(ANS - Krakow) – There were months of preparation, many meetings took place, hundreds of emails sent and phone calls made. All these so that the Salesian volunteers of World Youth Day can prepare for their duties in the best way. And so came the long-awaited moment of the joint meeting of all the volunteers in Krakow.

(ANS - Bologna) – The Community of the Mission of Don Bosco, 28th Group of the Salesian Family, carried out their 2nd General Assembly from 2 – 10 July, on the theme “As the Father has loved me, so I love you.  Remain in my love (John 15:9) – with a particular spirituality in the Church and in the Salesian Family.” Delegates of the Community and the Salesian Delegates coming from Argentina, Chile, Haiti, Ghana, Burundi, Madagascar, Poland and Italy participated during the assembly days held in Bologna and Rome.

(ANS - Rome) - The representatives of more than 40 Salesian Institutions of Higher Education (IUS) from 21 countries gathered at the Salesian Generalate in Rome from 4 to 9 July as part of the Seventh General Assembly of IUS.

(ANS – Selva di Cadore) – The whole group of 16 FMA including Mother Yvonne Reungaut and 15 SDB including the Rector Major Fr. Ángel Fernandez Artime was hosted in the Santa Fosca di Cadore (Belluno, Northern Italy) retreat house in a wonderful weather and paradise-like natural environment of the Dolomites region (1400 meter above sea level). “Misericordes Sicut Pater” (Merciful as the Father) was the main theme of the joint spiritual retreat of both General councils preached by a Salesian Scripture scholar and Bishop Mauro Maria Morfino (Diocese of Alghero – Bosa, Sardegna).

(ANS – Sao José dos Campos) – During a Mass presided over by Pope Francis in Santa Marta, in the Vatican, the Holy Father explained that sanctity “cannot be bought. Neither can it be gained with the best human strength. The simple holiness which all Christians are called to is a path that can be walked only if it is sustained by four unavoidable elements: courage, hope, grace and conversion”. One of the amazing things in Saints is that “they teach us to live ordinary life in an extraordinary way”. After the first Seminar on the promotion of the causes of beatification and canonization of the Salesian Family, which was held in Rome in April, other similar events were organized in various parts of the world, with the aim of making Salesian Holiness known.

(ANS – Rome) – The newly elected World Council of the Don Bosco Past Pupils held its first annual meeting last week (June 14-19) in the Salesianum, Rome. It aimed to put concrete strategies and steps for the 7 main priorities of their Six Year Plan.

(ANS - Turin) - About 380 thousand hours of training, 12,500 students, more than 5 thousand internships and apprenticeships: these are some figures of TechPro2, the project that unites the automotive industry giants Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and CNH Industrial with quality proven professional Salesian formation. Yesterday, 7 June in Turin, at the Mother House of the Salesians, there was the '' International TechPro2 Event " that illustrated the activities and future programmes, and conferred awards on some of the most deserving students of the project.

(ANS - Cova da Iria) - One of the best experiences of the Salesian Family in Portugal is the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Fatima, in the month that the whole Church dedicates to Mary, and the Salesians in particular to Mary Help of Christians. Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, SDB, presided at the closing Mass of the pilgrimage. He urged the pilgrims to live mercy as a fundamental and inherent dimension of the identity of every Christian.

(ANS - Rome) - The World Consultative Body of the Salesian Family is made up of representatives of the various groups born of the charism of Don Bosco. In the meeting they share projects and activities. They note how, each according to its own specific mission, they reflect and live the same "spiritual heritage and teaching of Don Bosco." From today 27 May until Sunday 29 May the members of the World Consultative Body of the Salesian Family gather at the Salesian Generalate for their annual meeting.