(ANS - Turin) - As Don Bosco reiterated, Mary is "Help of Christians". The feast of May 24 is a Salesian devotion that involves each faithful and the Church in their essence.
Asunción, Paraguay - May 2019 - About 300 young people from the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) gathered to pay tribute to Mary Help of Christians with prayers, activities and songs. After the meeting, the traditional pilgrimage of youths to the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians took place, where Fr Mario Villalba, Superior of the Salesian Province of Paraguay, presided over the Eucharistic celebration.
(ANS - Turin) - For the Salesians, Mary Help of Christians is much more than a personal devotion: she is a dimension of the charism and of the mission. This is why the feast of Mary Help of Christians in the city of Don Bosco is never a local event, but rather an event that calls for global attention. Again this year, the main events can be seen and followed via different options.
Saint Pius V, after the Battle of Lepanto, decided to establish the feast of the Holy Rosary, and that the invocation "Mary Help of Christians" should also be included in the Lauretan Litany;
Pope Pius VII instituted the feast of Mary Help of Christians, in memory of his return to Rome after being imprisoned in the palace of Fontainebleau by Napoleon Bonaparte;
Pope John XXIII cultivated a special devotion to the Help of Christians and proclaimed her Patroness of the Council with the titles of Auxilium Christianorume Auxilium Episcoporum;
(ANS – Port Vila) – After the first exploratory visit of the PGS Vice-province Confreres (Provincial Fr Alfred Maravilla from PNG and Fr Srimal from Solomon Islands) last August 2018, this time the PGS Provincial superior with the EAO Regional Councillor made the visit to Port Villa (Vanuatu Republic capital) between 12-15 May 2019. The French/English-speaking country (lingua franca is Bislama, like the Pidgin English of Papua New Guinea) is very peaceful, with a Samoa-like population of 200,000 inhabitants spread over 6 provinces and 83 islands. The Catholic community is growing, with about 15% of the total population.
(ANS - Salta) - "The Salesian," said Pope Francis, "is an educator who embraces the fragility of children who live on the margins of society and without a future; he bends over their wounds and heals them like a good Samaritan.” The words of the Holy Father become reality in the different parts of the world in which a Salesian finds himself. As part of the celebrations for the month of Mary Help of Christians, the three Salesian houses in Salta made an important gesture of solidarity and extended the oratory to the whole city.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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Belgium – Isaac Kimeli, Past Pupil of the Don Bosco Institute in Hal, Olympic athletics finalist: "My past has made me who I am today"(ANS – Hal) – Belgian athlete Isaac Kimeli has competed in two Olympic finals in Paris: the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. In the first, he ranked eighth, in 13'18″10. Isaac arrived in Belgium at the age of 15 and was welcomed by the Salesians in Hal, near Brussels. In an interview with Don Bosco Magazine, he reviewed his career and his time at the Salesian school.
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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Brazil – 22nd National Meeting of Schools of the Salesian Network Brazil and 15th National Meeting of Local Economers(ANS – Brazil) – The 22nd National Meeting of Schools of the Salesian Network Brazil (ENARSE) and the 15th National Meeting of Local Economers (ENEL) took place online on 28 and 29 August. The event brought together the leaders of the schools and Provinces of the Salesian Network Brazil (RSB), with the aim of promoting ongoing formation in the managerial, pedagogical, pastoral, communicative and administrative-financial dimensions to strengthen the Salesian Educational Mission in the Network.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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Peru – From dreams to jungle: a spiritual and cultural journey in the unknown Kuyuntsa(ANS - Kuyuntsa) – Several decades ago, young Salesian missionary Luis (Luigi) Bolla left his life in Italy, driven by an inner voice that called him to explore lands unknown to him, but known to God. "You will have to walk a long way, carrying my Word," said the mysterious character who would change the course of his life.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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Between Admiration and PainTHE MESSAGE OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime
I cordially greet all Don Bosco’s friends who come here with interest. Today, I greet you for the last time from this page. As of August 16, the day on which we commemorate Don Bosco’s birth (August 16, 1815), my service as Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco ends. There’s always a reason to give thanks, always. Thank you! Thank you—to God, above all, to the Congregation and Salesian Family, to so many dear people, and to so many friends of Don Bosco’s charism, many of them benefactors.