The new Report on religious freedom in the world was published yesterday - 20 April 2021 - by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACS) and now in its 15th edition.
(ANS - Baghdad) - A journey to bring hope to an entire people; a journey to the roots of the Abrahamic religions; a journey to reaffirm the value of brotherhood among all peoples: there are many readings that can be given to Pope Francis' trip to Iraq. A little more than three days, but which will remain engraved in the history of the country, of the pontificate of Pope Francis and in his personal life. As he said while greeting the crowd at the "Franso Hariri" stadium in Erbil: "Iraq will always remain with me, in my heart".
(ANS - Brno) - Fr Vojta Sivek, Vicar and Delegate for Youth Ministry of the Czech Republic Province (CEP), continues to reflect on the delicate issue of sexual abuse in ecclesiastical realities. In this second and last part of the interview, the focus is on how he thinks the Church should approach this terrible evil when it appears in her ranks.
(ANS - Kiev) - The Ukrainian population continues to be crushed by the economic crisis, by the lack of food and now also by the coronavirus pandemic, always keeping in mind the repercussions of the ongoing conflict in the east of the country. From 25% to 45% of citizens are no longer able to provide for their own humanitarian needs; to respond to this dramatic situation, the Greek-Catholic Church has launched the "Feed the poor" initiative. The Salesian Fr Maksym Ryabukha, Vicar of the Ukrainian Vice Province (UKR) and Director of the Salesian House in Kiev, talks about the initiative of the Church and the social context.
The data from the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, relating to the period from 2013 to 2018, show an increase in the number of Catholics worldwide.
How are Catholics distributed geographically?
(ANS - Bologna) - "Free to leave, free to stay" was a three-year campaign (2017-2020) of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) aimed at raising awareness among the Italian population on the issue of migration and carrying out development projects in the countries of departure, transit and reception of migrants, especially the most vulnerable. The Salesian Vocational Training Center in Castel de’ Britti, near Bologna, was one of the locations for its implementation.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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Italy – A Salesian on the front line of the war in Ukraine: "Being close counts, words come later"(ANS - Rome) - As he tells with a gentleness that does not seem to come from horror, he is "resting a little bit" in Rome these days. Fr Oleh Ladnyuk is a Ukrainian Salesian priest who is a military chaplain at the front, among the soldiers who fight in defence of their country and among the civilians who for over two years have seen their lives wiped out. He brings humanitarian aid where the missiles fall and from those places he helps with the evacuation of young people and adults - so far at least 500 people, but there are probably many more. These days the Salesian – who carries out his ministry in Dnipro and teaches History in a state school in the city – is in Rome to take part with two other priests and a dozen lay people from his country in the "Accompanying when Trauma Hits" course hosted by the Pontifical Salesian University in collaboration with the Faculty of Educational Sciences, with the DON BOSCO NEL MONDO Foundation and the Don Bosco Network. A project that aims to provide theoretical and methodological tools to deal with the traumas caused by war.
EDITORIAL
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Myanmar – Tragedy of Innocent Children in the midst of Armed Conflicts(ANS – Naypyidaw) - Myanmar finds itself immersed in profound grief and anguish as innocent lives, particularly those of children, continue to be mercilessly lost in the enduring armed conflicts. Families are left devastated by the tragic loss of their loved ones while the relentless violence shows no signs of abating. This week, a heartfelt plea from Myanmar reached our community, shedding light on the heart-wrenching death of a young girl Juliet in a military airstrike, prompting a unified call for prayers and action.
EVENTS
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Italy – "Education and culture of safeguarding in sport. Towards the establishment of protection and prevention models": PGS conference with UPS(ANS – Rome) – The synergy between the Salesian Youth Sports Centres (PGS) and the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) in Rome gave rise to the conference on "Education and culture of safeguarding in sport. Towards the establishment of models of protection and prevention", which will take place on 13 April, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., at the UPS facilities in Rome.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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United States – INT’L DAY FOR STREET CHILDREN: Salesian Missions highlights programs that provide shelter and support(ANS – New Rochelle) – Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian and international organizations around the globe in highlighting the plight of homeless children on the International Day for Street Children. The day provides organizations and the millions of street children in countries worldwide with an opportunity to have their voices heard while ensuring that their rights are not ignored.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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I’M A SALESIAN AND I’M A BOROROTHE MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB
Diary of a Happy and Blessed Missionary Day
Dear friends , I’m writing to you from Meruri in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. I write this greeting almost as if it were a journalistic report, because it has been only 24 hours since I arrived in the middle of this Brazilian state.