(ANS - Bari) - Yesterday, 19 October, the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, went to Bari to inaugurate a new educational community called "16 August" and to attend the Southern Province’s closing ceremony of the Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco at the Teatro Petruzzelli.

At around 4.30 p.m. the Rector Major, accompanied by Archbishop Francesco Cacucci, Metropolitan of Bari-Bitonto, inaugurated the “August 16" community, which is an initiative of Caritas Bari-Bitonto and the Salesians from the "Redeemer" Community in Bari. The work will be managed by ONLUS "Small Steps Big Dreams".

"As a Salesian I'm very happy at this initiative, because it is a great response to ​​what Pope Francis asked for. Two days I later I made the same request of all the Salesians of Europe. It is a small sign, but it shows that when you really want something you can achieve it," said Fr Á.F. Artime, at the inauguration, speaking to "La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno".

Later that afternoon, the activities continued at the Teatro Petruzzelli. After the opening of the festivities, in October 2014, at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples - and a series of events throughout 2015 - Bari was chosen as the location for the final event of the Bicentenary year. As on previous occasions, music was provided by the "DB Choir". This choir consists of about 150 young people of the Province and was formed specifically for the Bicentenary of Don Bosco.

The motto of the function at the Teatro Petruzzelli was "Time for the Oratory," to emphasize the central role of the oratory in the Salesian world, along with its continued relevance. "The oratories are important structures in the territory, to fight the deterioration of neighbourhoods and for the social rehabilitation of children at risk," said the President of the Puglia Region, Michele Emiliano, during his speech in the Teatro Petruzzelli. He also announced the launch of a plan to allow oratories to access European funds.

The Salesians in Bari run a vast work dedicated to the Holy Redeemer. It hosts several educational institutions - oratory, parish, vocational training centre, a university college, and so on - in the Libertà neighbourhood, one of the most difficult in Bari, because of the crime level.

Published 20/10/2015