(ANS - Vatican City) - Today, 9 July, after the Angelus and reflection on the Gospel, Pope Francis announced the convocation of the Consistory for 30 September next for the appointment of 21 new Cardinals. Among the names of the new Cardinals was Rev. Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, the Rector Major of the Salesians.
(ANS - Vatican City) - Mary Help of Christians, celebrated Wednesday, May 24, was also commemorated by Pope Francis at the end of his catechesis at Wednesday's general audience. Addressing young people, the sick, the elderly, and newlyweds, the Holy Father said, "Today is the feast of Our Lady venerated under the title of Mary Help of Christians. May Mary help you, dear young people, to strengthen each day your fidelity to Christ; obtain comfort and serenity for you, dear elderly and dear sick. May she encourage you, dear newlyweds, to translate the commandment of love into your daily lives."
(ANS - Vatican City) - The Holy Father Francis' Message for the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to be celebrated on Sunday, September 24, 2023, on the theme "Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay," was presented yesterday, Thursday, May 11, 2023, during a press conference.
(ANS – Rome) – As in 2013, Pope Francis celebrated the Holy Mass “in Coena Domini” on Holy Thursday at Rome's Casal del Marmo juvenile penitentiary, where he performed the traditional rite of the washing of feet of twelve young people there. There was a festive welcome with choirs and gifts made by the young people in the pasta factory and carpentry workshop. The director's greeting: "You disarm us with your gentleness". Rosaries and Easter eggs as gifts, and the homily, entirely off-hand: "We can all slip, but Jesus loves us".
(ANS - Venice) - Messages of hope for all humanity, sent on a mission into orbit in the immensity of space. And these messages are enclosed in immensely small objects: a nano-library sent by a nano-satellite. On the third anniversary of the Statio Orbis - 27 March 2020, when the Pope implored an end to the pandemic with his solitary prayer in a rain-swept St. Peter's Square - the 'Spei Satelles' space mission was born, from an idea of Monsignor Lucio Ruiz, secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency, the Turin Polytechnic, the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology of the National Research Center and the Turin Digital Apostolate. In this historic event, the mission's official logo is signed by IUSVE, and in particular by student Marica Padoan whose project met with the approval of the Spei Satelles working group and who will therefore accompany the message of hope into orbit.
(ANS - Viedma) - On Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19, under the motto "Like Br. Zatti, let us not leave to tomorrow the good we can do today," the IX Pilgrimage to Viedma in honor of Artemide Zatti, SDB, the first following his canonization, was held, carried out in commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of his death on March 15, 1951. The first day began after noon, when the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, arrived in Viedma accompanied by the Superior of the Province of Argentina South (ARS), Fr. Darío Perera SDB, to thank God for the sanctification of Br. Zatti.
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 BORORO
THE 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.