NEWS
(ANS – Tokyo) – The Pastoral Visit of Pope Francis to Japan was held from November 23rd to 26th. The Pope, who was eager to mission in Japan when he was a seminarian, with the authority of Jesus Christ met many people on a hard schedule here in Japan and had the opportunity to share and pray together. Here Mr. Chihiro Okawa, a Salesian Past Pupil, shares how he lived this experience.
(ANS - Ciudad Juárez) - "A mistake does not say who you are. Don't let them tag you" is the message of Eric Ponce, a 32 year old from Ciudad Juárez who combines his passion for rap music and writing with his work on behalf of children at risk. His current position as Coordinator of the course in "Second Opportunity, Fundraising and Development of Educational Programs" in a youth promotion association was unimaginable until a few years ago, when he was part of a criminal gang. He handled weapons, saw friends and relatives die next to him, was numb with drugs and had to hide to avoid being killed. Now he is happy and he has become an example, and role model, that it is indeed possible to escape, do more.
(ANS - Coronel Oviedo) - The "Carlos Pfannl" Agro-Pastoral Institute celebrated its first 65 years a few days ago: it was November 21, 1954, in fact, when the blessing of the cornerstone of the then "Carlos Pfannl" Agricultural School took place, located in the Blas Garay neighborhood, Compagnia Santa María, in the city of Coronel Oviedo. This Salesian work, which bears the name of one of its benefactors, was founded with the young people of the third year of the Salesian Agricultural School of Ypacaraí. At the time it extended over about five thousand hectares of forests and fields.
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.