Assembly elects new president and vice president of Canção Nova

Brazil – 1 March 2023 (ANS – Lavrinhas) – Members of the General Assembly of the Canção Nova Community – International Private Association of the Faithful, 25th group of the Salesian Family – gathered for their 12th General Assembly, in Lavrinhas, Brazil, elected Father Wagner Ferreira da Silva as their new President. Subsequently, in the vote for Vice President of the Community, Father Donizete Heleno Ferreira was elected. Father Wagner Ferreira da Silva, 51, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has been a member of Canção Nova, in the Core commitment mode, for 31 years. He was ordained a priest on December 27, 1999, and received his doctorate in Moral Theology from the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome, Italy. From 2009 to 2015 he was a member of the General Council as General Formator. Since 2018 he held the position of Vice President. On March 16, 2022, he was elected Deliberative President of the John Paul II Foundation, a position previously held by the Founder and first President of Canção Nova, the late Msgr. Jonas Abib, whose passing on December 12, 2022, necessitated this election. Father Ferreira da Silva is also Deputy Coordinator of “Charis,” the Brazilian Service of Communion...

Integral Ecology Salesian-Style Webinar – in English!

LAST 3 DAYS TO REGISTER!!! JUST A GENTLE REMINDER: Integral Ecology Salesian-Style DO NOT FEAR TO SIGN UP – IT IS IN ENGLISH! Presenter: Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, FMA Secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development Program: Talk 1: A journey of conversion to integral ecology    Group sharing Talk 2: Integral ecology in the spirit of the Preventive System   Q & A DAY: Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023  TIME: 10am (Eastern Time)  9am (Central Time)  7am (Pacific Time)  4pm (Rome Time) Join in this Salesian North American virtual encounter to be leaven in the world! Share the good news with:  School Faculty, families, and students; Catechists; Leaders from Oratory-Youth Centers & Camps; VIDES & SLMs; the Salesian Family, Young Adult Ministries, other volunteers, friends, etc.) Cast your nets wide, the way Jesus did!   Salesian Family Members & friends can participate from the comfort of their home. There is plenty of room now with a Zoom Account capacity of 300 “seats” Registration is open until Wednesday, Feb. 8:  https://forms.gle/sKvZWTyHkFjkDqyE6 For those unable to participate on Feb. 11,  a recording of the session will be made available the week of Feb. 12, 2023. Blessings to each one of you! Sr. Francine Guilmette,...

January 23: Catholic feast day called “The Espousal of Mary and Joseph.”

Considering the passing of the recent [DIS]Respect for Marriage Act, I believe it is time that you and I bring this feast day back into a wide and devout practice. Click here for story of a marriage saved and the prayer that saved it. Did you know that in 1969, Governor Ronald Reagan of California made what he later admitted was one of the biggest mistakes of his political life? He signed the nation’s first no-fault divorce bill. And the result? Today we see a steady crumbling of the foundation of all social structures—marriage and the family. For many Fatima devotees this comes as no surprise; Our Lady warned of a “great chastisement in the second half of the twentieth century.” As a confirmation of this prophecy, Sr. Lucia wrote the following in a letter to her dear friend, Cardinal Carlo Caffarra in 1983 or 1984:  “Father, a time will come when the decisive battle between the kingdom of Christ and Satan will be over marriage and the family. And those who will work for the good of the family will experience persecution and tribulation. But do not be afraid, because Our Lady has already crushed his head.” My friend, can...

Happy Feast Day of Saint Francis de Sales!

We join with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, as part of the Salesian Family of St. John Bosco, in honoring our mutual Patron Saint! Enjoy reading the Letter of Pope Francis on this gentle yet strong holy man. Dear Friends, The Oblates of St. Francis of de Sales in the United States join with all of our Salesian family in celebrating the feast of our patron, the Gentleman Saint. Celebrating the Feast Day is particularly special this year as we bring to a close our Double Salesian Jubilee Year marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales and the 450th anniversary of the birth of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal. The highlight of the Year was Pope Francis issuing an Apostolic Letter on Saint Francis de Sales. In Totum Amoris Est (“Everything Pertains To Love”), the Pope summarizes the spiritual legacy left to us by Saint Francis de Sales. The Letter includes many of Saint Francis’ teachings and reminds us that these are as relevant today as they were 400 years ago. As a friend of the Oblates, you already know the power and impact of Salesian Spirituality. Through your friendship and support, the Oblates have the humble privilege...

Festa di San Giovanni Bosco in Basilica a Torino e al Colle

Gentile collega, segnaliamo, con gentile preghiera di diffusione, il programma dei festeggiamenti dedicati a San Giovanni Bosco per il mese di gennaio 2023 che si terranno presso la Basilica Maria Ausiliatrice di Torino-Valdocco e presso la Basilica di San Giovanni Bosco del Colle Don Bosco, in occasione della solennità del Santo, il 31 gennaio 2023. BASILICA MARIA AUSILIATRICE – VALDOCCO – MARTEDÌ 24 GENNAIO | FESTA DI SAN FRANCESCO DI SALES Ore 18.30 – Concelebrazione Eucaristica, presiede il Rettor Maggiore don Ángel Fernández Ártime 25-26-27 GENNAIO | TRIDUO: DON BOSCO OGGI NEL MONDO Mercoledì 25 ore 18.30 – Don Bosco in Sud America: don Gabriel Romero Trasmesso su VIDEONORD (canale 83 del d.t.) Giovedì 26 ore 18.30 – Don Bosco in Africa: don Alphonse Owoudou Trasmesso su VIDEONORD (canale 83 del d.t.) Venerdì 27 ore 18.30 – Don Bosco in Asia Sud: don Michael Pulianmakal Trasmesso su VIDEONORD (canale 83 del d.t.) SABATO 28 GENNAIO | CONCERTO IN ONORE DI DON BOSCO Ore 20.00 – Omaggio a don Bosco con i giovani del Liceo Musicale Cavour (TO) LUNEDÌ 30 GENNAIO Ore 10.30-12.30 e 14.00–16.30 – Apertura Cappella delle Reliquie Ore 17.00 – Santo Rosario animato dalle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice Ore 18.00 – Messa Vespertina, Mons. Alessandro Giraudo, Neo-Vescovo...