(ANS – Madrid) – Yesterday, Sunday 9 July, Pope Francis announced the creation of 21 new Cardinals, including the Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Spanish Salesian Fr Ángel Fernández Artime. Due to this appointment, the Superiors of the two Salesian Provinces of Spain – St James the Greater (SSM), based in Madrid, and Mary Help of Christians (SMX), based in Seville – on behalf of all the Salesians they represent, wish to express as follows:

(ANS – Madrid) – The Salesians in Spain have launched the pastoral campaign for 2023-2024 with the motto “Un sueño para ti” (“A dream for you”). This is the second joint campaign of the two Salesian Provinces in the country, Mary Help of Christians (SMX) and St James the Greater (SSM) Provinces, after the successful experience of this year under the motto “Abrimos caminos” (“Let's open roads”). “On the bicentenary of Don Bosco's dream at 9 years of age, we want to revitalise the Salesian vocation by awakening, accompanying and supporting the vocational commitment of young people and lay people in our Educative and Pastoral Communities"' say the Salesians in the document presenting the new pastoral campaign.

Madrid, Spain – 1923 – In this photo we are looking at an historical image of the old facade of the Salesian house at Atocha, where the theatre stands out. The history of the Salesian theatre goes back to 1923, when the Salesians in Madrid decided to begin building it dopo after having noted the lack of a place for keeping young people entertained. It was the initiative of the then Salesian Rector, Fr Julián Massana, who had a large theatre built for 2,000 youngsters, It was of large proportions, classical and round in shape, with two iron and concrete balconies. The stalls of this theatre had a capacity of 500 spectators. This large and beautiful building was demolished in 1977.

(ANS – Luanco) – "This Eucharist is a thanksgiving to God for my mother, in whom we celebrate life." This is how Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians, began the homily at the Requiem Mass for his mother, Isabel Artime, 87, who died on Saturday, 24 June 2023. The Mass was celebrated on Monday 26 June in the parish church at Luanco, a fishing village in Asturias in northern Spain, the place of origin of the Rector Major's family, where the Isabel lived.

Biscaglia, Spain  – June 2023 - On Thursday 22 June, a gala evening was held for the 8th edition of the BBK DEIA Sariak, awards that recognise the work of organisations and associations of the Third Sector in Biscay, a province of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in Northern Spain. Among the winners was the Bosko Taldea Federation of Youth Centres belonging to the Spanish St James the Greater Province (SSM). The award was presented by the Mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, to four leaders representing some of the centres that are part of the Federation. The host of the gala was magician Mago Tor, who recalled that Saint John Bosco is the patron saint of magicians. Iván Ramos, president of the Bosko Taldea Federation of Youth Centres, said that magic is present in the Federation's youth centres when the best is achieved by the young recipients through oratory activities. The award was greeted with great joy by all the members of the Federation, and Laura Alcántara and José Ángel Romo, technicians at Bosko Taldea, explained to the press how the Federation, which is celebrating 25 years this year, has been going. Finally, Iván Ramos congratulated all the people who are and have been part of the Federation over these 25 years for the journey of the Bosko Taldea Federation of Youth Centres to this point.

(ANS – Madrid) – Over the last two months the Saint James the Greater Province (SSM) has held three different training and discussion meetings (Madrid, Santiago de Compostela and Bilbao-Deusto) for counselling teams. Many and relevant issues have been addressed.