(ANS – Turin) - The basilica of Mary Help of Christians wore a youthful look as young people of the Salesian Youth Synod gathered with a profound sense of reverence and joy for the Inaugural Mass at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco. This sacred celebration was presided over by the Rector Major, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, accompanied by several members of the Salesian Youth Ministry Sector and numerous Salesians of Don Bosco from around the world. The Cardinal extended a warm welcome to everyone attending, both in person and via live stream, expressing his joy at seeing so many young people from across the globe gathered in the very place where Don Bosco had envisioned their presence centuries ago.
(ANS – Turin) – The much-anticipated Salesian Youth Synod opened today, 11 August 2024, in Valdocco, with an atmosphere of joy, prayer, and eager anticipation. This significant gathering brings together 376 participants, including 292 young people from around the world, along with numerous Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
(ANS - Turin) - The Youth Synod begins today. There are 376 participants; 292 young people have the right to vote in the Assembly. The other participants in the Synod, without the right to vote, are: the Rector Major and 45 Salesians: representatives of the Regions/responsible for content and entertainment, logistics, social communication, translators and technical staff; 19 FMA; 15 musicians and 5 lay technicians.
(ANS – Castelnuovo Don Bosco) – Once again this year, the Strenna theme inspired the various temporary exhibitions at the Missionary Ethnological Museum (MEM) at Colle Don Bosco, a place that bears witness to the global dimension of the dream. Specifically, in this Bicentennial year of Don Bosco's Dream at Nine Years of Age, an exhibition has been set up in two displays: one that acts as a common thread throughout 2024 and exhibits an African fabric (or tapestry) that depicts, according to local art, the dream at 9 years of age; the other that varies according to the period, highlighting the different characters in the dream: Don Bosco, Jesus (the noble Man), Mary (the Woman of majestic appearance), young people.
(ANS - Rome) – "Salesians today promote justice, peace and solidarity through social communication". This was stated by the Salesian Congregation's General Councillor for Social Communications, Fr Gildasio Mendes, during an interview conducted by Fr João Carlos Ribeiro and journalist Jocasta Pimentel from "FM Don Bosco" radio station in Fortaleza, in the Province of Recife, Btrazil (BRE), during a break in the "Shaping Tomorrow" World Congress held in Rome from 1 to 7 August 2024. Below is an extensive summary of the interview, the full audio of which was broadcast by the "Tempo de Paz" radio program and the full text of which is available in the Portuguese version of the article.
(ANS – Castelnuovo Don Bosco) – In July 2024, two intense working days were held at the Missionary Ethnological Museum (MEM) at Colle Don Bosco, in Castelnuovo Don Bosco, to digitise some finds belonging to the collection. All this happened in relation to the KNOT project (Knowledge of Things: Reassessing the Indigenous American Heritage in Italy). In addition, during these summer weeks, the rich collection of the MEM was the subject of an important inspection by the Cultural Heritage Authority, which underlined the value of the finds and the quality of the conservation work carried out by the Salesian institution.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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RMG – Fr Gildasio Mendes, General Councillor for Social Communication, talks about his two new books on Don Bosco(ANS – Rome) – At the end of the International “Shaping Tomorrow” Communication Conference (Rome, 1-7 August 2024), the General Councillor for Social Communication, Fr Gildasio Mendes, publicly presented his most recent two literary works, both dedicated to Don Bosco and motivated by the bicentenary of the latter’s famous Dream at Nine Years of Age. They are As seeing him who is invisible and Parallels 15 and 20. Today he shows us in detail the meaning and perspectives of the two books.
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 – The chapel of the relics at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin celebrates 90 years and celebrates them with an exhibition on the Shroud(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".
SPECIAL REPORTS
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RMG – 100 years of Salesian holiness in the shadow of Mary: 8 September 2024 in Slovenia and Slovakia(ANS – Rome) – Don Bosco was a great lover of Our Lady and the "thread" of her strong and discreet presence as a mother, teacher and helper, never failed for each of her children. It is therefore not surprising that so much Salesian holiness is also interwoven with very deep bonds with Mary: every Servant of God, every Blessed and Saint of the Salesian Family has a special, sometimes all-encompassing bond with her, as it was for Fr Silvio Galli, SDB, or Sister Antonietta Böhm, FMA. This 2024 is also marked by two anniversaries directly connected to some figures of Salesian holiness: those of the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Raknovik, Ljubljana, consecrated on 8 September 1924, and that of the arrival in 1924 of the Salesians at the national Marian Shrine in Šaštín, Slovakia, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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On WINGS of HOPETHE MESSAGE OF THE VICAR OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Father Stefano Martoglio
While continuing my service as Vicar in the coming months, quietly, very simply, and completely in continuity, I’ll replace the Rector Major in leading the Congregation to the General Chapter, the 29th, in February 2025.