Talisay City, Philippines – December 11th, 2016 – The Salesian house “Don Bosco Formation Center – Lawaan”, feasted the 40 years of its existence with various celebrations: the blessing of the first stone for a new chapel for the novitiate and the “Balay ni Don Bosco”; the celebrations in honour of Fr. Eduardo Espirtu and Fr. John Peter Clifford, pioneers of the Salesian house, and the blessing of the main building, with the repetition of the ceremony performed on the inauguration day, on December 7th, 1976. The Institute, that was born as a minor seminary for senior high school students, has now become a formation centre for Salesian aspirants and the see of the Centre for the Lay and the Young, with a program for catechists and religious formation, an office for social communications and a house for retreats.
Dili, Timor East – December 2016 – On December 16th, there was the ceremony of the awarding of diplomas to 317 students of the “Don Bosco Training Centre Comoro”, who have completed theirs studies in the diverse formation fields: metal fabrication, carpentry, masonry and plumbing, automobile mechanics, computer science, electricity and air conditioning. It is worth mentioning that there has been a great increase of students who choose the Salesian school: in previous years the number of graduates was about 130/170.
Santiago, Chile – December 17th, 2016 – On December 17th, in the Temple of St. Francis de Sales of the Don Bosco Youth Centre in “La Florida”, through the imposition of hands of the Archbishop of Santiago, Salesian Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, Salesian confrère Oliver Villarroel was ordained a deacon. Fr. Alberto Lorenzelli, Superior of the Salesian Province of Chile, and his Council were also present at the celebration.
(ANS – Rome) – It is over 150 years that the Salesians of Don Bosco consider minors as the active holders of rights and look in each one of them for the positive potentialities that must bloom through education. However, all over the world there are millions of Unaccompanied Minor Refugees (UMR), one of the categories that are more at risk of violence, exploitation and violation of their rights. On the occasion of the International Migrants Day, that is celebrated on December 18th, Don Bosco International presents some guidelines so that the Salesian work with these minors may always be qualified and respectful of their specific exigencies.
San José, Costa Rica – December 2016 – About one hundred children from the Oratories of “Sor María Romero” and “Mirabosco” of the Social Works of San José on December 10th, at the Don Bosco Salesian College,celebrated the feast of the Oratory Day organised by the members of the Educative Community and the Salesian Youth Movement.
Kochi, India – December 2016 – Don Bosco Vaduthala witnessed a two-day meeting of Salesian Co-operators from six southern Salesian provinces on 10 and 11 December 2016. The programme was organised by the SPCSA National Council along with the host province of Bangalore. There were 42 co-operators who participated from different provinces. Apart from them, eight Salesian fathers – among whom Fr. Noel Madichetty sdb, the Salesian Delegate of the National Council of Co-operators – and four Salesian Sisters took part in the meeting. Strenna 2017 on Family was presented and, during the discussion that followed, the members unanimously felt the need to focus for the coming years on Family with varieties of ministries directed to the family by co-operators. The focus was centred on family spirituality, counselling, education of the children and morality.