Santiago de Cuba, Cuba - March 2017 - On 5 March, the youth of the parish of Mary Help of Christians took part in a Lenten retreat led by Fr Manel Morancho, SDB, on the theme "What is God doing in your life?".
Pindamonhangaba, Brazil - March 2017 - The "AcampaBosco" event was held from 17 to 19 March. Sixty-eight young people from various Salesian houses of the Province of São Paulo participated and experienced Salesian Spirituality through various activities.
Madrid, Spain - March 2017 - On 22 March there was the final meeting of the Commission for the unification of the three NGOs of the Salesians in Spain: "Jóvenes y Desarallo", "VOLS - Voluntariat Solidari" and "Solidaridad Don Bosco." This Commission has prepared a joint proposal for Mission-Vision-Values of what will be the future entity, its legal status and the organization and working areas. After this third and final meeting the final proposals will be presented to the Provincial Councils of the Salesians of Spain, who will meet on April 19 and, depending to the decision taken, will advance the unification process.
Caracas, Venezuela - March 2017 - The Salesian Province of San Lucas in Venezuela (VEN) organized a meeting of Rectors of the Salesian houses in the country, presided over by Fr Francisco Méndez, VEN Provincial, accompanied by the Provincial Council. The meeting dealt with issues related to provincial reconfiguration, as well as legal and pastoral issues, and there was a sharing of experiences on the delicate situation of the country.
Piura, Peru - 28 March 2017 - Despite the efforts of the workers and parents, who have tried to salvage everything, the Piura River has flooded Don Bosco College. The water reached a level of 1.50 and 1.70 meters. The Rector, Fr Angelo Carbajal says: "We lost the entire ground floor ... classrooms, multimedia equipment, sports, store rooms, maintenance shops, library, staff room, administrative offices and pastoral centre". "Fundación Don Bosco", with help from "Misiones Salesianas" in Madrid and "Don Bosco Mission" in Bonn, has set up three water pumps in Don Bosco College to try to limit the damage.
Cape Town, South Africa - March 2017 - Sister Patricia Finn, FMA and Fr Eoin Farrelly, SDB, are the authors of a series of texts for the Catechism of Confirmation that are used by young confirmation candidates in the Salesian Parish of St John Bosco in Robertsham, and by many more young people in diocesan parishes. On 25 March, Feast of the Annunciation, a new chapter in the series was published. The picture shows a group of confirmation candidates along with their catechist Eddie Garrido, who meet every Saturday at the Provincial House of Booysens, Johanesburg.