NEWS
(ANS – Warsaw) – From October 28 to 31, 2024, 25 provincial coordinators of Salesian schools from Europe and the Mediterranean basin gathered in Warsaw, Poland. Representatives from the following regions were present: Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, North Africa (Morocco and Egypt), Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, Germany, and Turkey.
(ANS – Port Louis) – Fr. Alfred Maravilla, General Councillor for Missions, visited the Salesian community on the island of Mauritius for missionary animation from November 4 to 7, 2024. Mauritius hosts a single Salesian presence under the “Mary Immaculate” Vice-Province of Madagascar (MDG).
(ANS – Turin) – Visitors to the Salesian Motherhouse in Turin-Valdocco over recent weeks will have noticed significant construction works underway. Most notably, the square in front of the basilica is undergoing renovations. Additionally, scaffolding indicates restoration work on both towers and the basilica roof. There was an urgent need to stabilize the two bell towers and, especially, to almost completely renew the statues of the Virgin Mary and two angels, as corrosion from exhaust gases and weather had severely damaged some statues.
PHOTO GALLERY
INTERVIEWS
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RMG – The missionaries of the 155th Salesian Missionary Expedition: Guy Roger Mutombo Mutshi, from the Vice-Province of Africa Congo Congo (ACC) to the Province of Southern Italy (IME)(ANS – Rome) – The final word from the new Salesian missionaries comes from Congolese Guy Roger, a missionary in the Province of Southern Italy. "My plans and dreams for my missionary life are to live in communion of spirit and action with my Salesian brothers in IME for the salvation of poor and abandoned young people, according to the heart of Don Bosco and to the greater glory of God".
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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Italy - The reform of Technical and Vocational Education at the heart of the debate: a comparison on the development of the vocational chain and the 4+2 model(ANS - Rome) - Over 2.1 billion euro will be invested in 2023 for training and labour policies, of which 70%, 1.4 billion, will be earmarked for vocational training and 30%, 640 million, for active labour policies. These are the figures that will be presented next Thursday, 14 November 2024, at the ‘Sala Zuccari’ at Palazzo Giustiniani in Rome, during the annual seminar organised by the Centro Nazionale Opere Salesiane-Formazione e Aggiornamento Professionale (CNOS-FAP) and the PTSCLAS consultancy firm ‘on vocational training and employment policies.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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United States – World Children’s Day: Salesian Missions highlights educational and social programs that empower youth(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 recognizing World Children’s Day. Celebrated each year on Nov. 20, the day was established in 1954 to promote international togetherness and awareness on children’s issues worldwide. To date, 194 countries have signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and are bound by international law to ensure it is implemented.
MESSAGES OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
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THE ROSE PATHTHE MESSAGE OF THE VICAR OF THE RECTOR MAJOR,
Fr Stefano Martoglio, SDB"How lucky Don Bosco is! His path is forever strewn with roses! He hasn't a worry in the world. No troubles at all!" But they couldn't see the thorns that were piercing my poor legs.” Nevertheless, I kept going. Every life is interwoven with thorns and roses as in Don Bosco's famous “Dream of the Roses and Thorns.” Hope is the force that keeps us going despite the thorns.