La Crau, France – June 2024 – About 350 students from Salesian schools in the south of France gathered to reflect on Don Bosco's Childhood Dream, whose bicentenary occurs this year. The day was organised and prepared by the Pastoral teams and teachers, in collaboration with the Directors of five Salesian schools: Sévigné" and Pastré in Marseille, Bon Accueil in Toulon, Don Bosco in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and the Nazareth institute in Nice. Also present, for the occasion, were Fr Xavier Ernst, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, and Fr Jean Laporte, Rector and Economer of the Salesian community in La Crau. Participants also had the opportunity to explore figures such as Don Bosco himself, Saint Dominic Savio and Mother Mazzarello, as well as to share their dreams with others. The day ended in a festive and family atmosphere, with a moment of prayer and song.
Morelia, Mexico – May 2024 – The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Anáhuac centre of the Salesian Cooperators and the renewal of the promise of 27 members of the Association took place Saturday 25 May in the city of Morelia, State of Michoacán. The Eucharist was celebrated by Fr José Luis Anguiano, SDB, and the renewal of the Promise was welcomed by Agustín Leopoldo Bautista Cisneros and María Guadalupe López Colmenares, ASC Provincial Councillors for Administration and Formation, respectively. They were accompanied by Sister Carmen Rodríguez Maldonado FMA, Delegate of local work, by the entire FMA community of work, and by the other groups of the Salesian Family active in Salesian work.
Porto Velho, Brazil – May 2024 – The Salesian community in Porto Velho, together with parishioners and devotees of Our Lady of Fatima, rejoiced on 31 May, the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the Mass of Dedication and reopening of the church in the Fatima Parish and Shrine. It took six months of work to redo the church's floor, walls, large windows, sound system, and air conditioning. The celebration was presided over by Archbishop Emeritus of Passo Fundo (RS), Archbishop Antonio Carlos Altieri, SDB, who together with the clergy and the numerous people carried out the entire sacred rite of dedication of the renewed church. Fr Sérgio Lúcio, Parish Priest and Rector, thanked the entire parish community and the devotees for their support, which made it possible to carry out the work, fully supported with the community's resources. Before the final blessing, the children studying catechism crowned the image of Our Lady.
Malta – May 2024 - The Salesian Vice-Province of Malta (MLT) met to celebrate the Provincial Chapter, a time of prayer, reflection and planning, from 27 to 31 May. Chapter members gave their contribution to the theme of the 29th General Chapter (GC29): "Passionate about Jesus Christ, dedicated to young people: Living our Salesian vocation faithfully and prophetically." The days were also the concluding stretch of a journey of discernment for the MLT Vice-Province, a process that began in October 2023, which brought together Salesians, lay people and consecrated persons, gathered together to seize new opportunities and growth in the Vice-Province.
Maynooth, Ireland – May 2024 – The Salesians in St Patrick's Province Ireland (IRL) celebrated, , the fiftieth anniversary of the Saint Francis de Sales community in Maynooth on the Feast of Mary Help of Christians. The conferral of the Ministry of Acolyte and Reader to five Salesians was also celebrated on the same day. Finally, 24 May also offered an opportunity for meeting among the members of the Salesian Family in Ireland, in particular among Salesians, FMA, Salesian Cooperators and Past Pupils.
Kigali, Rwanda – May 2024 - The 7th Provincial Chapter of the Salesian St Charles Lwanga Vice-Province of Africa Great Lakes (AGL) took from 28 to 31 May at the Don Bosco Hospitality Centre in Kigali, in the Salesian work at Gatenga. Present at the meeting were 34 Chapter members from the three countries of the Vice-Province: Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. The Chapter was opened by the Superior of the AGL Vice-Province, Fr Pierre-Célestin Ngoboka, and Fr Alphonse Owoudou, Councillor for the Africa-Madagascar Region, envoy of the Rector Major for the Extraordinary Visitation, presided over the Eucharist. Opening the Chapter, Fr Ngoboka invited Chapter members to communion and the spirit of discernment during the work. The Moderator of the Provincial Chapter, Fr Jean Bosco Ntirenganya, then presented the programme to be followed during the days and the working document containing a summary of the responses sent by the local communities. The delegates of the branches of the Salesian Family who presented the results of their activities of the last three years, as well as their dreams and projects, were also invited to the Provincial Chapter. Chapter members reflected on and explored the theme of the 29th General Chapter (GC29) and its three core areas and at the end of the various work phases, divided into groups, they approved the final document. They elected Fr Servilien Ufitamahoro, Economer of the AGL Vice-Province as Delegate to the GC29, and Fr Thomas Oloya, Rector of Salesian work in Bombo (Uganda), as his substitute. After four intense days of prayer, dialogue and reflection, Chapter members concluded the Provincial Chapter with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr Ngoboka.
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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Argentina – UNISAL Participates in the International Forum “Territories of the Future: South Atlantic and Antarctica”
(ANS – Río Grande) – From February 19 to 21, the cities of Río Grande, Tolhuin, and Ushuaia hosted the International Forum “Territories of the Future: South Atlantic and Antarctica”, organized by the University Network for the Care of the Common Home (RUC) and the Municipality of Río Grande, with support from the National University of Tierra del Fuego (UNTDF). The event brought together universities from Argentina, Latin America, and the Caribbean to discuss sustainability and conservation in these regions, with the Salesian University of Argentina (UNISAL) playing an important role.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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United States – International Women's Day: Salesian Missions highlights educational programs that empower women and girls
(ANS – New Rochelle) – Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8. The day honors the economic, political and social achievements of women while focusing the world’s attention on areas requiring further action.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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WE ARE DON BOSCO TODAY
THE MESSAGE OF THE VICAR OF THE RECTOR MAJOR, Fr Stefano Martoglio, SDB
Dear friends and readers, members of the Salesian Family, for this month's greeting in the Salesian Bulletin I will focus on a very important event that the Salesian Congregation is holding presently: General Chapter XXIX. This assembly, the most important one that the Congregation can experience, occurs every six years along the Salesian Congregation’s journey.