(ANS – Turin) – St John Bosco's deep faith in Jesus Christ was manifested, during his life, also through a discreet and constant but intense, devotion to the Shroud, silent witness of the Passion and Resurrection of the Saviour of the world. To deepen Don Bosco's connection with Sacred Linen, as part of its usual review of podcasts related to Shroud literature, the International Centre for Shroud Studies (CISS) dedicated an episode to the Father and Teacher of Young People.
(ANS – Turin) – From 29 August to 1 September 2024, Fatima will host the 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians promoted by the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) and aimed at all groups of the Salesian Family. It aims to make known, deepen and spread the devotion to the "Don Bosco's Madonna". In view of this significant appointment of the Salesian Family, the organising team of the congress has promoted a series of nine videos in which different personalities of the Salesian world invite everyone to participate; and the first invitation could only be that of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco and Father and Centre of Unity of the Salesian Family.
Catania, Italy – February 2024 - The "DB Sons", a musical group of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) in Sicily, the result of the initiative of two young Salesians, Fr Emanuele Geraci and Fr Giuseppe Priolo, strike again, following the pattern of Don Bosco's dreams: "In the shape of your dream" is the title of the most recent product of the artistic collaboration between Salesians and young people belonging to the Salesian oratories, once again gathered to value music as a privileged environment for the close and creative encounter between God and human beings. The ambition of the group, this time, is to evoke the actual and practical power of Don Bosco's 'Dream at Nine Years of Age'. And with this song the "DB Sons" also participate in an international competition aimed at selecting the official hymn for the Salesian Synod of Young People, which will be held at Colle Don Bosco from 11 to 16 August 2024. Thanks, for this new work, goes first of all to Fr Gildasio Mendes, General Councillor for Social Communication, who wanted to involve Sicily, valuing its talents, and to the Salesian Province of Sicily (ISI) which has promoted its realisation. Fr Emanuele Geraci also designed the musical composition, with the collaboration of Fr Giuseppe Priolo (both also sing), and Angelo Di Chiara wrote the text, as well as arranging music for the piano in the song. The ISI Provincial Social Communication Team collaborated on the graphics of the cover, the dissemination of the song on social networks and a video clip that will be released soon.
Here are the links to listen to the new anthem
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVdFRqo_2Ms
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1TdYUPl0U3jnpdSaCbGV9w
Apple Music: https://geo.music.apple.com/album/in-the-shape-of-your-dream-feat-chiara-raneri-agnese/1728904600
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.it/albums/B0CTTXDNY7
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/album/543020292
(ANS - Rome) - The second session of the Course on Integral Ecology will begin tomorrow, 15th February 2024, chaired by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, while admissions to the course remain open up to 31st March 2024. The first session witnessed a very good participation of more than 500 members from all over the world.
Sanremo, Italy –February 2024 – At the end of the 74th edition of the Sanremo Italian Song Festival, seven students from the Salesian University Institute of Venice (IUSVE) – Giulia Compagnin, Elisa Filippini, Claudia Gallinaro, Stefano Girotti, Fabrizio Rospo, Ginevra Visioli and the programmer of the university radio "Cube Radio", Riccardo Secchi – presented Amadeus, host and artistic director of the Festival, with the "Ethical Champion" award, a recognition that is attributed to the ethics of content published on social media and the style with which digital communication is approached. As part of an educational project organised by IUSVE, the seven students travelling to the "city of flowers" also collaborated in the creation of content for "Rai Pubblica Utilità": accessible clips included in the two daily strips streamed on the digital channels "RaiPlay" and "Rai Play Sound" from 7 to 11 February, to tell the story of Sanremo Accessibile; and they have created video-reports for the digital edition of Catholic newspaper L'Avvenire.
(ANS – Lecco) – Giuliano Maresi and Serafino Ripamonti, two climbers from the "Ragni di Lecco" Rock School – who had participated in the inauguration of the exhibition on Fr Alberto Maria De Agostini promoted by the Salesian Historical Institute (ISS) in 2022 in Rome and in 2024 in Turin – could not help but bring the same exhibition to their city. The great Salesian missionary, the explorer of Patagonia, lies behind the privileged relationship that Lecco mountaineering and the red sweaters of the "Spiders" had and have with those mountains "at the end of the world". The occasion came with the beginning of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the conquest of Cerro Torre by the "Città di Lecco" expedition (1974) and the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the local section of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI - 1874).
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."