Bydgoszcz, Poland - October 2023 - The School for Salesian Animators entitled: "Media Animator" took place from 13 to 15 October 2023. The meeting was organised at the "Dominiczek" oratory in collaboration with the Salesian College (Collegium Salesianum) of Bydgoszcz, belonging to the Salesian Province of Poland-Piła (PLN). The main objective of the meeting, attended by more than a hundred young people, was to acquire skills in managing social media profiles. During the workshop, the participants discovered the nuances of photography, elements of online marketing, and learnt to make the oratory's social profile more interesting and interactive. The senior animators, on the other hand, deepened their knowledge of data protection and on how to write press releases in crisis situations. There was no shortage of typical Salesian elements, such as praying the Rosary, community Eucharist, sports and dancing. Screening of films as part of the 'Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival' was also a feature of the meeting.

Tarnowskie Góry, Poland - October 2023 - On 13th and 14th October, a meeting of Principals and Vice-Principals of the Schools of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) of Poland took place in Tarnowskie Góry. The meeting began with a moment of spiritual formation and the entrustment of the schools to the Lord, during the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The following day, those present took part in lectures on important issues affecting Salesian schools in Poland and shared their experiences. In Poland, Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians run a total of 111 educational centres (kindergartens, elementary schools, middle schools, technical institutes, high schools...) and 8 boarding schools, with a total of 17,881 pupils and 2,132 teachers/educators involved. (Photo and text: Fr Łukasz Auguściak SDB)

(ANS - Krakow) - Every year, on the Sunday preceding Karol Wojtyla's election as Pope (16 October 1978), Pope John Paul II Day is celebrated throughout Poland and in Polish communities abroad, during which people unite in prayer with the current Pope and deepen their understanding of the teachings of St John Paul II.

(ANS) - The documentary "Canillitas", produced by the Salesian Missionary Office in Madrid "Misiones Salesianas" has been on tour with three of its protagonists in five European countries. Over the past three weeks, the project to assist child workers in the Dominican Republic was presented to 11 groups of students from Austria, Poland and Portugal. The protagonists also had meetings with donors and the Salesian Family, as well as with the Apostolic Nuncio in Brussels and the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in the European capital -Brussels. They took part also in the presentations at the European Parliament, the European Commission and Spain's Permanent Representation to the EU, and were able to greet Pope Francis at one of the General Audiences.

Kracow, Poland - September 2023 - The community at the Salesian Inter-provincial Theologate in Kracow celebrated the opening of the academic year 2023/2024 on Saturday 30 September. Many guests attended the event, including several Salesians from Polish Provinces, sisters and lay people. The Mass, celebrated in the chapel at the Theologate, was celebrated by the Superior of Krakow Province (PLS), Fr Marcin Kaznowski, SDB. Afterwards, the Rector of the Theologate, Fr Adam Paszek SDB, presented a report on the previous year's activities, and also emphasised that a philosophical community has been opened in the Theologate house, which is carrying out its post-novitiate in Krakow. The inaugural lecture entitled "Improving the content of homilies: a challenge and a pastoral opportunity" was delivered by Prof. Fr Henryk Sławiński.

Czerwin Poland – September 2023 – Once every four years the young Animators representing the Polish SDB and FMA Provinces meet in the National Forum of Salesian Leaders. This year the meeting took place in the Czerwin Basilica on the Vistula River. A hundred young people gathered for a weekend dedicated to the Salesian charism and the theme chosen for the meeting: "A dream that becomes reality", which clearly refers to the upcoming bicentenary of the Dream t nine years of age. Numerous recreational and sports activities, workshops, moments of reflection and prayer were organised and the testimonies of those who participated in the WYD in Lisbon in August were heard. The meeting then ended with the Eucharist, celebrated by Fr Piotr Sosnowski, Vice-Provincial of the Salesian Province of Poland-Warsaw.