Italy - September 2020 - The Salesian Province of North East Italy (INE) has started together with the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) Triveneto a path to follow Jesus, become his friends and learn from Him to welcome life as a gift and a mission for others. This journey is marked by three major events: SYM Youth Meeting: #chiamati (20 September), #discepoli (14 March-2021), #missionari (5-6 June-2021). These appointments involve all the young people of the SYM Triveneto from Salesian houses and are intertwined with the local formative journey which through meetings explores the themes of the three days. The Meeting on 20 September involved around 1,000 young people from Salesian houses and, due to the pandemic, took place in three places: Udine-Bearzi, Mestre and Verona-San Zeno. The day was characterized by moments of prayer, play and reflection on the theme of the call, thanks to some reflective ideas, videos and testimonies.
(ANS - Turin) - There are many and different initiatives designed to celebrate the opening of the "Casa Don Bosco" Museum in Turin: presentations, civil and religious celebrations, as well as singular artistic events, such as the transfer of important works of art. Like the painting of the "Madonna" by Reffo, traditionally placed at the Institute "Our Lady of Grace" in Nizza Monferrato; in the forthcoming weeks, the painting will instead be exhibited in the new Salesian museum space in Valdocco.
(ANS - Reggio Calabria) - "A light never extinguished": this is the motto with which the city communities of Pellaro and Bova, with the entire ecclesial community of Reggio Calabria, wanted to remember the Servant of God Mons. Giuseppe Cognata , SDB, former Bishop of Bova from 1933 to 1940 and founder of the Congregation of the Salesian Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart, of which Pope Francis gave his consent last February for the opening of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization.
Messina, Italy - September 2020 - The community of the Messina Theology studentate, directed by Fr Giuseppe Cassaro, SDB, experienced various intense days of discussions and fraternity in a Sicilian town, by the Tyrrhenian sea. Salesians from different parts of the world were able to plan the pastoral year 2020-2021, update the community project and draw up new guidelines of the apostolate; they also had opportunities to improve their mutual knowledge. The first year of Theology is made up of eight Salesians, the second year of three, and the third year of eleven; the latter will make their Perpetual Professions next October 17. A pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine of Tindari (Patti, Messina) concluded these days of Grace, asking the Heavenly Mother to protect the young Salesians and the formation team along the path of discernment and formation that awaits them.
(ANS - Chiari) - “I'm nothing but a poor priest, I have nothing but the priestly robe I am wearing. It amazes me too that all people afflicted with problems, sometimes unsolvable, turn to me. I give my blessing also to their families, then I send them away with the conviction that if they pray and do so with faith their problems will be solved.” These words, said by Fr Silvio Galli, introduce an intense and participatory evening dedicated to the presentation of the book "Don Silvio Galli, prete delle Beatitudini - priest of the Beatitudes", in an event held on Friday 18 September in Chiari (Brescia, Italy) at the Salesian Institute "San Bernardino."
Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Italy - September 2020 - On Saturday 19 September, at Colle Don Bosco, the usual meeting of the Assembly of the Salesian Youth Movement was held, dedicated to all the Salesians, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and to all those who are more directly engaged in pastoral activities. Among the guests who led the day's reflections were Johnny Dotti, social entrepreneur, pedagogist and professor at the Catholic University of Milan, and Mauro Magatti, professor of sociology also at the Catholic University. The theme of the assembly was: "A community that generates as a response to the crisis."
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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India – INS youth solemnise Don Bosco’s Feast Day with ‘Ka Sur Kynud S-3’ Grand Finale(ANS – Shillong) – The Youth of St John Paul II, Shillong Province, celebrated the Feast Day of St. John Bosco with the Grand Finale of “Ka Sur Kynud, Season 3.” Organised by Don Bosco Media Network Television, the Social Communication Department of the Province, at Don Bosco Youth Centre, Laitumkhrah, Shillong, this two-month-long singing competition, which imitates the global singing competition The Voice, concluded on 31 January 2025, coinciding with the Solemnity of St John Bosco.
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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WHAT A GIFT TIME IS!THE MESSAGE OF THE VICAR OF THE RECTOR MAJOR,
Fr Stefano Martoglio, SDBThe beginning of the new year is illuminated in our liturgy by the ancient formula with which the Israelite priests blessed the people: "May the Lord bless you, and keep you. May the Lord show His face to you, and have mercy on you. May the Lord turn His countenance to you, and give you peace."