(ANS – Vatican City) – For the fourth consecutive year, what is happening in many other Salesian oratories and summer centres around the world is being renewed in the shadow of the Dome of St Peter's: Estate Ragazzi (Summer Youth). Coordinating what is not only time for play and recreation, but also of formation, socialisation and friendship is, as in past years, Salesian Fr Franco Fontana, chaplain of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Service and the Vatican Museums, the one whom Pope Francis last August called “the spiritual soul of the Vatican”.
(ANS – Gela) – Among the many educational and recreational activities that the St Dominic Savio Salesian Oratory in Gela offers to children and older youth in the city has been the Missionary Childhood Workshop these last five years. This has been a process of education and evangelisation for children from 5-7 years of age, and came about through the initiative of the oratory's director, Fr Alfredo Calderoni.
(ANS - Rome) - The three meetings of those in charge of Provincial Oratories-Youth Centers, organized by the Sector of Youth Ministry in May, have concluded. The purpose of these meetings, with more than 50 people from all the Regions, was to present the methodology followed to renew the text of the Reference Framework for Youth Ministry, regarding Oratory-Youth Center. The process began in November 2022. In July, this large group of Salesians and lay people will be asked for their final input, after receiving an initial synthesis from the Provinces.
(ANS - Rome) - In recent months, the Youth Ministry Sector has promoted an update of the Oratory-Youth Center sector of the Reference Framework for Youth Ministry. The objective is to guarantee the originality and educational and pastoral specificity of these 2,470 centers and, secondly, to focus on the crucial issues of the pastoral life of the Oratory-Youth Center and, in particular, the different challenges of the contexts.
(ANS – Chennai) – In view of the revamping, renewing and relaunching of the Oratories and Youth Centres of the Chennai province with the theme: ‘BE SALESIAN – BE SYNODAL INM’, a one day animation was held on 12 March at the Salesian Provincial House, Chennai for the leaders of the Oratories and Youth Centres.
(ANS - Piazza Armerina) - In this year dedicated to the reflection and development of the Salesian Family’s lay dimension, it may be interesting to highlight organizations led by lay people who live the charism of Don Bosco in the field; one is the "Don Bosco 2000" Association. It has embraced and used Don Bosco's preventive system in its daily activities, from welcoming migrants reaching Italy to international cooperation, from experience in prisons to the formation of young people in oratories. "For us, Don Bosco represents the guide for responding pragmatically to the needs of the historical time in which we live, allowing us to identify in young people our privileged addressee, in particular the youngest and neediest," explains Cinzia Vella, Director General of the association.
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.