Milan, Italy - 25 March 2017 - During his pastoral visit to Milan Pope Francis visited the San Siro stadium and met with about 80,000 young confirmation candidates, along with their parents and teachers.
(ANS - Rome) - The Department for Social Communication of the Salesians and the Sector for Social Communication of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians are proposing an online initiative to study the Strenna for 2017. A new window called "WE ARE FAMILY" is already to be seen on the righthand side of the homepage of the ANS website. For the month of March, the study will be on the theme "Family and reconciliation."
Montevideo, Uruguay - March 2017 – On 7 March Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla, SDB, Archbishop of Montevideo, inaugurated the Basic Technological Cycle at the Don Bosco Social and Educational Work of the "Fundación Sophia", and blessed the facilities.
Lorena, Brazil - March 2017 - On 12 March the Vocation Animation Team of the Salesian Community of Piquete Lorena organized the first "Vocation Awakening" meeting at the Dom Bosco Shrine of Lorena. The event was aimed at encouraging young people to consider the prospect of a vocation as a life project. It was attended by 37 young people guided and encouraged by the Rector of the Shrine, Fr Osmar Padovan, SDB, and Salesian post-novices, Lucas Santos and Guilherme Freitas.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - March 2017 - The 28th Catholic Book Fair was held from 18 to 26 March. The theme was "Reading is to multiply and enrich our interior life." The event was attended by 45 exhibitors of various publishers, including, for the first time, that of the Vatican. A stand was reserved for the Salesian Family, where texts were displayed relating to Don Bosco, such as the "Biographical Memoirs". Another important Salesian presence was that of the broadcaster "Radio Juventus Don Bosco" which transferred its studios to the fair to make radio programmes, including presentation of books of various kinds, special guests and interviews especially with young visitors to the fair.
Munich, Germany - March 2017 - A meeting of the strategic organization of the Don Bosco Youth-Net (DBYN) took place from 16 to 19 March at the Salesianum in Munich. The representatives and members of the organization were divided into working groups on various issues; They identified new elements necessary for members of the organization and for young people. They started work on developing a new strategic plan for 2018-2020 and a new work plan for next year. The network admitted four new members of the administrative organ: "Aktionszentrum Benediktbeuern" of Germany, the Salesians of Austria, "SPYS Malta" and the Youth Pastoral Service of Britain. The DBYN also elected its new President: Fonny Grootjans.