Shillong, India – January 2025 – On 5 January 2025, Deacon Shanborlin Khardewsaw was ordained priest at the parish of Mount Carmel in Rambrai by Bishop Willbert Marwein, Bishop of Nongstoin. About 7000 people from all walks of life participated in the ceremony, coming from various regions, along with 35 priests. This event marked a significant milestone as Salesian Shanborlin Khardewsaw became the first priest of Rambrai in many years, bringing great joy and pride to the people of Rambrai and the entire Catholic community. In fact, his path as a young aspiring priest is a source of inspiration for many young people.

Piazza Armerina, Italy – January 2025 – From 3 to 5 January, the Adolescent Meeting 2025 of the Salesian Youth Movement of Sicily was held in Piazza Armerina: #Remember #Celebrate #Build. These are the three words that guided the days and that recall the project developed by the Regional SYM Council on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Salesian Youth Movement in Sicily. A meeting involved about 140 adolescents, engaged on a path of reflection, sharing, formation and Salesian youth spirituality. Fifty years is an extraordinary achievement, but it is also a starting point. The days spent filled the heart with passion and hope for the future. "We continue to build, to celebrate, to remember why we are heirs of a great history that continues even today and that is called to write splendid pages of Salesian mission, witnessing the Gospel of joy in everyday life", the Sicily SYM say.

Vienna, Austria – January 2025 - The Vienna Formation Community celebrated its 10th anniversary on 10 January in conjunction with the day dedicated to Blessed Titus Zeman. The celebrations began with an open day during which Salesians, friends and benefactors were able to get to know the house and the work of the community. Guided tours of community spaces, personal conversations, and a presentation through a photo exhibition offered a lively look at the life and evolution of the community over the past decade. In the afternoon, a convivial moment took place, characterized by a festive atmosphere, during which the participants were able to share moments of joy and inspiration, enriched by exchanges and reflections on the life and spiritual legacy of Blessed Titus Zeman. The day ended with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr Siegfried Kettner, Superior of the Salesian Province of Austria (AUS). During the homily, Blessed Titus Zeman was remembered as a model of faith and community for modern times. At the end of the mass, an agape ended the day in an atmosphere of fraternity. The celebrations expressed deep gratitude and witnessed a living and shared faith.

Story and photo: P. Johannes Haas SDB

Malta – January 2025 - South Sudanese asylum seeker Achuil Abdalla has found his calling in medicine after a personal tragedy. In 2005, in fact, his mother died in a hospital without essential resources, motivating him to make medical education his life's mission. Now 21, Achuil is a nursing student in Malta, and is doing his internship at the St James Hospital, with the dream of becoming a doctor. Achuil arrived in Malta at the age of 16 on board the NGO rescue ship “Sea Watch 3” after being recovered off the Libyan coast with 31 other people in December 2018. Despite the challenges of applying for asylum and adjusting to life in a new country, Achuil persevered, passing examinations and excelling in nursing studies. Achuil is still grateful to the Salesians for their support, which he says was fundamental. Upon arrival, they provided him with accommodation and assistance at the Osanna Pia Home, a Salesian centre in Malta that offers shelter and opportunities to vulnerable individuals. The house, currently the residence of the Superior of the MLT Vice-Province, reflects the Salesian commitment to promote resilience, education and assistance for those in need and on the margins of society. As Achuil continues to confront the uncertainties of his being an asylum seeker, his determination and the support he received pushed him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a doctor and thus honoring his mother's memory.

Daejeon, South Korea – January 2025 – On Friday, 3 January, two new novices began their Salesian life through the novitiate acceptance ceremony presided over by Fr Marcello Baek, Superior of the Salesian Korean Holy Martyrs South Korea Province (KOR). The main individuals of the day were Francis Park and Francis Kim, who began their formative journey to be the new Don Bosco for Korean youth. The event was attended by 20 Salesians who were completing their annual retreat at the local Salesian Educatve and Pastoral Centre, who congratulated the novices for embarking on this journey of faith, and prayed together that they would become good Salesians. Now it will be Fr Wee Felix, Director of Novices in the KOR Province, who will accompany the two novices on their journey.

Sultan Bathery, India – January 2025 – The three-day national conference "Innovations in interventions for the indigenous population" opened on Thursday, 9 January, at Don Bosco College Sultan Bathery. The event marks the beginning of the promotion of dialogue, research and solutions for the emancipation of indigenous communities. Organised by the Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (IMHANS), the ribal Mental Health Project, the Department of Psychosocial Support in Disaster Management (DPSSDM) in Bangalore, as well as the Salesian host institute, the event brings together experts from various fields to address the mental and physical health issues faced by tribal communities. On the opening day, after the opening address by Fr Antony Thekkedath, Principal and Dean of Don Bosco College, Dr Subhasis Bhadra, head of the DPSSDM, presented the objectives of the conference. Subsequently, the Mayor of Sultan Bathery, Mr T.K. Ramesh, affirmed the importance of sensitising indigenous communities, fostering change through education, providing them with land, and implementing effective precautions against natural disasters. The director of IMHANS in Kozhikode, Dr P. Krishna Kumar, stressed the need for collaborative efforts to address the challenges faced by tribal communities; while Prof. N. Vinod Chandra Menon, founding member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), highlighted the critical gaps in access to health and mental health services, in particular among indigenous populations, underlining the urgent need for better strategies.