Campo Grande, Brazil – April 2024 – At the initiative of Salesian missionary Fr Joseph Tran Van Lich, Provincial Delegate for Missions and Missionary Animation in the Province of Campo Grande Brazil (BCG), a few weeks ago the construction of a small chapel for the Catholic community of the Xavante Imaculada Conceição de Maria village began. In addition to the masons hired by the Salesian missionaries, the village chief and other men of the community are engaged in the excavation of the foundations and the erection of the walls for the chapel that will be dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary. "The building" explains Fr Joseph Tran Van Lich "is a very simple chapel, as we find in the villages, with a room with an altar and a small room to accommodate the missionaries who go there for activities. The Imaculada Conceição de Maria village belongs to the Sangradouro – Volta Grande indigenous land, in the municipality of Nova São Joaquim (MT). The population of the village is about 70 people, all ethnic Xavante, and the Catholic community is very faithful and fervent, as witnessed by the parish priest Fr Juan Carlos Uscola. The distance of the village from the urban centres and the difficult access are some of the challenges to be faced for completion of the work, for this reason some fundraisers were started by Fr Clemente Deja, SDB, parish priest of the village more than 20 years ago, Fr Joseph Tran Van Lich, who This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.donors both in São Paulo and in his native land, Vietnam. Fr Ricardo Carlos, Superior of BCG Province, has guaranteed that the province headquarters will contribute to the construction of the chapel. Work will continue in the coming weeks and is expected to be completed during the Marian celebrations in May.
Campo Grande, Brazil – April 2024 – Discussions, analyses and votes on topics covered in the 29th Provincial Chapter of the St Alphonsus Liguori Province of Campo Grande, Brazil concluded on the afternoon of Thursday, 18 April 202. Having begun the previous Tuesday with Mass and retreat chaired by Fr Assis Moser, SDB, the work was divided into four teams who analysed the texts sent from Rome to all Salesian presences and which had previously been analysed by the pre-Chapter commission on the basis of the contributions sent by the confreres. During three intense days, Chapter members reflected on the centrality of Jesus Christ in the Salesian mission, especially with regard to service to young people; and they elected Fr Adalberto Alves de Jesus, Rector of the Salesian presence in Indápolis, as Provincial Delegate to the GC29 and Fr João dos Santos Barbosa Neto, Director of the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Corumbá, as his substitute.
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.
(ANS – Corumbá) – On Thursday, 4 April, the Salesian Santa Teresa institute in Corumbá celebrated 125 years of presence and commitment to the pedagogical and social formation of its students. The date was marked by a celebration with the students of the school and by the Mass in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. During the day there were also sports and recreational activities that involved Salesians, students and teachers.
Campo Grande, Brazil – March 2024 - A Meeting of Pastoral Coordinators from the Salesian Province of Campo Grande Brazil (BCG) began on 19 March with Holy Mass in the chapel at the São Vicente Institute. In the first evening there were also performances by the artistic group Psalmos, the Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Moreninhas) Parish in Campo Grande and a theatrical performance staged by the Salesian postnovices. The first conference had as its theme "I am a Salesian Mission", given by Fr Ademir Lima de Oliveira, Vice-Provincial of BCG Province. The second day of the meeting was entirely dedicated to the presentation by journalist Karina Maia, with the theme "Developing assertive communication", which was followed by a brainstorming by participants to explore and consolidate the topics discussed during the day. The following day the "Fic Retrô" project was presented, a proposal to be carried out in the Salesian presence of the BCG Province as a pastoral activity. The final mass of the meeting was presided over by the director of the Colégio Salesiano Dom Bosco, Fr Wagner Luís Galvão.
(ANS – Cuiabá) – On the last day of engagements in the Saint Alphonsus Liguori Province, Friday, 15 March, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians, offered advice and messages of faith and courage to the participants in the Salesian Missionary Symposium. The event was entitled "From dream to missionary reality in a time of synodality" and took place in the Fazenda Mato Grosso hotel in Cuiabá.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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RMG – “Do Elderly Salesians have a role in the Digital Culture?”The answer in the letter “Sharing wisdom and hope in digital culture” from the General Councillor for Social Communication
(ANS – Rome) – In view of the current digital reality, and due to the presence, especially in some regions of the Salesian world, of a large number of elderly Salesians, the General Councillor for Social Communication, Fr Gildasio Mendes, has decided to dedicate a special letter to them, entitled: "Sharing wisdom and hope in digital culture". Here is how he explains to ANS readers today the origins, significance and perspectives of this document.
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 – Artificial Intelligence and "The Oratory". Two events for reflection and debate at UPS(ANS – Rome) – The Faculty of Social Communication Sciences (FSC) of the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS), based in Rome, is promoting two events in May, the month in which the World Day of Social Communications is celebrated (this year, Sunday 12th) as well as the anniversary of the charismatic Letter from Rome by Don Bosco (10 May). They will explore the dimension of communication in its current and future panorama and the continuing relevance of the Salesian presence among young people at risk. These issues will be addressed through the presentation of a book on "Artificial Intelligence. In search of humanity", Thursday 16 May 2024, and the screening of the film "The Oratory", Friday 17th.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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RMG – 16 May 1887: Don Bosco's weeping, the Sacred Heart and unwavering faith in Divine Providence(ANS – Rome) – On 16 May 1887, Don Bosco celebrated his first and only Mass at the altar of Mary Help of Christians at the church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Castro Praetorium, in Rome, the church whose construction cost him so much effort and suffering in the last years of his life. In that Mass, interrupted by tears 15 times, Don Bosco, now close to the end of his mortal life, had the grace to understand the entire journey made in the thousand apostolates and in the infinite initiatives for young people throughout his life, and his childhood Dream suddenly became clear to him, thus also giving fulfilment to the prophetic affirmation of that dream: "In due time you will understand everything".
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS FROM HERE TO THE WORLDTHE MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Card. Ángel Fernández Artime
Dear readers of the Salesian Bulletin,
My affectionate and cordial greetings during this Easter season. In a world in turmoil, agitated by armed conflicts and no small amount of violence, we continue to declare, announce, and proclaim that Jesus is Lord, raised by the Father, and that he LIVES. We strongly need His Presence in hearts willing to welcome Him.