(ANS – Cagliari) – From September 2023 the Salesians in the Metropolitan City of Cagliari will take on a new appearance: a single religious community at the service of the young people in the area, with the task of animating the three Salesian houses, that is, the three educative and pastoral communities that look after three different and complementary situations at the service of young people: Don Bosco house, at the service of children, young people and older youth, with school and a focus on the world of culture and formation; the St Paul house with its oratory/youth centre and parish, which see to evangelisation and youth associations; and the St Dominic Savio house at Selargius, with its Vocational Training Centre (VET) and focus on the world of work.

(ANS– Rome) – On the occasion of World Youth Day (WYD) to be held in Lisbon from 1 to 6 August, there are numerous initiatives proposed by Salesian communities for those who will be going to it. Fr Marco Cimini, a Salesian and educator at the Borgo Ragazzi Don Bosco in Rome, testifies: “I am convinced that young people are like sponges that must be educated.”

Barcelona, Spain – May 2023 – From 29 to 31 May, 36 Rectors from the Salesian Central Circumscription, Italy (ICC), spent four intense days of visiting, discussion, dialogue and fellowship in Barcelona. Those involved saw the significant places of Don Bosco's history in the city, celebrated  the anniversaries of religious profession and priestly ordination together, enjoyed the beauty of the works of art and listened to how the Spanish Salesians live the charism of Don Bosco. All this has meant that the Rectors believe that the Salesian mission in the areas entrusted to them is still possible and compelling, requires trust in Providence and personal witness, and expresses the desire to try to “make a beautiful copy of Don Bosco today”. The aims of the meeting were to reflect on the animation and governance of the Educative and Pastoral Community y comparing it with how they do it in Spain, both in works where there is strong shared responsibility with the laity, and in ones totally entrusted to the laity; to re-interpret their approach to animation and governance and the organisational model underlying it; to immerse themselves in the work and thinking of Gaudì and be struck by beauty. Participants experienced all these aims to the full to their great satisfaction. It was very interesting to listen to Fr Fernando García, Superior of the St James the Greater Province (SSM) Spain, and Fr Jordi Lleixá, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, on the way they live and interpret the Salesian mission, the service of the Rector, the functioning of the works entrusted to the laity. Questions in the discussion were numerous and addressed the problematic issues of Salesian community life, the process of entrustment to the laity, and the management of the works.

Perugia, Italy – June 2023 – The procession commissioned by the Salesians a hundred years ago returned to the streets of the Borgo d’Oro in Perugia. On 4 June a large number of faithful paid homage to Mary Help of Christians, carrying her statue through the streets of the medieval village of Porta Sant'Angelo, exactly one hundred years after the first procession, held on 4 June 1923, and sought by the Salesians who arrived in that city on 2 October. A century later the Salesian community proposed this feast, which had not taken place for about sixty years, to the Perugians. The procession, led by Archbishop Ivan Maffeis, the city's archbishop, took place from the church of San Michele Arcangelo to the church of Sant'Agostino, along Corso Garibaldi and pausing for prayer in front of the three female cloistered monasteries in the village. The procession then paused at the place where the first three Salesians stayed in Perugia a hundred years ago before entering Sant’Agostino, where the Eucharist was celebrated. Archbishop Maffeis thanked the Salesian community and its Rector, Father Claudio Tuveri, for inviting everyone to renew this significant homage to Mary Help of Christians one hundred years after the first procession. “Just as in Don Bosco’s day, the profound social and cultural changes underway – Archbishop Maffeis highlighted – have an enormous impact on family structure, the social fabric, the conception of life; they are changes that undermine trust in God for many people (…). Today, as yesterday, the whole Church is called to make the proclamation of hope and life resound, to offer and bear witness to faith in Jesus and his Gospel, as Mary did.

Source: PerugiaToday

(ANS – Rome) – The first practical exercise session of the three-year course for obtaining the diploma of accompaniment in discernment, which began last November, was held in Rome from 1 to 3 June 2023, at the headquarters of the Central Italian Circumscription (ICC). Although the ordinary teaching approach during monthly meetings was online, the so-called practicum could only be an in-person event – since there is no other way to achieve the kind of interaction in interpersonal conversation that establishes the continuity on which accompaniment is built.

(ANS – Rome) – Given its position at the heart of the Eternal City, close to Termini station, every year it is visited by around 800,000 people – many of whom just in passing but also drawn to it by its many beautiful art pieces, and who then discover an oasis of peace and spirituality where they can pause before setting out once more, some to travel, some to return to their daily affairs. This is the Sacred Heart Basilica in Rome, a church that was one of Don Bosco’s major concerns in the final years of his life. Over these days it has been preparing to celebrate its patronal feast.