Fatima, Portugal – January 14th, 2017 – On January 14th, 557 people coming from all the Salesian Centres in Portugal gathered in Fatima for the official presentation of the Strenna of the Rector Major for 2017, on the theme: “We are Family! Every home a school of life and love!”. Sr Maria das Dores Rodrigues, Mother Provincial of the FMAs, presented a synthesis of the Apostolic Exhortation “Amoris Laetitia”, and Fr. Artur Pereira, SDB Provincial, delivered a speech on the family as a school of Life and Love.

Rome, Italy – January 17th, 2017 – On January 17th, the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, at the General House received the visit of a group of Ambassadors to the Holy See, to express his thanks for the welcome and support they provide to the Salesians in the world. The Dean of the ambassadors, Armindo Fernandes do Espirito Santo Vieira (Angola), in his turn thanked “for the work the Salesians do in every part of the world to promote the development of the youth and to draw them closer to God”.

Mandaluyong, Philippines – January 2017 – The Salesian of the Province of Philippines North (FIN), through the Commission for Social Communications, organised the prize award ceremony of the Third Don Bosco Film Festival 2017, on January 14th at the Auditorium Saint Dominic Savio of the Don Bosco Technical College of Mandaluyong City. The theme of the festival this year was: How to strengthen the Filipino Family with Christian Values”.

Tlazala, Mexico – January 2017 – From January 13th to 15th, a workshop of formation of the “School of the First Level of Salesian Spirituality" was held on the theme “An Inspiration for my Life”. The members of the educative-pastoral communities of the Salesian Houses of the Province of Mexico City (MEM) participated in this event.

Santiago, Chile – 3 gennaio 2017 - Over two thousand volunteers animated at the votive temple of Maipú a great “Mannequin Challenge” – an initiatives that consists in remaining motionless while been filmed. Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, SDB, archbishop of Santiago, the Rector of the Catholic University of Chile, Ignacio Sánchez, the Rector of Duoc UC, Ricardo Paredes also participated in this event, which was realised to transmit the message “With Christ we change Chile”. On the web the video is available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_ZQU9strI 

Rome, Italy – January 2017 - The Strenna 2017 of the Rector Major “We are Family! Each home a school of life and love”, received a prompt resonance in the two days of January 14th-15th organised by the Office of Youth Ministry of Salesian Central Circumscription ICC – Consultancy of Youth Ministry and Family, chaired over by Fr. Karim Madjidi, ICC Provincial Vicar and coordinated by Fr. Daniele Merlini and Fr. Michelangelo Dessì. 60 parents, some with their children, coming fro local Educative Communities and accompanied by some Salesians, gathered at the “Sacred Heart” in Rome for two days of confrontation, dialogue and study on the theme “Family and Salesian Charism: at the discovery of a shared mission at the service of the young”. Among the speakers there were also Fr. Rossano Sala, Professor of Youth Ministry at the Salesian Pontifical University, and Fr. Flaviano d’Ercoli.