Lviv, Ukraine - November 2017 - On 10 November, the liturgical function was celebrated with a bishop's funeral for Salesian bishop Andriy Sapelak. He passed away on November 6, aged 97. The celebration was presided by His Beatitude mons. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Archbishop Major and Head of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, in concelebration with 10 bishops from various Ukrainian eparchies. In the presence of the Salesian Family and the relatives of the deceased, the Archbishop Major recalled all the richness of the personality and work of Msgr Sapelak. He invited the Salesian Ukrainians to faithfully continue their mission, first implanted by the early Salesian patriarchs who, despite their advanced age, had the courage to go to a post-Soviet country, politically and economically weak, poor and emptied both morally and religiously. The words of condolence on behalf of the Rector Major were delivered by Fr Tadeusz Rozmus, Councilor of the Salesian Region of North Central Europe, on Extraordinary Visit to the Ukrainian Circumscription.
Vienna, Austria - November 2017 - On 9 and 10 November, the first meeting of the Advisory Group on the "Fundamental Rights Platform" was held, with Don Bosco International (DBI). It was presented by Ángel Gudiña, Executive Secretary of the DBI.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti - November 2017 - The two symbols of the WYD, the cross and the icon of the Virgin Mary, reached Haiti on November 11, and welcomed at the airport by Cardinal Chibly Langlois, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent and the Ambassador of Panama. The welcome was offered by the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, the Salesian Mgr. Sylvain Ducange. The youth delegations from all of the country's dioceses then carried the cross and the icon to the parish of Altagrace where a solemn ceremony took place. The two symbols will be on view in Haiti until November 25.
Messina, Italy - November 2017 - On November 11, Fr Giuseppe Ruta, Superior of the Province of Sicily (ISI), presided over the perpetual professions of Salesians Alberto Anzalone, Dario Spinella, Timoty Gangmei and Francis Angou.
Madrid, Spain - November 2017 - About 30 coordinators of Social Communication (SC) of the the Province of Santiago el Mayor (SSM) met on November 4 for a meeting coordinated by some members of the CS Commission. The event was attended by Fr Javier Valiente, Provincial Delegate of CS, who said, "Our educational and evangelizing action is communication." Also attending: Marian Serrano, from the CS Team of SSM Province, and Mateo González, of the CS Commission. Fr Valiente directed the first workshop of the day centered on the drafting of the CS Plan of each Salesian house; this was followed by group work and practical workshops.
Guatemala City, Guatemala - October 2017 - Salesians Jean Paul Bethancourt, Marcos Castillo and Efrén Mejía Artiga professed his perpetual vows on 21 October in the Saint John Bosco parish, Guatemala City.