Turin, Italy - October 2022 - The first session of the VIIth Provincial Chapter of the Salesian Province of Northeast Italy (INE) was held in Turin-Valdocco from October 14 to 16, in which for the first time, in addition to 70 Chapter members, 20 lay people, 4 representatives of the Salesian Family and 7 young people also participated as guests. Presiding over the Chapter was INE Provincial Fr. Igino Biffi, with input from Regulator Fr. Massimo Zagato, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry. Having arrived at the Salesian Places, the Chapter members devoted the first day to prayer and reflection. The next day, at the Church of St. Francis de Sales, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, Vicar of the Rector Major, presided at the Eucharist, during which he recalled the importance of being in Valdocco, to breathe the air and the spiritual climate that started the great Salesian work of Don Bosco. Afterward, the Provincial presented the Report on the State of the Province, and in the afternoon the VIIth Provincial Chapter officially got underway, with time to listen to the impressions of the Chapter members starting precisely from the report. On Sunday the work by subgroups took place, having as its objective the choice of five emerging themes to be addressed in the Provincial Chapter, as well as the presentation of the documents on the Formation Plan and the Economic Directory, which must then be approved. At the end of the activities, the Eucharist was celebrated and presided over by Fr. Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy, Councilor for the Mediterranean Region who, on Monday, began the Extraordinary Visit to the INE Province.
(ANS - Palermo) - After a busy day yesterday, Oct. 13, during which the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime received the honorary citizenship of Palermo and a degree honoris causa in Pedagogical Sciences from the University of Palermo, the commitments of the Tenth Successor of Don Bosco continued.
(ANS - Palermo) - On Thursday afternoon, October 13, the University of Palermo awarded the Rector Major of the Salesians a degree honoris causa in Pedagogical Sciences.
Palermo, Italy - October 2022 - This morning, October 13, the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, met with the Archbishop of Palermo, Msgr. Corrado Lorefice, in a fraternal meeting and to reflect on the issue of the city’s youth, a city where the economic gap between rich and poor is widening. The reflection focused on extreme poverty, whose outcome often spills into the underworld, and how the Church can become ever closer to young people, even by involving them through vocational training and schools, the forge of honest citizens because good Christians. Afterward, at Palazzo Comitini, the mayor of Palermo, Dr. Lagalla, conferred the honorary citizenship of the city on Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, in the presence of the archbishop of Palermo, the Superior of the Salesian Province of Sicily (ISI), Fr. Giovanni D'Andrea and his Council, the Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sr. Angela Maria Maccioni and her Council, as well as many Salesians and young people.
(ANS - Palermo) - It was a busy day yesterday, Wednesday, Oct. 12, for the Rector Major in Palermo, the city he is visiting because of the conferral this afternoon of a degree honoris causa in Pedagogical Sciences from the University of Palermo. After greeting the youth of the Salesian Institute “Don Bosco - Villa Ranchibile” early yesterday morning, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime spent the day meeting with Civil Service youth, visiting the Salesian Vocational Training Center (VTC) "Adolescent Jesus" and presiding over a Eucharist for the local Salesian Family.
Palermo, Italy - Oct. 12, 2022 - It began early this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 12, the two-day Palermo event of the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, which will reach its climax tomorrow afternoon when the 10th Successor of Don Bosco will receive an honorary degree in Pedagogical Sciences from the University of Palermo. This morning, at about 7:30 a.m., the Rector Major was joyfully welcomed by about 900 young people from the Salesian Institute "Don Bosco" - Villa Ranchibile. Fr. Á.F. Artime's good morning was an encouragement and a stimulus for the students to continue their studies with passion, courage, and perseverance, as tomorrow's adult depends on today's youth. Today's visit still includes a stop at the Salesian Vocational Training Center "Jesus Adolescent" in Palermo, and in the afternoon a meeting with the young people doing their Universal Civil Service with the Salesians of Sicily, and at 6:30 p.m., at St. Dominic's Church, the Mass for the beginning of the school year of "Don Bosco" - Villa Ranchibile, presided over by the Rector Major. Immediately following the celebration there will be greetings from the Superior of the Sicilian Province (ISI), Fr. Giovanni D'Andrea, Fr. Domenico Saraniti, Rector of the institute, the Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Sicily, Sr. Angela Maria Maccioni, and a young adult, which will be followed by the Salesian "goodnight" by Fr. Á.F. Artime. Finally, a visit to Villa Alliata, a historic neo-Gothic villa in Palermo, is scheduled at 8:20 p.m.
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.