NEWS PHOTOS
Maseru, Lesotho – June 2024 – During the annual animation visit of the Blessed Michael Rua Vice-Province Councillors of Southern Africa (AFM) to the two local centres in Lesotho, 22 Salesian Cooperators renewed their promise and participated in animation meetings in Maseru, Ha Seleso, Maputsoe, and St. Luke. The promise was renewed during the parish Eucharistic celebration attended by hundreds of faithful. For occasion each Salesian Cooperator received a copy of the recently published book, "Educating like Don Bosco", as motivation to live their vocation and mission with the same heart as St John Bosco. A good number of Salesian Cooperators, in fact, are committed to education and dedicate their time and energy to young people in difficulty. The Salesian Cooperators of the entire AFM Vice-Province are also preparing for the next Provincial Congress to be held in 2024 in Manzini, eSwatini.
Henderson, Solomon Islands – June 2024 - Over 200 young people gathered at the Don Bosco Technical Institute, Henderson, from 7 to 9 June to participate in the 5th youth camp called "Wantok Bosco" on the theme "Let your dreams be your wings", inspired by the Rector Major's Strenna 2024. The participants came from various parishes, from the Laura Vicuña Hostel (FMA), from DBTI Henderson, DBRTC and Don Bosco Learning Centre schools, Ranadi. The Director of DBTI Henderson, Fr Raffy Galve, SDB, officially welcomed the participants followed by the presentation of the Rector Major's Strenna 2024 by Fr Sonny Fajardo. The next day the participants carried out various leisure activities and had the opportunity to go to confession and take part in the Eucharistic celebration. The session of the day was presented by Ms Camari Bainivalu, former principal of DBTI Henderson and first Salesian Cooperator in the Solomon Islands, who spoke about the Strenna 2024 and Don Bosco's Childhood Dream. The second session involved talks from past pupils who encouraged young people to dream big. During the third session, Ms. Adi Lydia Tenakanai, PGS SYM Coordinator, challenged young people to dream and build a stronger and better community by contributing small acts of hope. After lunch, the participants engaged in a series of sports activities, a spiritual moment. The concluding Eucharistic celebration was celebrated by Fr Peter Van.
Los Teques, Venezuela – June 2024 - A meeting of parish teams, shrines, evangelisation centres and public chapels in the Salesian St Luke Province Venezuela (VEN) took place from 13 to 15 June in the La Macarena retreat house in Los Teques. The objective was to bring together the animation teams of the aforementioned works, to promote the development of the first process taken on as an animation sector in the Parish Management Plan 2023-2024. They were able to meet again after a long time as Salesians and lay people. The representative presence of works in the Amazon and the Shrines of Our Lady of Sorrows and Mary Help of Christians in Valencia allowed them to enrich the opportunity for sharing various pastoral activities. The meeting ended in a joyful and familiar atmosphere with the Eucharist celebrated by Fr Rafael Montenegro, Superior of the VEN Province.
La Vega, Dominican Republic – June 2024 - The second ordinary diploma ceremony of the Salesian PLUS School of Communication was held on 15 June at the Salesian Agronomic and Technical Institute (IATESA). It was attended by 78 students from different Salesian works, who successfully completed the 7 stages that accredit them as Salesian Communicators As was the case last year, courses were held both face-to-face and virtually, and this final meeting served for graduates to receive the last stage of their training, focused on Corporate Communication, by Aimée Rosa. The ceremony was attended by Fr Juan Pablo Abreu, Delegate for Social Communication in the Salesian Province of the Antilles (ANT), Mr Carlos Cuevas, Executive Director of the Salesian School of Communication "PLUS", Mr Héctor Mojica, Executive Director of Radio Juventus Don Bosco, Mr Francisco Alberto Pérez, Executive Director of the Salesian Bulletin, Aimée Rosa, and the various communication delegates representing Salesian works and their graduates. Fr Pablo Abreu, in his closing address, invited his listeners to put into practice what they had learned during the year and to always raise the banner of Salesian communicators. Unlike the first edition, this year's educational and practical project lasted ten months. PLUS is a study program focused on the development and acquisition of the knowledge and technical skills required by the agents involved in coordinating communication in Salesian works, and organised by the Provincial Commission for Communication, led by Mr. Carlos Cuevas as executive director, who together with his team accompanied each of the meetings.