(ANS – Turin) -On the Feast Day of Don Bosco, the Rector Major and 10th Successor of Don Bosco at the head of the Salesian Congregation, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, delivers his message to young people.
My dear young people,
May my greeting reach each one of you with true affection and with all my heart from Valdocco, where we are celebrating the feast of our beloved Don Bosco, “Father and teacher of youth” - as St John Paul II declared.
I am writing this letter to you having just returned from praying for you in the Basilica before the Lord, before our Mother the Help of Christians, before Don Bosco, Mother Mazzarello and St Dominic Savio, the adolescent saint of the early years of the oratory here in Valdocco.
(ANS – Rome) – Fr Giuseppe Casti Tocco died at 0400 hours on Saturday 29 January 2022, at the Beato Artemide Zatti Infirmary of the ICC province, Rome. He was 90 years old. A missionary in Portuguese Goa and in India since 1958, he returned to Italy in 2002. He will be remembered as a formator (he was master of novices at INB) and successor to Fr Aurelio Maschio in the missionary power of attorney in Mumbai. In the latter capacity he was known to thousands of benefactors of Don Bosco in Italy and elsewhere.
(ANS - Perugia) - The year that has just begun marks the first centenary of the presence of the Salesian Work in Perugia (1922-2022). This important anniversary will be commemorated by the Salesian Family with several events that shall take place throughout the year. The first coincides with the Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral presided over by the Archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, on the feast day of St John Bosco, today, 31 January, at 6 p.m. (UTC +1).
(ANS - Rome) - The presentation of the volume Volti di uno stesso carisma. Salesiani e Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice nel XX secolo, or Faces of the same charism. Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the twentieth century, edited by Fr Francesco Motto, SDB, and Sister Grazia Loparco, FMA, and published by LAS (Rome 2021) took place with extremely positive results on January 26 at the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS) in Rome.
(ANS - Turin) - Among the hundreds of thousands of faithful who yesterday morning, January 30, 2022, watched the Rai 1 live TV broadcast of the Mass presided over by the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, from Valdocco, there was also Pope Francis. He said it himself, overlooking St. Peter's Square, immediately after the recitation of the Angelus: “On the eve of the feast day of St. John Bosco, I’d like to greet the Salesians, who do so much good in the Church. I followed the Mass celebrated in the shrine of Mary Help of Christians by the Rector Major, Ángel Fernández Artime; I prayed with him for everyone.”
(ANS – Rome) - Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco are marking the 120th anniversary from the death of their founder Carlo Gastini on the 28th January 1902.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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RMG - Preparation, objectives, challenges and perspectives of GC29: in dialogue with the Moderator, Fr Alphonse Owoudou(ANS - RMG) - Just a few days before the beginning of the 29th General Chapter (GC29) of the Salesian Congregation, Fr Alphonse Owoudou, Councillor for the Africa-Madagascar Region and Moderator of GC29, recounts in detail, through an articulate interview, the work preceding and underlying this responsibility, indicating the spirit that will animate it and the attitudes and conditions to make it truly a Cenacle in which the Holy Spirit can act, for the benefit of the Congregation, the Salesian mission and the youth of the world.
EDITORIAL
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RMG – Don Bosco: “The Fascinating Saint”(ANS - Rome) - Don Bosco is perhaps the most amazing and fascinating saint, history has ever produced. The humble work which he began for the welfare of his poor and abandoned boys in Italy has produced astonishing results, and today there are nearly 14000 Salesians working in 138 countries, and there are more than 200,000 members belonging to the 32 groups of the worldwide Salesian Family sharing the charism of Don Bosco and reaching out to the needy young people.
EVENTS
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Spain – 33rd Edition of the Edebé Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature: Here Are the Winners(ANS – Madrid) – The 33rd edition of the Edebé Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature has been awarded to Beatriz Giménez de Ory (Madrid, 1972) for her novel Tres niños tristes y medio unicornio (Three Sad Children and Half a Unicorn) and David Lozano (Zaragoza, 1974) for his novel La cacería (The Hunt).
SPECIAL REPORTS
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United States – CATHOLIC WORLD DAY OF THE SICK: Salesian Missions highlights medical programs for people in need around the globe(ANS – New Rochelle) – Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins Catholic organizations around the globe in honoring the Catholic World Day of the Sick. Every year on Feb. 11, the Pope marks the day with a special message calling for spiritual and physical closeness to all those who are ill. Saint John Paul II instituted the day “to encourage the people of God, Catholic health institutions and civil society to be increasingly attentive to the sick and to those who care for them.”
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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GOOD, FAITHFUL, AND COURAGEOUS SERVANTSTHE MESSAGE OF THE VICAR OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Fr Stefano Martoglio, SDB
During this Jubilee year, in this difficult world, we are invited to rise up, set out again, and, in newness of life, make our journey as human beings and believers.