Quito, Ecuador - 1 October 2024 - Fr Ricardo Campoli, a member of the Sector for Social Communication at Salesian Headquarters, gathered with the prenovices and postnovices at the International Postnovitiate Community in Quito for a meeting dedicated to ‘The Salesian Communicator’. Fr Campoli shared with the young people some keys to understanding, and advice on how best to carry out the work of a communicator among today’s youth. Afterwards, the Eucharist was celebrated by Fr Francisco Sánchez, Rector of the postnovitiate community, and concelebrated by Fr Campoli, in the presence of Fr Darío Ortiz, Rector of the prenovitiate community, and the Salesians accompanying the Salesians in formation.

Cuenca, Ecuador – September 2024 - The Baguanchi Congress Centre in Cuenca, from 27 to 29 September, was the venue for the 16th Salesian Family Meeting, an event that brought together 147 members of the different groups present in the country including SDB, FMA, ASC, ADMA, SDB and FMA Past Pupils, VDB, HHSSCC and ADS. The day began with a greeting from Fr Marcelo Farfán, Provincial of the Salesians of Ecuador (ECU), who stressed the importance of these meetings in formation and in the synodality of the Church. Fr Juan Flores, ECU Vice-Provincial, led the prayer "We are family, guardians of creation", inviting the participants to reflect on the collective responsibility to take care of both nature and the most vulnerable. The first day ended with the presentation of the "Symphony of Creation" by the Salesian Polytechnic University. On the second day, Luis Curay, deputy director of the"Unidad Educativa Técnico Salesiano" in Cuenca, presented a dissertation on "Raising awareness of the importance of taking care of nature", in which he highlighted the urgent need to act in the face of the current environmental crisis. In this context, reference was made to action guidelines no. 8 of GC28, "Accompanying young people towards a SUSTAINABLE FUTURE", where Salesians are committed to being witnesses of conversion to care for creation and Ecological Spirituality. A round table on caring for the environment was held the next day. Fr Farfán led the reflection on Pope Francis' Encyclical "Laudato Si '". Various concrete proposals emerged from the working groups for the care of our common home, the need for a cultural conversion towards the care of the environment, and to make the Salesian Family an active player in the defence of creation.

Catania, Italy – September 2024 – "Awaiting his love, Joyful in hope" was the theme that accompanied  21 and 22 September, and that will accompany the 2024/2025 pastoral year of the Salesian Family. In the  Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) Assembly in Sicily on Saturday 21 September, young representatives from Salesian places were formed to be true bearers of hope in everyday life. The following day, on Sunday 22 September at Playa di Catania, in Colonia Don Bosco, the SYM Giò Beach Party took place, involving about 1,000 young people from all over the region. The young people took part in the session on Hope and the Jubilee, presented by Fr Franco di Natale, Vice-Provincial of the Salesian Province of Sicily (ISI). They also heard the testimonies of young people who had a missionary experience in Senegal. After the Mass celebrated by the ISI Provincial, Fr Giovanni D’Andrea, in the afternoon, there were games. The Day ended with the testimony of the young people who participated in the World Salesian Youth Synod at Colle Don Bosco, and the presentation of the paths and events of the SYM by Fr Alberto Anzalone, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, and by Sister Maria Grazia Tripi, Youth Ministry Councillor for the FMA, who invited young people to get involved in growing as animators of Hope.