(ANS – Rome) – The first Salesians arrived in the Czech lands on September 28, 1927, then part of Czechoslovakia. Among these pioneer missionaries was a Czech Salesian, Venerable Fr. Ignác Stuchlý, who had hs formation process in Italy. In 1935, he became the first Provincial of the "Saint John Bosco" Province of Czechoslovakia.
Battersea, Great Britain – February 2025 – After more than 30 years, the Salesian Cooperators of Battersea had the joy of welcoming a new member into their Association: Sandra Drinan, a long-standing member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Battersea. Annabel Clarkson, Coordinator of the "South London" Salesian Cooperators Center—formed by merging the centers of Battersea, Rotherhithe, and Streatham—celebrated this special occasion. She highlighted how Sandra Drinan has dedicated many years to serving young people and the Salesian Family and possesses a deep knowledge of Don Bosco and all the Salesian Saints. The promise ceremony took place on the Feast of Don Bosco, with the presence of many friends, students, and colleagues of Sandra.
At the end of the Mass, she was presented with:
- Floral tributes,
- A copy of the Salesian Cooperators' Project of Apostolic Life,
- A commemorative plaque featuring Don Bosco and Mamma Margherita.
The event was a moment of great joy and renewal, reaffirming the commitment of the Salesian Cooperators in Battersea to Don Bosco’s mission.
Catemu, Chile – February 2025 – The Salesian Agricultural School of Catemu hosted the National Camp for Past Pupils of Chile, held from February 6 to 9. Young people from Iquique, La Serena, Valparaíso, Catemu, Santiago, Valdivia, and Antofagasta participated in the event. The gathering focused on personal development and the creation of national and local projects, centered around the theme: "Salesian Leadership as a Way of Life: Inspiring Past Pupils to Be Leaders for the Common Good." Over the four-day event, participants also developed a volunteer program under the guidance of the Federation of Past Pupils of Chile, aimed at strengthening their commitment to the community and Salesian mission. Jair Bacián, President of the Chilean Federation of Past Pupils, emphasized the importance of youth energy in keeping the Salesian legacy alive. Meanwhile, Fr. Néstor Muñoz, National Counselor, expressed his full confidence in young people’s ability to embrace and apply Salesian leadership.
Quito, Ecuador – February 2025 – From February 10 to 14, the Salesian Province of Ecuador (ECU) held its Communications Training Week, offering an intensive learning program.
Ten participants reflected on the importance of communication in the Church’s mission, exploring digital tools for podcast creation and innovative strategies to evangelize young people in the digital age.
The "Podcast for Communicators of Hope" workshop began with a welcome from Tatiana Capelo, Provincial Communications Delegate for ECU. She provided an overview of the current communication landscape in Ecuador.
Then, Marco Padilla from the Salesian Communications Office (OSC) introduced the document "Communicating in a Friendly Way with Today’s Youth," produced by the Salesian Communications Sector.
Throughout the week, participants explored podcast production, including content creation, scripting, episode structuring, and AI-based tools.
On the third day, Cristian Calderón (OSC) guided participants through a discussion on Pope Francis' Message for the 2025 World Communications Day.
Then, Fr. Augusto Sakihama, professor at UPS, presented insights into Don Bosco's legacy as a communicator. Inspired by Don Bosco, participants applied their new knowledge by creating a Salesian podcast, focusing on:
Transmitting values. Addressing young people's concerns. Providing digital spaces for faith and creativity to meet.
Their goal was to bring the Gospel to new digital frontiers.
The second day focused on:
The importance of preserving Salesian history (with Angélica Almeida from the ECU Provincial Historical Archive). The impact of fake news. The role of young people as positive influencers. Developing new communication ideas centered on hope and authenticity.
Madrid, Spain – February 2025 – The orientation teams from most Salesian schools in the Spain–St. James the Elder Province (SSM) participated in a gathering focused on tutorial action in schools.
On February 17 & 18, 55 participants met at the Don Bosco House in Madrid, following a structured work program aimed at achieving five key objectives:
Developing skills to implement educative action programs. Deepening knowledge of different areas of comprehensive education within pedagogical action. Designing specific projects for different school levels. Promoting collaboration among school counselors. Creating new strategies and materials for educational guidance.
Key aspects of each tutorial phase were outlined within an existing framework, ensuring continuity across Salesian schools. Based on a comprehensive educational roadmap, the participants identified fundamental elements that should be included in all schools and designed activities to be implemented within this framework.
"We have identified the fundamental approaches that cannot be absent in our schools and have designed activities based on these principles," explained Irune López, Coordinator of the Salesian Orientation Department (SSM).
Bogotá, Colombia – February 2025 – As part of the Extended Consultation of the Salesian Family, held on February 5 at the Provincial House in Bogotá, participants welcomed the new Superior of the COB Province, Fr. Rubén Darío Jaramillo, and introduced the new Provincial Delegate for the Salesian Family, Fr. Jonathan Camilo Plazas Beltrán. In his address, Fr. Jaramillo delivered an inspiring message focused on the 2025 Strenna and the significance of the Oratory. His speech emphasized the importance of maintaining hope and living the Jubilee as a 'spiritual pilgrimage,' inviting the entire Salesian Family to walk together in the joy of faith. Fr. Jaramillo also highlighted how both the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition and the Jubilee Year represent key moments to revitalize pastoral and evangelization efforts. Inspired by Don Bosco’s example, he urged all members of the Salesian Family to rediscover God’s presence in their daily lives and to become living witnesses of hope, especially for young people.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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.