(ANS - Rome) - We continue with the reflections on Salesian Mission Day 2023 "Care for Creation - Our Mission" on the 11th day of each month. Today we publish an excerpt from the article written by Fr. Damian Taiwo Akintemi SDB, Novice Master in the AOS Province, Ghana. The topic of reflection this time is "What is poverty according to the Gospel?"
(ANS - Kabwe) - The Salesian mission at the "Don Bosco Makululu" center near the town of Kabwe in Zambia's central province is located in what is considered the country's largest informal settlement area. Here most families are unable to meet the educational needs of their children given the extreme poverty. Alcohol abuse, prostitution and high mortality, caused by diseases such as HIV/AIDS, are the most widespread problems affecting this population. This is why so many children and young people run away from their families or are abandoned on the streets.
(ANS – Calauan) – Spiritual and Pastoral Formation has long been a staple for any developing Bosconian who eventually will be a servant-leader. Thus, the Social Action Program prepares the young to have a profound understanding not just of societal issues, but also of the plight of the poor.
(ANS - Kagwema) - Burundi is a country in extreme need: based on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, it is the poorest country in the world, with just $272 average annual income by 2022; and it is also one of the countries with the lowest human development index on the planet. Tried by widespread poverty, corruption, authoritarianism, and illiteracy, it has suffered several Coups d'état and sudden changes of government over the years that have destabilized the population. In the country, which in 2018 ranked last on the Global Report on Happiness, the Salesians of Don Bosco have been present since 1970, with three missions, hosting a total of two parishes and two vocational schools, and have managed to withstand the fury of violence over the years.
(ANS – New Rochelle) – Nearly 15,000 Salesian priests, brothers, and novices are working in more than 130 countries around the globe bringing education, workforce development, and social programs to poor youth and their families. They work in some of the most challenging circumstances and are among the first to respond during humanitarian crises or natural disasters. On the occasion of World Day of the Poor, celebrated yesterday, Nov. 13, 2022, for the sixth time since it was established by Pope Francis, “Salesian Missions”, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, highlights unique educational and social programs that are helping poor and at-risk youth meet their basic needs, receive an education, and find a path out of poverty, bringing them hope for the future.
THE MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Don Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB
Within the megapolis of Chennai (Madras), amid the enormous industrial complexes and magnificent temples and in the exciting atmosphere of city life, there lies a luminous sliver of truly Salesian goodness.
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 BORORO
THE 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.