Pakistan - A glimmer of hope
(Lahore) – On June 22nd a team of four Government Inspectors visited Don Bosco Technical and Youth Center, Lahore, to examine if the Technical Center`s registration under the Punjab Board of Technical Education should be renewed.
The Inspectors’ Report approved the extension of the Center’s affiliation. It was a moment of joy for the Salesians who worked diligently for the past seven years to have governmental approval for the Center. Permament Registration within the year now looks almost certain.
Additionally, a Master Plan to offer Basic Education to all drop-outs who arrive at Don Bosco was approved. Over the next three years an ambitious plan to build four large workshops will begin. The workshops will have the latest educational equipment imported from Germany and Italy and the staff will be trained in its use. The existing shops will also be upgraded.
This Salesian Center in Lahore is seen as a glimmer of hope for the youngsters often troubled by violence and religious conflicts. On June 9th, 54 young technicians from very poor families received their Certificates after 2 years of intensive training.
India - Attack on a young Salesian
(Nashik) 7/10/2007- Paulus Kongadi, a young Salesian from the postnovitiate in Nashik, in the state of Maharashta, was attacked on July 8th while on his way to the village of Chandsi for apostolic work.
According to first reports provided by the Rector of the formation community Fr. Ashley Miranda, Paulus was alone at the time of the attack because his companion had stopped to repair the chain on his bicycle. He was attacked from behind by 8 young men who hit him with hockey sticks and cricket stumps. The cleric was taken to hospital where he received a number of stitches. . It is not known where the group came from.
The Nashik formation house opened 30 years ago, and at present there are 17 novices and 56 students on the two year philosophy course. The presence of the Salesians is appreciated for the social work carried out in the are including the teaching of English, personality development skills and games with the children. Given the good relationship the Salesians have with the local community, the attack was quite shocking.
Back to Salesian World News »
Angola - Mary Help of Christians at Cabinda
(ANS - Cabinda) - On July 7th a delegation from Luanda, led by Fr Guilherme Basañes, Provincial of the Salesians in Angola (ANG), and by Sr Svonka Micek, Superior of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians took a statue of Mary Help of Christians to Cabinda, a small adminstrative territory within Angola.
Fr Milan Zednicek and a number of the faithful joyfully welcomed the statue of the Virgin and carried it in pilgrimage for about 4 km to the cathedral. Here it was presented to Bishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias, Bishop of Cabinda, who then said Mass.
Following the Mass a group led by Fr Milan inspected a piece of land where a new Salesian house is to be built. It is hoped that by next spring the Salesians will have completed a Youth Center and sporting facilities at the site. The request for the Salesian community to become a sign of witness and service on behalf of young people in the diocese of Cabinda came from the Holy See.
The one who organised the pilgrimage was Fr Milan Zednicek SDB who is already working in the Cabinda area and prepared the Christian community to welcome the statue of Mary Help of Christians. In a certain sense, the pilgrimage prepared and opened the way for the arrival of the Salesian charism in the area.
The statue will remain in the cathedral of Cabinda until the Salesian house is built.
Papua New Guinea - School embarks on fundraising drive with ’Friends of Don Bosco’
As reported in the Port Moresby based newspaper The National,
In a bid to offer more training alternatives and to cater for the growing number of young people dropping out of the education system, Don Bosco Technical College located at Gabutu, Port Moresby, has embarked on a major fundraising drive which would help in the establishment of additional learning facilities.
The school, which is responsible for the training of many young people all over the country, officially launched the Friends of Don Bosco at the beginning of July at Gabutu as part of the fundraising initiative. Friends of Don Bosco is an association of benefactors who believe in and support the education philosophy of Don Bosco Technical School.
The Salesians at the school believe that having a support network like Friends of Don Bosco would help in achieving its vision to form young people, especially the poor and excluded to be "Good Christians, honest citizens and servant leaders of today".
The institution is now inviting ex-pupils (Bosconians), former teachers, former and present parents, businesses, corporations, and other individuals, who are willing to support the school, to be part of the association by becoming Friends of Don Bosco. It involves giving a minimum of 100 Kina (the PNG currency (USD1=K.345), living in the spirit of St. John Bosco and sharing time and talent for special projects of the association.
Back to Salesian World News »
South Africa: Milestone as LoveMatters hosts 100th group
In the last week of June at the Bosco Youth Center in Randvaal, Johannesburg, the Salesians of St John Bosco celebrated the completion of their 100th LoveMatters program. Initiated in 2001 by Fr. Francois Dufour SDB, now provincial of AFM, the uniquely South African program was developed as a response to the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS and other STDs, and is a program that encourages behavior change, promoting abstinence and the teaching of chastity as an antidote to the `safe sex` mentality. It targets teenagers who desire to grow free to say no to negative peer pressure. To date LoveMatters has trained well over 6,000 young people in the week-long event.
Accompanied by the Youth Ministry Team comprised of well prepared and dedicated volunteers and Salesian priests, brothers and sisters, the young people are provided with value based sexuality education that aims to help them appreciate and understand their gift of sexuality and its role within marriage. The team is further supported by various experts and guest speakers who present on topics including: the gift of fertility; the painful consequences of premature sex; the sanctity of marriage; the value of life, the plight of abandoned babies, and living for a cause.
The week was concluded with an invitation to every young person present to commit to the True Love Waits pledge, which is a promise to abstain from sexual activity until marriage. This was followed by the celebration of the Eucharist and a festive lunch hosted by the Center and enjoyed by all.
Argentina: A Pastoral Letter for the beatification of Zefferino Namuncura
In preparation for the beatification of Zefferino Namuncurá, which will be celebrated on November 11, 2007, the Bishops of the Patagonia-Comahue Region have published a Pastoral Letter for "all the men and women of Argentina our homeland". The Bishops invite people to see this beatification in the light of evangelisation. Zefferino was instructed and formed by the Salesians.
The document presents the future Blessed locating him in his cultural and historical context and referring to some important events in his life. "His life is a message of holiness ," the Bishops` letter says, "lived seriously among his people, and he was an example of how to take up the Gospel as a way of life lived with great simplicity and humility. His message is a witness that draws others in. He is a real the Mapuche (his native tribe) and a real Christian: with the strength of his background and the grace of his baptism. A holiness rooted in the Gospel,and in his own people. He gave himself to God and exhorts us to follow his example. Zeffirino opens the way and encourages us to follow in his footsteps."
Back to Salesian World News »
Perú: The cause of beatification and canonisation of Bishop Ottavio Ortiz Arrieta
The next phase in the process of beatification and canonisation of the Servant of God Bishop Ottavio Ortiz Arrieta (born in Lima in 1878 and died in Chachapoyas in 1958),has begun. The diocesan enquiry concluded in 2001, and now the Postulator’s Office, thanks especially to the work of Fr. Cosme Robredo, the Vice-Postulator of the Cause, is preparing the Positio, i.e., the dossier demonstrating as clearly as possible the heroicity of the life and the virtues as well as the reputation for holiness of the Servant of God.
Bishop Ortiz, was Bishop of Chachapoyas, in Perù for thirty five years and died with a great reputation for holiness. In his pastoral ministry he sought to incarnate the spirit of Don Bosco, even using Don Bosco’s motto in his coat of arms: "Da mihi animas, caetera tolle".
Accompanied by Fr. Cosimo Semeraro, Secretary of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, Fr. dal Covolo, the Salesian Postulator General, visited the Archbishop of Lima, the Apostolic Nuncio, and various political figures and Institutions interested in the progress of the Cause. Together with the Provincial Fr. Vicente Santilli, he went to Chachapoyas, where they met with the present diocesan Bishop, and venerated the mortal remains of the Servant of God in the cathedral where Bishop Ortiz ministered.
Ecuador - First National Meeting of "Street Children"
July 13-15, 2007 "The First National Meeting of children and teenagers in at risk situations or with odd jobs” took place at Cuenca, Ecuador. Nearly one hundred and thirty boys and girls involved in the Salesian Street Children project paticipated. During the 3 days of the meeting the young people from the Salesian centers in Quito, Guayaquil, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo and Cuenca, took part in activities that included training, reflection and recreation.
The days were made possible thanks to the support of various Salesian houses including the Salesian Center of Spirituality and the Salesian Polytechnical University of Ecuador (UPS).
Back to Salesian World News »
Argentina - Practical Training Days for safeguarding agricultural land
The Pascual Gentilizi Salesian Agrotechnical Institute in San José in the Province of Misiones, hosted practical training days July 5-7th in association with the National Agricultural Preservation Days. The event coincided with the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Salesian house there. It was supported by the National Institute of Yerba Mate, by the National Agro-Zootechnical Institute, and by the Ministry of Agriculture and Producton of the Province of Misiones.
During the days students from the Agricultural Schools in the area attended specialized presentations by well-known Argentinian Agronomists, and some academic lessons given by local authorities, producers, and staff.Subjects covered included: safeguarding agricultural land, especially that devoted to the cultivation of mate grass; agro-ecological management, and administration.
The days were an opportunity to showcase the work of the students of the Pascual Gentilini Institute. The producers and technicians were also able to visit land under cultivation in the area and got to know something of the techniques employed there.
Korea - Seoul’s summer mobile Oratory
Seoul, South Korea’s capital has seven Salesian communities that minister in widely diverse works: three vocational training centers, some social welfare institutions for young people, a parish, a youth center that serves State schools 24/7, some group homes for youngsters from broken families, and a boarding facility for juvenile delinquents.
Since 2005 Seoul City has sponsored a Mobile Oratory, an idea which arose from the Salesians of Don Bosco and more particularly from their Social Communications Center in Shil Kil 6 Dong. That’s where the mobile unit (a bus) is parked, but it goes around Seoul’s streets with its broadcasting equipment and audio system, almost every week.
On July 14th, the Mobile Oratory conducted a Song Competition in Seon-Yoo-Do Park. It was open to any teenager and 26 teams took part in the event at the beginning of the summer holiday period. This is one of the Korean province’s new frontiers response, a way of reaching out to youngsters in today’s fast-changing Korean society.
Back to Salesian World News » |
