(ANS – Paris) – "Education is a process of relationship so that an individual, young or old, can take from themselves all the abilities that God has given them and place them at the service of society." Archbishop Cristóbal López Romero, appointed Cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019, is also a Salesian of Don Bosco and therefore, ça va sans dire, is passionate about educational issues. The Salesian cardinal, a native of Spain, with pastoral experience also in Latin America, was in Paris from 26 to 28 February last, and in fluent French he spoke at a series of meetings, also giving an important interview on the national Catholic channel KTO.
(ANS – Rome) – Preparatory work is underway for the 29th General Chapter (GC29) of the Salesians of Don Bosco, scheduled in Valdocco, Turin, from 16 February to 12 April 2025 on the theme "PASSIONATE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, DEDICATED TO YOUNG PEOPLE. Living our Salesian vocation faithfully and prophetically.“ Card. Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major, has appointed the members of the Pre-Chapter Commission.
(ANSin – Rome) – A few weeks after his last visit to Brazil, which took place between the end of January and the beginning of February at the Province of Recife, Brazil, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians, is returning once more to the South American country to make an Animation Visit to the St Alphonsus Liguori Province of Campo Grande, Brazil (BCG), which this year celebrates the 130th anniversary of the presence of the Sons of Don Bosco in the territory. The 10th Successor of Don Bosco will spend a total of 10 days there, from Wednesday 6 to Friday 15 March 2024, and a good part of his visit will take place in the indigenous villages of Meruri, São Marcos and Sangradouro, in the State of Mato Grosso, where the Salesians offer accompaniment and assistance for integral human development to the Boe-Bororo and Xavante populations.
(ANS - Rome) – On Tuesday, 5 March 2024, the Holy See Press Office announced that the Holy Father Pope Francis has assigned to Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, the Rector Major of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, the titular See of Ursona, with archiepiscopal dignity, in view of his episcopal ordination scheduled for coming 20 April.
Sumba, Indonesia – 5 March 2024 – The Salesian St Aloysious Versiglia Province of Indonesia (INA), has organised a workshop on religious life for Salesian aspirants and pre-novices in order to allow them to acquire knowledge so that they can recognize their respective vocations. The week-long workshop is being led by FrVincentius Prastowo, SDB, and Fr Silverius Andang Kencana Aji, SDB. The program addresses a wide range of issues including: self-transcendence; recognizing and reviewing one's vocation in life; making Don Bosco a model; Salesian vocation following the example of Don Bosco; deepening the figure of Don Bosco; crises, challenges and opportunities; sexual abuse; serving; the bases of the Salesian Preventive System for pastoral care on Social Media; creating a Personal Life Project.
(ANS) – 2nd March 2024 will be a day to remember for the members of BOSCOM (Salesian Media Network of South Asia) as it marked the launching of its new initiative the “Luminata” project. There were over 60 participants present online from across South Asia consisting of Salesian Social Communication delegates of provinces, members of the Provincial Social Communication Commission, FMA and other Salesian family of Media Animators and various Lay members involved in the media ministry.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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Chile – Former Salesian student in the fight against Alzheimer's disease(ANS - Santiago) - Dr Nibaldo Inestrosa, graduate of the Salesian Institute in Valdivia and national prize of Natural Sciences winner, is a pioneer and expert in the study of Alzheimer's disease in the country. In this interview, he offers an insight into the current challenges, but not before reflecting on his formative experience at the Salesian Institute in Valdivia and how this influenced his interest in biology and science.
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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Italy – On-Line Course on Integral Ecology 2025: An Initiative of the Alliance for the Care of Our Common Home (Pontifical Universities & Atheneums of Rome)(ANS – Rome) – 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical letter on the Care for Our Common Home, in which he invited all people of good to “a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet” (Laudato Si’, 14). However, as Pope Francis recognizes in Laudate Deum, the apostolic exhortation published on 4th October 2023, “our responses have not been adequate” and “the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point.” (Laudate Deum, 2).
SPECIAL REPORTS
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RMG - St. Francis de Sales Communicator: All for Love(ANS – Rome) - The figure of St. Francis de Sales, chosen by Don Bosco as an example of a communicator, teaches that communication is a matter of the heart. In his expression, "Everything in the Church is love: everything lives in love, for love, and of love," we understand his revolution in the way of communicating, and how communication becomes fruitful when it allows communion and the exchange of one's experiences in a path of accompaniment and collaboration in God's project.
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."