Quetta, Pakistan – March 2025 – On March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, the Don Bosco Learning Center in Quetta celebrated 23 years of existence and dedication to education. To mark the occasion, students and teachers organized a special event attended by Fr. Pervez Raza, OMI, parish priest of Christ the King Parish and Vicar General of the Apostolic Vicariate of Quetta, along with Fr. Amir Shehzad, OMI.
During the celebration, Komal Munir, a 10th-grade student, gave an emotional account of Don Bosco’s presence in Quetta, while Zarbano Muhammad Ali highlighted the current services of the center. Fr. Samuel Adnan, SDB, Rector of the institution, described the event as an act of gratitude to God and the community, especially honoring Fr. Pietro Zago, the pioneer who dedicated his life to educating young minds and nurturing their potential.
To make the day even more special, a new skills training center for women and youth was inaugurated by Fr. Tahir Satar, parish priest of St. Pius X Parish. The event saw the participation of many young people and community members, with Fr. Adnan leading the program and blessing the newly equipped building.
Viedma, Argentina – March 2025 – The 11th edition of the pilgrimage to Viedma for Saint Artemide Zatti took place over the weekend of March 15–16, under the theme "With Zatti, a pilgrim of hope, be a witness", commemorating his 74th death anniversary on March 15. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the first Salesian missionary expedition sent to Argentina by Saint John Bosco in 1875.
The pilgrimage included various events: on Saturday, a cycling trip from the "Don Zatti" chapel to the Don Bosco parish—the church where Saint Artemide Zatti’s remains rest—was followed by a lively Salesian oratory celebration and a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Bishop of Viedma, Monsignor Esteban Laxagüe, SDB, who also administered the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The main celebrations took place on Sunday, beginning in the morning with a pilgrimage from Viedma Cathedral. After nearly two hours of walking, Monsignor Laxagüe presided over the Mass in front of Don Bosco Parish. At midday, artistic performances were held at the Saint Artemide Zatti School.
A day before the pilgrimage, Viedma’s City Council hosted the first online conference with Boretto, Italy, Zatti’s birthplace (October 12, 1880). Viedma’s mayor, Marcos Castro, city councilor Natalia Macri, and Monsignor Laxagüe took part in the meeting to strengthen ties between the two towns. Representing Boretto were Mayor Andrea Codelupi and Deputy Mayor Andrea Vaccari, who emphasized the immense legacy of Saint Artemide Zatti.
(ANS – Turin) – The day after the election of the new Rector Major, the Chapter members gathered in Valdocco proceeded with the selection of his Vicar, appointing Fr. Stefano Martoglio. His reappointment reflects the appreciation for the work he has done over the past five years in the same role and the invitation to continue supporting Fr. Fabio Attard.
Turin, Italy – March 2025 – On March 25, the 29th General Chapter of the Society of St. Francis de Sales elected Fr. Fabio Attard as the new Rector Major. He is the 11th Successor of Don Bosco, entrusted with leading the Salesian Congregation and continuing its mission of serving young people, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, across 136 countries worldwide.
On the evening of March 25, upon his arrival from Rome to Turin, the new Rector Major was warmly welcomed and greeted. This was followed by the formal act of the profession of faith, the most solemn and institutional moment of the occasion. Fr. Attard then delivered his first address, outlining his vision and key directions for the Congregation. The day after his election, he also celebrated his first Mass as Rector Major in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco, Turin.
(ANS – Bahía Blanca) – The night of March 21, 1975, remains deeply etched in the collective memory of the Argentine Salesian community due to a tragic event: the invasion of a Salesian house dedicated to higher education at the "John XXIII" Institute in Bahía Blanca, accused of being subversives. In the darkness of that night, a tense and anguished silence gripped the religious community, enveloping it in fear and uncertainty. The shadow of state terrorism loomed over that house, where the poorest were defended at the cost of blood with the same passion and dedication with which Jesus preached in the Gospels.
(ANS-Turin) – This morning marked a significant moment in the history of the Salesian Congregation: Fr. Fabio Attard, the new Rector Major and 11th Successor of Don Bosco, presided over his first Mass at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco, Turin. It was a solemn and deeply spiritual occasion marked by gratitude and reflection, during which the Salesian Family gathered to give thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist and to meditate on the mission and vision of Don Bosco’s successor.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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Italy – GC29, Fr. Attard: “Listening to Young People Around the World, Don Bosco’s Method Is Still Relevant”(ANS – Turin) – "Avvenire" is a prominent Italian daily official newspaper of the Catholic Church in Italy which has featured an article on our New Rector Major Fr. Fabio Attard. We present you an extract from the article:
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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France – Education and Poverty: When “ATD-Quart Monde” and the Don Bosco Network Share Their Reflections(ANS – Paris) – In France, three million children live in families whose income falls below the poverty line. For this reason, the topic of “Education and Poverty” deeply resonates with the Don Bosco Salesian Family. On Tuesday, April 1, the Don Bosco Foundation in France brought together two committed voices—Marie-Aleth Grard, president of “ATD-Quart Monde,” (ATD Altogether in Dignity – Fourth World) and Fr. Jean-Marie Petitclerc, SDB, Vice Provincial of the Salesian Province “St. Francis de Sales” of France and Southern Belgium—for a discussion on this crucial theme.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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United States – World Health Day: Salesian Missions highlights health programs for people living in poverty(ANS – New Rochelle) - Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian and other international organizations in honoring World Health Day on April 7. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) held the First World Health Assembly and designated the day to mark the founding of WHO. The first World Health Day was held in 1950. Every year it serves as an opportunity to draw worldwide attention to a particular theme of importance related to global health.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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WE ARE DON BOSCO TODAYTHE 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.
