Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - October 7, 2018 - After two and a half months of work, at the "Don Bosco Study Center" of the Xuan Hiep Salesian complex, the transformation of the old gym into a library and congress hall was completed. The library can host 150 people at the same time for consultations and has a capacity of about 90 thousand books; the congress hall can accommodate over 230 people. In this way the Salesians can now carry out many activities to better respond to the needs of the local people and the students of Theology. In the Salesian complex there is also a new parish church dedicated to Don Bosco, a large non-formal school for 600 migrant children and the community for specific formation to the priesthood, where every year more than 35 students, Salesians and others, begin their Theological studies.

Guatemala City, Guatemala - October 2018 - On October 6, in the temple of the parish "San Juan Bosco", Walter Armando Solís Culajay made his perpetual profession as a Salesian of Don Bosco. The celebration was presided by Fr Ángel Prado, Provincial of the Central American Province (CAM).

Rome, Italy - October 2018 - On October 7, feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, the Salesian Cooperators of the "Angela Vespa" Center Auxilium Rome renewed their counsel in the presence of Antonio Boccia, World Councilor of Salesian Cooperators for the Italian Region - Middle East - Malta. After the recitation of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary and the reading of Don Bosco's dream concerning the defeat of the Serpent with a rope signifying the weapon of the Rosary, the World Councilor spoke to the audience about the meaning of being Cooperators and the service to the Association.

Krakow, Poland - October 2018 - In view of the upcoming Missionary Sunday and Mission Week (19-25 October), the Salesian Missionary Volunteer Service "Młodzi Światu" of the Krakow Province (PLS) and the Salesian Missionary Center of the Warsaw Province (PLE) have organized a campaign that will develop around the motto "Your help - My future". The initiative will serve to help the young Salesians of the seminar of Moshi, in Tanzania, where 68 clerics from 13 African countries study philosophy. The Mission Sunday and the Mission Week will be lived this year in Poland under the motto: "Student of Christ, Missionary of Hope".

Further information on the "Młodzi Światu" website 

Vatican City, Vatican - October 2018 - On 10 October, as part of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis met briefly with Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a member of the Synod. The Pontiff said that he prays for the Salesians and the Rector Major in turn assured him that all Salesians continually entrust their intentions to Mary Help of Christians for the Pope.

Caracas, Venezuela - October 2018 - From 3 to 5 October, the meeting of parish priests and directors of the various Salesian houses of the country took place at the Provincial House of Salesians in Venezuela (VEN), with the objective of making known the pastoral, administrative and social activities in the 2018-19 period that has just begun.