(ANS - Damascus) - Damascus, the capital of Syria, is experiencing very difficult days. "It has always been like this in these seven years of war, but these days we suffer even more because many missiles and mortar shells are being fired from the Ghouta, an area on the outskirts of Damascus, full of jihadists and many other fundamentalist groups." This is how Fr Mounir Hanachi, a Salesian from Aleppo, currently the director of the Salesian center in Damascus, describes the difficult hours that the city is experiencing.
Omegna, Italy - February 2018 - "February 20 is the anniversary of my illness: and I celebrate it as a day blessed by God; auspicious day, full of joy, among the most beautiful of my life." These are the words with which Venerable Andrea Beltrami (1870-1897), together with the anniversary of his religious profession and priestly ordination, celebrated the beginning of his serious illness. On this occasion, he recited the Te Deum by heart for having granted him the Lord to suffer for Him. This anniversary was celebrated on February 20 by the Christian community of Omegna (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola) with a solemn Mass presided over by Fr Pierluigi Cameroni, SDB, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints, in the presence of numerous priests, seminarians of the Diocese of Novara and members of the Salesian Family.
Bogotá, Colombia - February 2018 - From February 9 to 11, the first meeting of the National Council of SYM Colombia 2018 took place. Taking part in the formative event were the Delegates for the Youth Ministry of Colombia who together also organized the annual Operative Plan of the SYM Council.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - February 2018 - The Department of Social Communication of the AET Salesian Province has announced the launch of a new "app" of the Salesian Bulletin on the Google Play Store. The app, which was created by an Indian company with the collaboration of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Ethiopia, is completely free and can be downloaded on Android phones from Google Play Store; a new version for iPhone is under development. The app - "Don Bosco Bulletin Ethiopia" - is divided into two parts: one dedicated to the SB and the other to the provincial newsletter. It is certainly a big step forward to communicaing with young people who make up more than 70% of the Ethiopian population, the second largest nation on the African continent.
Rome, Italy - February 2018 - On February 21, the Formation Commission of the Conference of Salesian Provinces of Italy, CISI, and of the Middle East met at the Salesian Central headquarters. The meeting saw two especially important moments: the first dealt with the topics discussed in the year's various formation sessions, with the preparation of the 2018-2019 calendar; in the second, Fr. Giuseppe Roggia of the Salesian Pontifical University discussed, in a conference, the Permanent Formation of the Salesians today, followed by a dialogue between the participants.
Turin, Italy - 23 February 2018 - In the day of prayer and fasting called by Holy Father Francis to implore the gift of peace, the faithful gathered today in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin are invited to offer their prayers for the needs of the Salesian Family in Syria. This intention is to be expressed via a lit candle before the picture of Mary Help of Christians in the Basilica, a further stage of the path of thanksgiving and prayer inaugurated by the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, in the context of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the consecration of the Basilica of Valdocco.