(ANS – Turin) – Again this year, on 14 September, on the occasion of the liturgical feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the day of the Opening of the Crypt, the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Turin hosted an evening dedicated to the Shroud,, as part of the "Culture in the Basilica" exhibition, entitled "The Shroud: witness of great love".

(ANS – Potenza) – Bringing a light among so much darkness: this is the meaning of the  "The Heart of Elisa in the Heart of Africa" project which intimately connects the dramatic story of Elisa Claps, the teenager from Potenza killed in September 1993 at just 16 years old by a young man of her acquaintance, Danilo Restivo – and whose corpse was found in the attic of the Church of the Holy Trinity  17 years later, in March 2010 – to that of hundreds of thousands of individuals overwhelmed by the now ongoing conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Genoa, Italy – September 2024 - From 29 August to 6 September, 26 Salesians, from all over the world and currently in Italy for their formation, spent some days in preparation for their Perpetual Profession. In Valsalice, for fidelity that matures during the years of formation; in San Benigno, for radical fidelity to the place of the Dream of the Ten Diamonds; in Caselle, for  fidelity like Fr Rua's, who was ordained there; in Varazze, for fidelity in times of trial and crisis; in Alassio, for fidelity that looks to the future where the Provinces were born; in Genoa, for fidelity to the missionary charism, heritage of the Sons of Don Bosco.

Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Italy – September 2024 - On 8 September, in the Basilica of Colle Don Bosco, 11 novices from Croatia, Germany, Spain, Poland and Italy made their first religious profession as Salesians of Don Bosco. In his homily, Fr Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy, Councillor for the Mediterranean Region, who presided over the celebration, recalled the beginning of Castellani's splendid 1988 film. In the first scenes, Don Bosco as an old man reveals the secret of when, as a very young tightrope walker, right here in the meadows at the Becchi, he walked on the rope: "to look straight ahead of me, not stopping, not looking one way or the other... or the emptiness under my feet, and looking straight ahead, with my gaze turned to the Lord." In that secret lies the heart of Salesian consecrated life: to keep our gaze and heart fixed on Jesus, to overcome all fear, and to be totally at the service of young people, where and how the Lord wants. Without reservation. A recollected celebration, in which the centre was the presence and action of God and the thought and prayer for the poor young people for whom these 11 young Salesians will try, daily renewing their yes to the Lord, to give their lives. The involvement of families of origin, many Salesians and young people is beautiful and warm. After the departure of the newly professed, the Salesian Novitiate at Colle Don Bosco continues, thank God, to be alive due to the presence of a lively group of novices who began their journey on 6 September.

Messina, Italy – September 2024 - From 2 to 7 September, the first phase of the course of preparation for perpetual profession was held in the Salesian house of the San Tommaso theologte in Messina. The house welcomed the 34 young people from four continents, more than 25 nations, with open arms, a breath of salesianity from all over the world. After the first years of temporary profession spent in study and mission, young Salesians are now preparing for perpetual profession. Starting from the joys and challenges of the Salesian mission with the group work proposed by Fr Alberto Anzalone, the Salesians then reflected on the meaning of consecration to God through the meditations of Fr Giuseppe Cassaro and Bro. Paolo Zini. There were many insights,including pointed ones, that serve to awaken love for God in the awareness of the seriousness of consecration. In conclusion, before the summary and sharing, there was an afternoon of retreat led by Fr Franco Di Natale, and personal reflection, to assimilate the words heard in one's own life and choices. There were obviously moments of sharing to get to know the points of view of the various nationalities, and also of leisure to chat and share  the beauty of Salesian life in the informal fraternal moments.

Italy – September 2024 - After the silent retreat led individually at Madonna dei Laghi, Avigliana, the 24 participants in the seventh Salesian School of Spiritual Accompaniment had a grace-filled experience of appreciating silence, praying the word of God in solitude and personalised spiritual accompaniment. They were able to appreciate what Don Bosco experienced during the 32 years he regularly went to Sant'Ignazio di Lanzo for his annual retreat. The participants then went on pilgrimage to the various places of Don Bosco around Colle Don Bosco (Becchi, Capriglio, Moncucco, Cascina Moglia, Morialdo, Castelnuovo and Chieri). They studied and reflected on the different life experiences of Don Bosco, in particular how he gradually grew in his appreciation of the importance of having spiritual guidance and the importance of spiritual accompaniment in his vocational discernment and spiritual growth. It was an opportunity for the participants to experience the process of what it means for Don Bosco to have spiritual accompaniment in his life, so as to better understand what his own experience was like and be able to accompany others. In the next phase of the programme, the participants will study the different Christian and Salesian traditions of spiritual accompaniment. They will also have practical formation in skills in spiritual accompaniment. The school is led by a team made up of members of the Formation Sector - Salesian Brother Raymond Callo, Fr Guido Errico and Fr Jose Kuttianimattathil - and by two simultaneous translators: Fernando Saade, SDB, and Fr Gerard Umoh.