NEWS
(ANS - Aleppo) - It is a microcosm of humanity still in shock, the one surviving and taking refuge in the Salesian house in Aleppo. "We have lived through more than 10 years of war, but perhaps these moments are the most terrible because of the terror we’ve experienced... We cannot describe what we have experienced," says Joelle Klzi, animator of the Salesian oratory. Yet these are also people with great resilience, who manage to find even in this situation the ability to thank those who have done so much for them, such as the Sons of Don Bosco. "The Salesians have opened their doors; we have not lacked anything... We thank them from the bottom of our hearts because, in addition to material support, there has been moral support," says Judy Elia, a young woman from Aleppo.
(ANS - Vatican City) - The Holy See Press Office announced today, 14 February 2023, that the Holy Father Francis has appointed Fr. Mauro Mantovani, SDB, hitherto Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS) in Rome and former Rector Magnificus at UPS, as Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library.
(ANS - Lima) – Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, arrived in Peru from Italy on Monday, February 13, at 7:05 p.m. local time. The 10th Successor of Don Bosco was welcomed by the Provincial Superior of the "Santa Rosa" Province of Peru (PER), Fr. Manuel Cayo, SDB, and by Fr. Juan Pablo Alcas, who will be installed as Superior of the same Province precisely on the occasion of the Rector Major's visit. As soon as he set foot on Peruvian soil, the first words spoken by the Rector Major were, "Every time I come here, I feel at home."
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.