Italy – October 2024 - 15 days have passed since 25 pilgrims left the Salesian works in Ecuador to the places of Don Bosco. The group formed by Directors and Deputy Directors of Salesian School Centres (CES), responsible for the Salesian Project, Oratories, parish and administrative management, human talents and lay Directors, was accompanied by Fr Mauricio Leime, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry. The spiritual and formative experience responds to the objective of the Overall Provincial Project (OPP) 2023-2029: to ensure the transmission and life of the Salesian charism in both religious and lay Salesians to be faithful to the mission, today. For the pilgrims, it represented a deeply enriching spiritual experience, a journey of inner renewal, a closer encounter with the faith, history and legacy of Don Bosco that revives commitment to the mission, starting from the responsibilities entrusted in each of the works. Walking and praying in Piedmont; visiting Turin, Colle Don Bosco, Valdocco, Chieri, the home of Mamma Margaret and Dominic Savio allowed the laity to witness a life of holiness starting from everyday life, and to have a personal encounter with God, through the knowledge of the various stages of John Bosco's life. In the same way, they had the opportunity to understand the role of Mamma Margaret in the life of Don Bosco, and of the Virgin Mary, the guiding thread of his great work. In addition, the pilgrims also visited the Headquarters in Rome and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The pilgrimage showed the participants how Don Bosco was a model of resilience and perseverance, which challenges them to renew their commitment to transforming the lives of young people by accompanying them in the current context.

Pychowice, Poland – October 2024 – On Sunday 6 October, the Salesian parish of Pychowice, belonging to the Province of Krakow (PLS), located in a location in the VIII Dębniki District of Krakow, celebrated the 80th anniversary of the consecration of the Chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During the solemn Eucharist presided over by Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski, Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow, faithful, inhabitants and Salesians, renewed the entrustment of their hearts to the Sacred Heart of the Lord Jesus. At the beginning of the Mass, the parish priest, Fr Robert Bieleń, SDB, recalled the history of the construction of the Pychowice Chapel. During the war, the idea emerged among the inhabitants of Pychowice to buy an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to consecrate Pychowice to the Heart of God, and that a chapel would later be built to be able to place the image. This was made possible by the courage and generosity of heiress Olga Wojtowicz and Fr Jan Kanty Zeman, SDB. The chapel was consecrated on 8 October 1944 by the suffragan bishop of Katowice, Bishop Juliusz Bieniek. During the Eucharist, after communion, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow read the same act used 80 years ago. At the end of the Mass, medals and certificates were awarded to deserving parishioners, but also to the Salesians: Fr Jan Krawiec and Fr Jacek Rylko, former parish priests. Finally, Archbishop Jędraszewski blessed the new Salesian house in Pychowice.

Photo: Press Office of the Archdiocese of Krakow

San José, Costa Rica – October 2024 - On 2 October, Costa Rica hosted the tenth edition of the Siemens-DEDICO student technological meeting, an event that celebrates the collaboration between technical education and the business sector. This prestigious meeting, which brings together students from technical institutes, offered a platform to demonstrate skills in the use of advanced technologies and find solutions to the real challenges of the sector. This year, students from various technical institutes in Costa Rica and El Salvador participated in challenges focused on technological innovation, with access to state-of-the-art equipment and training provided by private sector companies. Among the national schools that have distinguished themselves: CTP Mercedes Norte, CTP Agustiniano Ciudad de los Niños, CTP San Pablo L.C., CTP Nataniel Arias Murillo, CTP CI and CTP Carrizal. In a special way, the Ricaldone Technical Institute in El Salvador participated as a guest institution, which managed to win first place in the competition. The Institute stood out for having offered the best solution to one of the proposed challenges, putting into practice an innovative, creative and technically rigorous approach. Students demonstrated their ability to apply the knowledge acquired in real-world situations, underlining the importance of these skills in an increasingly demanding and specialised labour market.