Tijuana, Mexico - October 2017 - On October 24, at the community of the Tijuana Salesian Project, the Eucharist was celebrated in the presence of the three Salesian Provincials of Bolivia, Venezuela and United States East and Canada, respectively Fr Javier Ortiz, Fr Francisco Méndez and Fr Timothy Zak. At the end of Mass, the three provincials took part in distributing meals to the house's beneficiaries, vulnerable people, including many migrants.
Tete, Mozambique - October 2017 - On October 29, in the cathedral of "São Tiago Maior" in the diocese of Tete, Mgr. Edgar Peña Parra, Apostolic Nuncio in Mozambique, ordained the Salesian Sérgio Daniel Saíde priest in the presence of ecclesiastical figures, the Superior of Mozambique's Vice Province, Fr Marco Biaggi, local Salesians, and many faithful.
Seoul, South Korea - October 2017 - On October 22, Seoul's five Salesian communities gathered at the Provincial House to celebrate the Day of the Salesian Missionary, attended by 40 Salesians and Fr Václav Klement, Councilor for East Asia – Oceania Region.
Johannesburg, South Africa - October 2017 - Sister Helen Hartnett, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), promotes an assistance program for families with children who have recently settled in the new settlements on the outskirts of Johannesburg. The children being hosted come from extremely poor families, attend lessons to the third grade, and receive a daily meal. Since the ground is not suitable for the construction of buildings, containers have been set up as classrooms, a cafeteria, and bathrooms, mostly through donations from Hindu and Muslim groups, which also provide students with uniforms, books and food. The locals themselves police over the structure, keeping it safe from theft, vandalism and violence.
Rome, Italy – October 2017 - From 22 to 25 October, the XV Congress of the World Organization of Former Students of Catholic Schools (OMAEC) met on the theme "People and Values to Transform Society" for what was the 50th anniversary of its foundation. Founded in 1967 at the invitation of Paul VI, the OMAEC brings together the world confederations of Past Pupils of various congregations, continental unions and associations, and the national federations of the past pupils of the Catholic schools of four continents. SDB and FMA alumni were among the OMAEC's founding members. Among the participants, Angel Gudiña, GEX Vice President, and 15 SDB and FMA past pupils.
Scutari, Albania - October 2017 - On 20 and 21 October, at Scutari's "Mary Help of Christians" Center, the Institute of Didactic Methodology and the Faculty of Education Sciences of the Salesian Pontifical University of Rome (UPS) organized an International Conference for Teachers of Salesian and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians schools of Albania and Kosovo. "Learning conditions; what is the role of teachers today; what skills are required to motivate students," were the themes that brought together about 150 teachers from Tirana, Scutari, Tale, Gijlan and Pristina. Work started soon after the director's - Sister Michaela Kubickova – greeting. Fr Angelo Santorsola, IME Provincial, and Sr Carla Meschini, FMA, Vicar of the Provincial, continued with their presentations: on educational relationship; class management; how to tackle critical situations in an educational fashion; on verifying the importance of metacognition in the learning process.