San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala - December 2024 - On 6 December, the Church of the Good Shepherd at the Don Bosco Centre in San Pedro Carchá was the scene of a great celebration: the 1st Parish Meeting of Ministries on the theme ‘Called to be with you’. The event, organised by the local Salesian community, brought together more than 4,100 altar servers from seven parish areas. The day was attended by altar servers, their families, church leaders and members of the Salesian community from the missionary parish in the host city. The highlight was the celebration of the Eucharist, celebrated in Q'eqchi' and Spanish. In his homily, Fr Carlos Hernández, SDB, emphasised that ‘the essence of the minister lies in service: towards the Church, the community and above all towards one's own families’. The meeting highlighted the commitment and love of the altar servers who came from remote communities to participate, and left a profound lesson: Jesus calls children to be servants, and altar servers represent the beginning of a life dedicated to faith.

Zagreb, Croatia - December 2024 - The newly formed Friends of Don Bosco in Croatia recently organised an animation leadership meeting in Zagreb, bringing together over 45 leaders. Many of these participants have a rich history with the Salesian Family, having received formation and experience in parishes, university chaplaincies and oratories. The President of the World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Bryan Magro, addressed the meeting, emphasising the importance of the identity, values, commitment and mission of the Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco. He stressed the need for a synodal approach, inviting all members to work together to build the organisation as an integral part of the Salesian Family in Croatia. Salesian Brother Dominic Nam, World Delegate for Past Pupils of Don Bosco, emphasised the crucial role of Past Pupils and Friends in the Salesian mission. He encouraged the group to dream big and imagine the future of this new organisation. In the coming months, further regional meetings will be held in three other locations in Croatia, where other regional centres will be formed as part of the national Association. Meanwhile, from 6 to 8 December, the Executive Council of the World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco met in Zagreb. During the meeting, the Council evaluated the recent Extraordinary General Assembly and the first three years of the current Presidency. In addition, new initiatives and activities were planned for the second half of the mandate.

Wayanad, Kerala, India – December 2024 – SIGHT Wayanad, an NGO initiated by Don Bosco College Sulthan Bathery, has officially launched its program aimed at uplifting the local community, with a particular focus on the Paniya tribal community. The inauguration ceremony was led by Shri. O. R. Kelu, Kerala’s Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes. The event featured several dignitaries, including Shri. Justin Baby, Block Panchayat President; Ratnavally, Chairperson of the Municipality of Manathavady; Mr. K.S. Shaji, Joint Excise Commissioner of North Zone; Mr. Jimmy Joseph, Deputy Commissioner of Wayanad; Ms. Sindhu Sebastian, Ward Councillor; and Dr. Antony Thekkedath, Rector and Manager of Don Bosco College, along with Najmudheen, TEO Panamaram. As part of its mission, SIGHT Wayanad will offer a six-month PSC coaching course to 50 students, providing them with essential resources and guidance to enhance their educational prospects. This initiative underscores the college's commitment to empowering local youth and improving their future opportunities.

Celbridge, Ireland - December 2024 - On 8 December, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the second Sunday of Advent, a group of Salesian Cooperators and a number of aspirants met for a day of formation at the Salesian House in Celbridge. The meeting, focused on the theme of peace, began with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Provincial, Fr Eunan McDonnell, together with the local Salesian community. After Mass, in a spirit of joy and as is traditional for the Salesian Family, dinner was shared. Afterwards, the participants gathered again for a lecture on St Francis de Sales, presented by Fr McDonnell, which was followed by an open discussion and question and answer session.

Van Phuc, Vietnam - December 2024 - On Thursday, 5 December, Salesian Economers (Bursars) from the “Our Lady of La Vang” Delegation in North Vietnam spent a full day at the Van Phuc community to meet, learn together and share administrative issues. Fr Thomas Vu Kim Long gave some suggestions on the role of the Economer/Bursar in the Salesian mission, in line with the future development of the Delegation. Mr Le Quoc Hieu, an expert in auditing, gave a talk on the importance of knowing how to compile proper reports, as well as property management. Salesian Brother Peter Nguyen Hoang Phi, Economer/Bursar of the North Vietnam Delegation, shared and updated the participants on the financial situation of the Delegation and the communities, and also explained the form of reports and how to exercise the role of Salesian Economer/Bursar. After lunch, Fr Francis Xavier Tran Cong Phan gave a talk on the Economer/Bursar in his evangelical dimension and the Salesian Mission, according to the spirit of Don Bosco. Finally, the Economers/Bursars briefly presented the current situation of local works and the financial situation of their respective communities.

Guwahati, India - December 2024 - The 4th International Conference on Education for Headmasters and School Administrators, on the theme ‘Creativity and Innovation in Schools: the Role of the Headmaster’, opened on 6 December at the Don Bosco School in Kharghuli. The event brought together educational leaders, headmasters and administrators to explore the crucial role of creativity and innovation in shaping the future of education. The keynote speaker, Prof. Amarjyoti Choudhury, former Chancellor of Gauhati University and former Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University, reflected on the essence of creativity and innovation, drawing attention to the simple innovations present in everyday life. Prof. Choudhury also referred to scientific discoveries, noting how great leaders, spiritual and otherwise, have used creativity to drive change and attract followers. He then encouraged the headmasters to embrace creativity to address current and future challenges. Fr Sebastian Kuricheal, SDB, Superior of Guwahati Province (ING), emphasised that a headmaster must lead the institution through daily challenges, focusing on the moral development of students, the reputation of the school and the overall shaping of students‘ futures; and therefore urged the participants to inspire innovation and shape students’ lives with a vision for the future. During the opening programme, a book on social sciences written by Fr Rayappan of the Tezpur Catholic Board, published by Merina Publication, was also released.