Cartago, Costa Rica – 24 January 2017 - The Association of Salesian Cooperators (ASC) celebrated the enrolment of four new members during the Eucharist presided over by Fr. Aragón and concelebrated by Fr. Roncero, new Delegate for the Salesian Cooperators.
Guadalajara, Mexico - January 2017 – The Extraordinary Visitation of the Mexico-Guadalajara Province (MEG), began on 30 January. The Visitation is being done by Fr Timothy Ploch, Councillor for the Inter-America Region, on behalf of the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime. The visit will allow Fr Ploch to get in touch with the life of the province, with each Salesian and each community. His first meeting was with Fr Hugo Orozco, Provincial of MEG, and the members of his Council.
Madrid, Spain - January 17, 2017 - Meeting of the Commission to monitor the process of unification of the NGOs "Solidarid Don Bosco", "VOLS" and "Jóvenes y Desarrollo". The commission is made up of two representatives from each entity; the Director of the National Pastoral Centre, Koldo Gutiérrez; Youth Ministry Delegates from the Provinces of Mary Help of Christians and St James the Greater, Francisco José Pérez and Txetxu Villota respectively; and the Head of the National Commission for Missionary Animation, Paco Santos.
Aleppo, Syria - January 2017 - Celebration of the Feast of Don Bosco in the Salesian house, presided over by Archbishop Juhanna Jambart, Greek-Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, accompanied by the Rector of the community, Fr George Fattal, members of the Salesian community and priests, religious, children and youth from various Christian communities.
Austin, United States - January 2017 - Fr Ted Montemayor, Superior of the Western Province of USA, and Father Marcelino Pena, OFM, pastor of Cristo Rey parish, unveiled and blessed a statue of Don Bosco at Escuelita where the FMA teach over 800 children and the Salesian Cooperators guide a program of evangelization.
Vienna, Austria - January 2017 - The Salesian NGO "Jugend Eine Welt - Don Bosco Aktion Austria," has organized this year also the "Day for Street Children" campaign on the occasion of the feast of Don Bosco. The aim is to create public awareness of the plight of street children and to promote a fundraiser for Salesian projects around the world. The campaign this year is focused on India, where it is estimated that over 11 million children live on the streets. The guests of honour invited to Austria are Fr Noel Maddhichetty, SDB, Secretary of the Conference of Salesian Provinces of India and director of "Bosconet", and Santosh Kumar Padibandla, former street boy who is now Project Manager of Don Bosco Navajeevan Warangal. Among the various events held for the occasion there was a meeting with Bishop Ludwig Schwarz SDB, and with some Austrian politicians and young Salesian volunteers.