(ANS – Milan) – The event launching the"National Exhibition of Masterpieces 2024" will take place in Milan, at the Salesian St Ambrose Institute on Thursday 29 February (10 am – UTC+1). The National Exhibition of Masterpieces is an initiative that the National Headquarters of the National Salesian Works Centre – Professional Update Training (CNOS-FAP in Italian) has been promoting since 2008 as a motivational tool for students, as a useful objective for teaching and as a showcase to foster contact with companies. And there will be no shortage of distinguished guests at the launch event.

Cumiana, Italy – February 2024 – On Sunday, 4 February, Father Gabriel Cruz, SDB, led the day of recollection for the Primary Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) for the first time since his appointment as the new animator of the association, which took place on 1 January. To welcome him, at Rebaudengo in Cumiana there was a large "family of families" walking under the mantle of Mary. The theme of the recollection, included in the formation course for the year, focused on the dream at 9 years of age, leading to the International Congress of Mary Help of Christians in Fatima (29 August – 1 September 2024), was: "The Mystery of the Name: you know what you live". It was an opportunity to reflect on the fact that God, as he did with Don Bosco, calls each one by name and gives a mission that must be lived in faith and perseverance, with the certainty that "in good time" everything will be understood. In addition to catechesis, Fr Cruz dedicated ample space to recounting the personal journey that led him to ADMA. With a joyful smile and great simplicity, the Salesian told of his birth in Mexico, of his encounter with the Salesian world, of entering the seminary chosen "almost by chance", of his desire to be sent on mission, accepted after 10 years of service in initial formation, in prisons and with street youth in Mexico City, and then of the years of mission in Pakistan.

Source: salesianipiemonte.info

Pordenone, Italy – February 2024 - A huge celerbation for  Don Bosco was held on Sunday, 4 February, at the Don Boscore center in Pordenone, which brought together more than 500 people including children, teenagers, families and leaders. After the solemn Mass and lunch, an afternoon of games was held, in a celebration made even more solemn this year due to the 100 years of activity of this Salesian work, founded by Fr Renato Ziggiotti, who later became the 5th Successor of Don Bosco at the head of the Congregation. "Don Bosco said that ‘joy is the most beautiful creature that has come out of the hands of God, after love’. The Don Bosco Centre celebrates its Centenary in 2024 and we are sure that the joy and love sown by so many Salesians and lay people is bearing and will always bear great fruit in this work" said Fr Roberto Cappelletti, SDB, Pastoral Coordinator of the work in Pordenone.

(ANS – Rome) – The stage of the preparation in view of the 2025 Jubilee at Rome for the consecrated men and women ended on Sunday, 4 February 2024. Comprising various significant moments, including the pilgrimage to the Salesian Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Rome, it gathered about 400 religious from all over the world, who received from the Holy Father the specific mandate to be “signs of reconciliation among people” where God has called them to work.

Rome, Italy – February 2024 - Don Bosco's childhood, his arrival in Turin, the historical context of Risorgimento Italy, the origin of the first oratories in the 1840s, his ability to listen, to look around to respond to people's real needs; but above all his intuition of being a father for young orphans - as he had been - and that the oratory was a "home" for everyone. On the occasion of the feast of Don Bosco, all the staff of the  Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (VIS) NGO at their Rome headquarters met, on Friday, 2 February, for a morning together with Fr Luca Barone from Salesian Headquarters and member of the Executive Committee of the VIS. Fr Barone led a reflection and a moment of discussion around the figure of the founder of the Salesians, re-reading his message to recognise him today as a guide for the values and work of the NGO, active in over 20 countries with international cooperation projects in close synergy with the Salesian Congregation. The morning ended with a Mass together in the Salesian community at San Callisto and lunch, in addition to the promise to make these moments increasingly an integral part of the life of the organisation in order to continue exploring together a message that after 200 years still has much to say, anywhere in the world.

(ANS – Rome) – The Sacred Heart of Jesus Basilica in Rome is preparing to receive, on Saturday, 3 February 2024, over 400 religious from all over the world who have come to Rome to participate in a pilgrimage "on the path of peace" – aimed at renewing the commitment of religious for reconciliation and peace. The pilgrimage will start and end at the Salesian Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and will be carried out on the sidelines of the 28th World Day of Consecrated Life (2 February 2024) and as part of a broader process of preparation of consecrated men and women for the Holy Year of 2025.