(ANS – Rome) – "Hope is a dimension of faith and can give meaning to daily life. We must make people understand the value of a life lived from the perspective of a project to be carried out with others and among these a friendly, personal and merciful God." This is how Fr Joseph Costa, co-spokesperosn of the Salesian Congregation, spoke on the day commemorating Saint John Bosco, whom the Pope invited his audience during the General Audience to imitate, "educating young people in the faith and forming them in various fields of knowledge and professions, for a better future, in which humanity can enjoy peace, brotherhood and tranquillity".
(ANS - Madrid) - "It's the funniest musical I've ever done, because it has so much humour". This is how Toño Casado described "Sueños, el Musical", his new work, presented yesterday morning to the press in Madrid. The author of musicals such as "33" and "Viacrucis" has assured people that the new musical offers "captivating songs and an exciting staging". The result is "a musical that makes you laugh and cry, a roller coaster of emotions", he acknowledged.
(ANS – Roma) – The “novena” of Don Bosco’s dreams proposed by ANS in this bicentenary year of the Dream at Nine Years of Age ends today, 31 January, on the feast day of the Father and Teacher of Youth. While the dream of the 10 diamonds contained an unequivocal warning, this other vision of Don Bosco seems to assure his sons of a rosy future, always provided that they continue on the path indicated by Providence through their founder, following his timeless legacy. This is the so-called dream of the “triumph of the Congregation” (Biographical Memoirs, 1881, XII, 337-338).
(ANS – Rome) – On the feast of St John Bosco, the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) of Southern Italy (IME) publishes the unreleased song "Tutti nel tuo sogno": a hymn for the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's dream at nine years of age.
(ANS – Roma) – A perennial warning for the Salesian Congregation and for all its sons, never to lose sight of what should be the characteristics and attitudes in their actions to please God and serve our brothers and sisters: this is how Don Bosco interpreted another of his most famous dreams, that of the ten diamonds (Biographical Memoirs XV, 148-151), which took place in September 1881: on the eve of the feast of Saint John Bosco, in this Bicentenary year of the dream at nine years of age, we are presenting it once more below.
(ANS – Quito) – As real treasures, the Provincial Historical Archive of Ecuador preserves two handwritten letters by Don Bosco: one written in Italian, in 1880, and the other in French, in 1882. In this month as the feast of Don Bosco is celebrated, these documents are an opportunity to get closer to his figure and his sense of paternity, which Don Bosco himself always expressed through his writing style.
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.