(ANS - Rome)- As part of the three-year period of preparation for the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco, the theme for this year is The Mission of Don Bosco with young people and for young people. The bicentenary has already been talked about at a press conference for the foreign press, held in Rome in February.

On the morning of Thursday 10 April, the Chapter Assembly was involved in the presentation of one of the events which will take place during the bicentennial .

This is the International Congress of Salesian History to be held in Rome from 19 to 23 November 2014. It will have as its theme: "Development of the charism of Don Bosco until the mid- twentieth century."

The conference was planned jointly from the beginning by the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.

The congress will be developed in five phases: the presence of the Salesian charism in the world today, the history of Salesian work, the history of Salesian education, history of Salesian spirituality, the future of the charism of Don Bosco.

The introduction will be given by the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr Francis Cereda. He will speak about The Presence of the Salesian Charism in the World Today: its relevance and the challenges. The Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime will close the conference with a talk on "The Future of the Charism of Don Bosco since the Second Vatican Council."

Among the speakers there will be many historians of the Salesians of Don Bosco and of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. There will also be lay experts. One of these will be Professor Mario Belardinelli who will talk about political, social, cultural, economic and religious changes which had an impact on the situation of young people.  Professor George Chiosso will speak about The Contribution of the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians to Pedagogy and Education in the First Half of the Twentieth Century.

The work of educators inspired by Don Bosco has reached the five continents in two centuries. The SDB and FMA General Councillors will speak about Salesian work in Africa, America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Fr Francis Motto, Bro. Marco Bay and Sr Maria Teresa Spiga will also speak on The Spread of SDB and FMA work.

The world Congress will be enriched by the talk of Fr Joe Boenzi onFrancis de Sales and the Impact of His Spirituality on the Nineteenth Century Church.

There will also be a Salesian look at the outside world. Fr Bruno Bordignon and Sister Grace Loparco will talk about the Salesian response to social, cultural, economic and religious developments from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century.  Fr Aldo Giraudo will focus on The Spirit of Don Bosco and the History of Salesian Asceticism: the Most Significant Contributions of Some Authors.

The congress will devote time to The Critical Edition of the Letters of Don Bosco, which Fr Francis Motto has been working on for years.

Published 11/04/2014