Caracas, Venezuela – May 2023 – On the 55th anniversary of the foundation of the Damas Salesianas Association (ADS), the 16th group of the Salesian Family, Cardinal Baltasar Porras, Archbishop of Caracas, celebrated a solemn Eucharist, on 13 May in the National St John Bosco Church. During the Mass, concelebrated by a number of Salesian priests, 17 Damas Salesianas made their promise, joining the many other associates in the 24 countries where they work. The Damas Salesianas are a group of lay Salesian women who enthusiastically promote an integral project of a new society. They do this mainly through female leadership and professional, social and Christian volunteering. By virtue of a special charism, they extend their apostolate to the sick. The Holy Spirit inspired their Founder, Fr Miguel González, SDB, to summon lay women who have responded to the commitment of their baptism with the gift of themselves to the service of others. They provide health, educational and formative services, and they become instruments to achieve human promotion and the new evangelisation of the most in need. There are 28 ADS centres in Venezuela, with 24 basic health care programs, 13 education and 6 training programs. The ADS are called to achieve holiness in action and in concrete works, as women in the world, with different ways of life in various secular situations. Experiencing God’s love, and living in communion with the Holy Spirit, they organise their lives in the service of Christ, finding Him in the most needy people. They recognise an inspiration and a model to follow in Mary Help of Christians . Their promise states: “We are women of the Church in the heart of the world and women of the world in the heart of the Church and of the Salesian Family.”