Rome, Italy - October 2018 - Antonio Boccia is the new World Coordinator of the Association of Salesian Cooperators. The announcement was made by Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesian Congregation, on the evening of Saturday 27 October, during the 5th World Congress. "To know that the Salesian identity is a priority for you (all) leaves me joyful and peaceful," the Rector Major told the more than 300 participants at the Congress, coming from 66 countries. "Young people, in their reality, are our priority as Salesians in the world. I think that feeling this means that the Holy Spirit continues to accompany our reflection and the journey we take: they have been days of grace for the association." Fr Á.F Artime, referring to the closing of the Synod, in which he took part, recalled how "in the Synod document you will meet many elements that speak of young people, their poverty, their challenges." Before announcing the name of the new World Coordinator, the Rector Major thanked all three candidates and he spent words of gratitude for Noemi Bertola, outgoing Coordinator, for her efforts over the last six years, at the service of the association and young people all over the world.

Kiev, Ukraine - October 2018 - On October 27, the inauguration and blessing of the new Salesian house in Kiev was celebrated, with the inauguration of the new director. Present at the event: the auxiliary of the Archbishop Major of the Greek Catholics; the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine; the bishop secretary of the Holy Synod of the Greek-Catholic Church; the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr Francesco Cereda; the Provincial of Poland-Cracow; the Delegate for Belarus; Latin and Greek-Catholic directors and Salesians; Greek-Catholic diocesan priests, female and male religious, lay people and young people.

Savaii, Samoa - October 2018 - On 19 October the Salesian community of Salelologa, headed by Fr Visesio Tovia, belonging to the Pacific Provincial Delegation, organized a vocational day on the theme "Come and See", with the participation of several youths from the "Don Bosco College."

Mexico City, Mexico - October 24, 2018 - The "Casa del Hombre Nuevo" Spirituality Centers of Tlazala, State of México, and the "Casa de Cristo Buen Pastor" of
Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, were home to two joint formation sessions with 150 participants between Salesians and laity. Fr Ignacio Ocampo Uribe, SDB, led the courses, assisted by a group of lay people.

Szczyrk, Poland - October 2018 - On October 20, a group of ministrants of the Salesian Province of Krakow (PLS), accompanied by Fr Andrzej Król, PLS Youth Ministry Delegate, and several clerics of the theological student house of Krakow, carried out a pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Mother of God, Queen of Poland.

Paraguay - October 2018 - Children and young people from all the country's Salesian schools joined the 18 October initiative - "A million children recite the Rosary" – to pray for unity and peace. As has now been the case for thirteen years, on October 18, the Pontifical Foundation "Aid to the Church in Need" invites children from all over the world to pray. This is a proposal that in recent years has gathered ever more adherents in about 80 countries in every continent.