Medellín, Colombia - April 2023 - During Holy Week, missionary groups in the Salesian Province of Colombia-Medellín (COM) gave new impetus to missionary momentum, responding to the Provincial Mission Animation Project (PIAM), developed along the four areas indicated by the Salesian Congregation's Missions Sector: missionary vocation, missionary formation, new frontiers and missionary solidarity. The goal was to strengthen mission culture, revive support for mission areas, and promote missionary formation committed to the apostolate, with the participation of all groups and communities. The first mission in 2023 was held in three places in COM Province: Minca, Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, with 20 missionaries led by Fr. Jesús Bolaños and Ms. Eloina; Santander de Quilichao, Cauca, where 12 missionaries participated, led by Fr. Gustavo Monsalve and Fr. Franklin Quirama; and Condoto, Chocó, where 24 missionaries led by Fr. Fabio Díaz, Fr. Juan Diego López, Fr. José Hernando and Fr. Hernán Carmona, carried out their activities in four villages. Through local initiatives such as the "Easter Children" or "Easter Youth," and community prayer and participation in the Easter Triduum, the days were an opportunity for everyone to learn and experience missionary communion.

Popayán, Colombia - March 2023 - The “Semillero de Comunicaciones” of the Salesian work in Popayán is a group of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) that includes more than 50 children and young people who see Social Communication as an art to building a project of happiness, starting from the values of Salesian Youth Spirituality. The group, led by Pedro Anaya, Local Coordinator for Social Communication, is focused on developing skills for the production of audiovisual and sound content, encouraging research, and promoting youth leadership at the national level. The team’s goal is to generate formative strategies for building the personal life projects of its participants and has become, since its creation in 2018, a key pillar in energizing Salesian youth leadership throughout the city of Popayan. “Semillero de Comunicaciones” has managed to win several national awards, winning the award for best podcast series at the “National Sound and Audiovisual Festival” in Boyacá (Colombia), as well as being among the five best school research groups in the Department of Cauca. The group also animates the “Salesianos Radio Escolar” station, the Audiovisual Project, and a Salesian accessories store.

Medellín, Colombia - March 2023 - On March 16 and 17, the Meeting of the Salesian Province of Medellín (COM) on Bilingualism was held at the Salesian Institute "El Sufragio." The event was held with the objective of accompanying, training, and sharing the experiences and good practices that are being conducted in schools belonging to the COM Province to ensure alliances and sustainability of the national bilingualism transition project. With the 8 participating works, it was possible to share good practices, become aware of the importance of the transition to bilingualism, carry out the diagnosis of institutions, train project leaders, assess risks, establish agreements and timelines, and publicize the stages of the proposal.

Copacabana, Colombia - March 2023 - From March 1 to 3, the Interprovincial Meeting of local communicators of the Provinces "St. Peter Claver" (COB) and "St. Louis Bertrando" (COM) was held at the "Villa de Sales" Convention Center in Copacabana (Antioquia). The meeting was held with the aim of strengthening the work in the social networks of each of the Salesian houses and works in the country, strengthening techniques and tools for communication development, and establishing guidelines for networking and coordination between the two provinces. This training space made it possible to analyze the strengths and needs of each Salesian work, highlighting the importance of communication work in the processes of evangelization and visibility of the educational-pastoral proposals of the Salesian mission in Colombia, communicating life.

Bogotá, Colombia - February 2023 - On Feb. 18, the Salesian Province "St. Peter Claver" of Bogotá (COB), commemorated the centenary of the birth to Heaven of Blessed Fr. Luigi Variara, with the participation of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the Salesian Family. Variara, declared venerable on April 2, 1993, and beatified on April 14, 2002, by Pope John Paul II, was chosen by Fr. Michael Unia as an apostle of the leprosy sick in Colombia and founded the Congregation "Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary," causes to which he consecrated his life. He will always be remembered as the Blessed who embodied the spirit of benevolence, convinced that his reward in Heaven would be great.

(ANS - Cúcuta) - The city of Cúcuta, Colombia, located on the border with Venezuela, woke up on Feb. 1, 2023, to the sound of the marching band announcing in its streets the remembrance of the death of Blessed Luigi Variara, SDB, founder of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who knew Cúcuta as his last city on his earthly pilgrimage.