Canção Nova is an international movement of lay people engaged in evangelisation, in particular through the media, which began in 1978 with 12 young people under the guidance of a Salesian priest, Fr Jonas Abib. The movement draws its inspiration from number 45 in the Papal Document “Evangeli Nuntiandi” which encourages the use of the media in evangelisation. The headquarters of the movement are at Cachoeira Paulista, in Brazil which over the years has developed into a real centre furnished with various structures for evangelisation such as the “Dom João Hipólito de Moraes”, with capacity for 70,000 places, the “My Lord” corner with 4,000 places and the “São Paulo” auditorium with 700 places. On 3 November 2008 the Vatican recognised Canção Nova as an Association of the Faithful.
The second group of “The Disciples”, or Don Bosco Secular Institute, is a public ecclesiastical association of men and women begun in India in 1973 as an inspiration of the Salesian Fr Joseph D’Souza. In 1983 the Sisters were joined by the Brothers. On 21 April 2000 the diocese of Ambikapur recognised the Secular Institute. The Disciples, drawing inspiration from the gospel passage in which Jesus entrusts a mission to 72 disciples, are dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel, to teaching catechism, to the care of the sick and the service of the poor. Today they are just over 400 in number, present in 44 dioceses in India and 6 in Italy.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Michael the Archangel, also called “Michaelite Sisters” were founded at the end of the XIX century by Blessed Fr Bronislao Markiewicz and the Servant of God Mother Anna Kaworek. In 1956 the infant congregation obtained from the President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference the Decree of praise, confirmed by the Congregation for Religious which recognised it as a religious institute of pontifical right. The Michaelite Sisters combine a contemplative manner with apostolic charitable work in the educational, catechetical, charitable and social fields, in parish work and in the missions. The life of the Sisters is expressed in two mottos: “Who is like to God” and “Work and temperance.” The Congregation, at present under the guidance of Sr Natanaela Bednarczk, contains about 300 sisters in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Germany, France, Camerun and Italy. News of the approval of these groups coincides with the opening of the XXVII in the series of the Spirituality Days of the Salesian Family.
Published 22/01/2009
