentic apostles". (continued)
