SPECIAL REPORTS
(ANS – New Rochelle) - Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in celebrating World Youth Skills Day, celebrated on July 15 each year since 2014. The United Nations designated the day as a way to bring greater awareness of the importance of technical and vocational education and training, as well as the development of other skills relevant to both local and global economies.
Italy – Salesians teach legality to vulnerable young people in the Barriera Milano district in Turin
(ANS – Turin) – “I was here recently. One day I saw a nine-year-old boy who kept kicking the ball against the wall. I said to him: can you please stop it? Go play on the field. He turned and gestured to me with his hand, opening and closing his fingers. As if to say: talk, talk to me…”. This anecdote is told by Salesian Fr Stefano Mondin, Rector of the Salesian House dedicated to Blessed Michael Rua, planted in the middle of the difficult Turin Barriera di Milano district.
(ANS - Goma) – Violence continues to rage in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with numerous civilian victims. Currently, the Salesians of the Assumption Province of Central Africa in the Province of North Kivu tell us that there are two types of conflict which are aggravating the already precarious humanitarian situation.
(ANS – Rome) – Today it is quite easy to meet a Saint. But a century ago it was not so easy, so to have personally approached a saint was an experience that remained etched in the mind and heart of the lucky person. Such was the case with the French Trappist abbot Edmond Obrecht (18521935). Way back in 1934, when Don Bosco was canonised, three days after the solemn ceremony he confided to the editor of the US Catholic weekly, the “Louisville Record”, his great satisfaction at having personally met the new saint, having shaken his hand, indeed having had lunch with him.