Italy – Dreams of yesterday and today
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31 January 2020

(ANS - Turin) - Don Bosco was a big dreamer. He daydreamed, with his eyes open, like all prophets who see far and look to the future with hope. And with the desire to help those they meet on their way, especially if they are children and young people who live on the margins of society, of family, work and human relations. He dreamed at night in the few hours he could carve out for himself after an exhausting day of work.

These were special dreams that had the tone of "vision", starting from the dream of the nine years in which he had glimpsed his future mission as priest and educator. Or like the five missionary dreams, "seen" since he was 57 until almost the sunset of his life. Dreams that have come true with the help of Providence, his Salesians and many benefactors who have always supported and continue to support his missions.

Thanks to them, the great dreamer continues to repeat what he wrote to Fr Giovanni Cagliero, head of the first missionary expedition: “Do what you can, God will do what we cannot do. Trust everything in the Blessed Sacrament and in Mary Help of Christians, and you will see what miracles are."
On 31 January, in all the Salesian missions scattered throughout the five continents, it is a feast day: Don Bosco, his charisma and holiness, are celebrated. In all the oratories and parishes there will be moments of prayer and reflection in full Salesian style. For Don Bosco's family, January 31 and May 24 - the Feast of Mary Help of Christians - are the two most important events in Salesian life: they represent the Congregation's spirit of identity and the moments in which all members of the Salesian Family are called to make and render the ideas of a priest who knew how to look far, with foresight and concreteness, even more alive.

In these years, the Salesian missionaries have built schools, started vocational training centers, given comfort in refugee camps, started women's promotion projects, helped children to abandon street life, welcomed and treated the sick. None of this could have happened if there had not been the generosity of so many benefactors by their side.

For this reason, from "Don Bosco Missions" of Turin, and from all the Salesian Mission Offices of the Congregation, today is the day in which a huge THANKS resounds most powerfully to all those who support the Salesians across the globe, giving the necessary resources to carry out the missionary projects successfully.

Source: www.missionidonbosco.org 

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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