(ANS - Vatican City) - Mary Help of Christians, celebrated Wednesday, May 24, was also commemorated by Pope Francis at the end of his catechesis at Wednesday's general audience. Addressing young people, the sick, the elderly, and newlyweds, the Holy Father said, "Today is the feast of Our Lady venerated under the title of Mary Help of Christians. May Mary help you, dear young people, to strengthen each day your fidelity to Christ; obtain comfort and serenity for you, dear elderly and dear sick. May she encourage you, dear newlyweds, to translate the commandment of love into your daily lives."
(ANS - Vatican City) - The Holy Father Francis' Message for the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to be celebrated on Sunday, September 24, 2023, on the theme "Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay," was presented yesterday, Thursday, May 11, 2023, during a press conference.
(ANS – Rome) – As in 2013, Pope Francis celebrated the Holy Mass “in Coena Domini” on Holy Thursday at Rome's Casal del Marmo juvenile penitentiary, where he performed the traditional rite of the washing of feet of twelve young people there. There was a festive welcome with choirs and gifts made by the young people in the pasta factory and carpentry workshop. The director's greeting: "You disarm us with your gentleness". Rosaries and Easter eggs as gifts, and the homily, entirely off-hand: "We can all slip, but Jesus loves us".
(ANS - Venice) - Messages of hope for all humanity, sent on a mission into orbit in the immensity of space. And these messages are enclosed in immensely small objects: a nano-library sent by a nano-satellite. On the third anniversary of the Statio Orbis - 27 March 2020, when the Pope implored an end to the pandemic with his solitary prayer in a rain-swept St. Peter's Square - the 'Spei Satelles' space mission was born, from an idea of Monsignor Lucio Ruiz, secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency, the Turin Polytechnic, the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology of the National Research Center and the Turin Digital Apostolate. In this historic event, the mission's official logo is signed by IUSVE, and in particular by student Marica Padoan whose project met with the approval of the Spei Satelles working group and who will therefore accompany the message of hope into orbit.
(ANS - Viedma) - On Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19, under the motto "Like Br. Zatti, let us not leave to tomorrow the good we can do today," the IX Pilgrimage to Viedma in honor of Artemide Zatti, SDB, the first following his canonization, was held, carried out in commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of his death on March 15, 1951. The first day began after noon, when the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, arrived in Viedma accompanied by the Superior of the Province of Argentina South (ARS), Fr. Darío Perera SDB, to thank God for the sanctification of Br. Zatti.
Ramos Mejía, Argentina - 1949 - Today we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Francis, who was elected to the See of Peter on 13 March 2013. In this photo we see the young Jorge Mario Bergoglio in the days when he attended the Salesian boarding school in Ramos Mejía, Argentina. It was 1949 and he was 13 years old.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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Italy – Cultivating friendship with God. Interview with Fr Marco Panero, SDB, author of "In the Tent of Meeting"
(ANS – Rome) – Today we are interviewing Fr Marco Panero, Salesian, professor of Moral Philosophy at the Pontifical Salesian University and Councillor of the Apostolic Penitentiary. His volume of meditations is in the bookstores and is particularly suitable for this time of Lent, with the intriguing title: "In the tent of meeting. Meditations on spiritual life " (Edizioni Ancora, 2023 – ISBN 978-88-514-2783-2).
EDITORIAL
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“Speaking with the Heart”: A great Antidote for the Ills of today’s world
‘Revolutionize the world with your kindness, by speaking with your heart’, is the dream that Pope Francis envisions for humanity through his 57th World Communication Day message, that falls on this Ascension Sunday, 21st May 2023. ‘Speak with your heart in truth and charity’, and this is the best antidote that can cure the ills of today’s society.
EVENTS
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Italy – "Labs To Future": the final event of the "Labs To Learn" project in Valdocco
(ANS – Turin) – The final event of the "Labs to Learn" project was held on Tuesday, 5 March 2024, entitled "Labs To Future: The path – The results – The challenges" . The project was selected by the "Con i Bambini" social enterprise within the framework of the Foundation for the Fight against Child Educational Poverty and came into being with the intention of combating early school leaving and preventing educational poverty, increasing the number of young people with difficulties who fulfil their school obligation, access higher education and/or job placement, and opening the way for personal growth according to their inclinations and aspirations.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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United States – INT’L WOMEN’S DAY: Salesian programs focus on inclusion for girls and women
(ANS – New Rochelle) - Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8. The day honors the economic, political and social achievements of women while focusing the world’s attention on areas requiring further action.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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CHEERFUL AND SERENE EVEN THOUGH LIVING IN A WHEELCHAIR
The Message of the Rector Major, Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, SDB
Encounters on Epiphany with amazing people who have good hearts and luminous faith