NEWS PHOTOS
Anisakan Myanmar - December 2024 - On 8 December, in the Marian Shrine in Nazareth, Anisakan, Salesian Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon/Rangoon, ordained two Salesian deacons, Francis Zau Din and Justine Aung Htet Zaw, and an OFM, Charles Hawng Khawng, as priests. The ceremony was concelebrated by Archbishop Marco Tin Win, Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Mandalay, Bishop Saw Noel, Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon, and Bishop Philip Zau Hawng, Bishop Emeritus of Lashio. There were 56 priests from various congregations and over 1,200 participants.
Dimapur, India – December 2024 – A joint meeting between Economers, Directors of the Planning and Development Offices (PDO) and Directors of mission offices in the South Asia Region took place in Dimapur from 30 November to 3 December. This collaboration marked a significant step in strategic and organisational planning and missionary initiatives. The discussions focused on two fundamental documents issued respectively by Fr Alfred Maravilla, General Councillor for the Missions, and by Br Jean Paul Muller, SDB, Economer General of the Salesian Congregation. Fr Biju Michael, Regional Councillor for South Asia, was also present for the occasion, stressing that the priority must be the spread of the Gospel. After the initial prayer and the welcome speech by Fr Joseph Pampackal, Superior of the Salesian Saint Francis de Sales Province of Dimapur, India (IND), there were several interventions and interactive sessions that allowed participants to explore the topics illustrated. Many topics were discussed, such as the integration of integral human development in missionary activities and the presentation of new software for the management and sponsorship of the Provinces, which aroused interest among the participants. The event ended with the convening of the next meeting to be held in Nepal on 22 and 23 November 2025.
Santiago, Chile – December 2024 - Representatives of the Salesian schools in Chile participated in a meeting of administrators held at the Provincial House of the Salesians in Chile on 4 and 5 December. The meeting was held with the aim of strengthening transformational leadership, accompanying the transition to new integrated software and communicating the results of the ministerial, fiscal and accounting processes. The event opened with a welcome from the Provincial of the Salesians in Chile, Fr Nelson Moreno, who expressed the importance, on the part of the participants, of being not only experts in the financial part, but to dialogue with the finance team at the central level for next year's budget and to work on the theme of solidarity economy, Christian and Salesian principle. The Provincial Economer, Fr Néstor Muñoz, commented: "We want to promote the strengthening of administrative leadership, which is so important within this culture of administration". During the morning, the Head of Administration and Finance, Andrés Berríos, presented the Closing of the 2024 processes and the 2025 Financial Statements. Subsequently, a workshop on educational leadership was held, promoted by Oscar Soto, psychologist of organisations. In the afternoon, the head of the Accounting Department, Kristhel Peralta, presented the declaratory processes, the payment of suppliers and the accounting closure 2024. The work of the first day ended with the presentation of the Head of Human Resources, Karen Henríquez. On the second day, the participants worked on formation in the SIE declarative processes, on the School Improvement Plan and on the Preferential School Allowance.
SOURCE: Salesian Communication Chile
Ayagualo, November 2024 – From 25 to 29 November, the social communicators from the Salesian Province of Central America (CAM) had their annual meeting at the Sacred Heart retreat house, in Ayagualo, El Salvador, under the motto "Communicate +: connect, evangelise and transform". The activity brought together more than 40 participants from Salesian houses in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador. Among the topics addressed, the "Strategic Vision of the CAM Province" stands out, curated by Fr Julio Navarro, CAM Provincial, who offered his valuable support for communication throughout the Province. Dr Roberto Damas, head of university pastoral care at Don Bosco University, also spoke on the subject of Don Bosco the Comunicator . Fr Marcelo Navarrete, Provincial Delegate for Vocational Animation, shared his presentation on "Vocational accompaniment". Alejandra Rodríguez, Provincial Delegate for Social Communication, spoke on "Knowing and communicating with the new generations (Gen Z and Alpha)". Finally, Lucía Sánchez, head of the Province's digital media, presented "Best evangelisation practices in social networks". During the meeting, the communicators exchanged experiences by sectors: parishes, oratories, educational centres and youth centres, to share best practices and address common challenges. The event was the ninth Meeting of Social Communicators in Central America, whose objective was to unify criteria, establish priorities and define commitments for 2025, all framed by the objective of cultivating hope, a value that must be reflected in every message, video and image disseminated throughout the Province.