Pyeongchang, South Korea - February 9, 2018 - Salesian Fr Edward Pleń, from the Warsaw Province, participates as a chaplain of the Polish national team at the XXIII Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Since 2002, Fr. Pleń has been appointed by the Polish episcopate as national chaplain for the athletes; Pyeongchang's winter games will be the eighth in which Fr Pleń offers his spiritual service to Polish athletes.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia - 27 January 2018 - In 2007, the then director of "Don Bosco Phnom Penh", Fr Leonardo Ochoa, SDB, started a group of young residents called "Besucco Boys" in the Salesian boarding home, the goal being to create a space where young people could study and discover their individual talents. The experience, which celebrates its 10 years, has already given significant results with five vocations to religious and priestly life: three for the Catholic Church and two for the Salesian Congregation. Currently, there are 25 young students now part of it.
Guatemala City, Guatemala - January 2018 - On January 27, the diaconal ordinations of the Salesians Ramiro Aguirre, Raúl Cisneros, Guillermo Escobar, Marcelo Navarrete and Neri Paniagua were celebrated. The Eucharist was presided over by Msgr. Mario Fiandri, SDB, Vicar Apostolic of El Petén.
Curitiba, Brazil - 31 January 2018 - In the inter-provincial novitiate of Curitiba, Brazil-Porto Alegre Province (BPA), Fr Asídio Deretti, Provincial of the Porto Alegre Province, received the first Salesian Professions of 12 novices: 6 of Recife (BRE), 5 of São Paulo (BSP) and 1 of Porto Alegre (BPA). The new novitiate year (2018) which also began on January 31, will have 17 novices from the three aforementioned Provinces.
Zagreb, Croatia - January 2018 - On the occasion of the feast of St. Francis de Sales, ten women, prepared by Sister Jelena Kolar, made their promises as members of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA). The Mass was presided over by Fr Pejo Orkić, Superior of the Salesian Province of Croatia, in the presence of numerous members of the Salesian Family. ADMA is the 5th group of the Salesian Family present in Croatia after Salesians, FMA, Salesian Cooperators and Past Pupils.
Bangalore, India – February 2018 - On 2 February, during a meeting of the Bishops' Conference of the Bishops of India (CBCI), the autobiography of the Salesian Fr Tom Uzhunnalil was presented; its title: "By Grace of God". Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, CBCI President, released the book in the presence of Cardinal George Alancherry, Major Archbishop of the Syrian-Malabar, and of Cardinal Telesphoro Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi. The book narrates the life of Fr Tom from his childhood to his formation in the Salesian Congregation, to his missionary work in Yemen, and gives a detailed account of his abduction and imprisonment. The book is published by "Kristu Jyoti Publications" of the Salesians of Bangalore.