(ANS – Kigali) – Wednesday, 21 February 2024 was a special day for participants in the Team Visit to the Salesian Africa-Madagascar Region, still underway at Gatenga, in Kigali, Rwanda. The day began with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians, in which the assembly prayed for Fr Jésus Benoît Badji, Superior of the Province of North West Africa (AON), whose birthday was celebrated. After two intense and rich work sessions, the day was enlivened by the visit of Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali.
Kigali, Rwanda – February 2024 – The Team Visit to the Africa-Madagascar Region has begun, following the pilgrimage on 19 February, carried out as a moment of spiritual preparation by the Superiors of the 15 Salesian circumscriptions in the Africa-Madagascar Region, accompanied by their Provincial Councillors and led by the Regional Councillor, Fr Alphonse Owoudou. From 20 to 23 February, the entire General Council of the Salesian Congregation, led by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, is animating the Team Visit, which includes numerous activities, works, discussions and moments of reflection and exchange. The Team Visit to the Africa-Madagascar Region concludes the cycle of team visits to the 7 Salesian regions which began in March 2023 with South Asia and then continued with America South Cone, Interamerica, North and Central Europe, Mediterranean and, most recently, East Asia-Oceania.
K'Long, Vietnam – February 2024 – The Team Visit to the East Asia-Oceania Region took place in Vietnam from Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 February 2024, an event attended by about 100 Salesians, including Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians, with the members of his General Council and the Provincials and Provincial Councils of the Provinces and Vice-Provinces from the Region. These were days of intense presentations, discussions and sharing. At the end of the Team Visit, Don Bosco's Tenth Successor then delivered his closing speech, expressing gratitude and outlining a compelling roadmap for the future.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - February 2024 - During his visit to the St John Bosco Province of the Antilles (ANT), Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians, took the opportunity to meet with the Dominican Federation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco (FEDEBOSCO). The meeting took place in the context of the meeting with the Presidents of the Local Unions of Past Pupils, members of the National Council and the Provincial Delegate, Fr Juan Linares, in the presence also of Fr José Pastor Ramírez, ANT Provincial. In addition to encouraging the pastoral work of the Past Pupils, Cardinal Fernández Artime reminded those present not to complain and not to be afraid, and to commit themselves with charity and patience to realise their dreams. The President of Fedebosco, Carlos José Reyes, on behalf of all, then paid homage to the Rector Major by giving him a pair of mugs and a packet of 'Eco Don Bosco' coffee, an ecological and solidarity-based commercial initiative of the Federation, recalling in this way also the gift of Carlo Gastini and the first Past Pupils of the Valdocco Oratory to Don Bosco.
(ANS – Turin) – From 29 August to 1 September 2024, Fatima will host the 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians promoted by the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) and aimed at all groups of the Salesian Family. It aims to make known, deepen and spread the devotion to the "Don Bosco's Madonna". In view of this significant appointment of the Salesian Family, the organising team of the congress has promoted a series of nine videos in which different personalities of the Salesian world invite everyone to participate; and the first invitation could only be that of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco and Father and Centre of Unity of the Salesian Family.
(ANS - K’Long, Lam Dong) This morning, 14th February 2024, Ash Wednesday the first day of the Team Visit began with the Holy Eucharist presided by the Rector Major, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime together with all the participants in the Chapel of the K’Long retreat centre.
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.