Dear Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco, Allow me to share the new monthly report with all of you, for the month of December 2020 and January 2021. Those two months are important and interesting for us. December was the last month of our anniversary year – nonetheless we continue to celebrate our anniversary year . December 2020 as the last month of this unique year of the first new pandemic era of 21st century. Yet, the corona crisis remains with us too.. January, is the month of a new year, starting something fresh with new possibilities, it is the month of the annual Salesian Spirituality Days and the feast of our father Don Bosco. Yet, the situation keeps us in front of our screens and in our homes, and prevents us to enjoy all this newness along with our friends and families. And 2021 is still an important year, new year, another year, the year in which we continue to mark our anniversary of 150 years as Past Pupils, the year of General Assembly of Past Pupils of Don Bosco, the year of the new Strenna, a year of new challenges of new opportunities. I invite you to read about the latest news in this Monthly Report and I encourage you all to share those news as always with all Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco. One important and brand new experience is the first Presidency online meeting of the World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco. Since the corona pandemic has limited all face to face meetings and traveling, the meeting of the Presidency planned for the 2020 took a new form on online space. It is the expected action to take to respond for the new challenges of 21st century and for the Past Pupils with the current worldwide crisis, it is an important time for past pupils which is full of new invitations and vast ocean of new possibilities. The most important issue among others that was discussed during the first Presidency online meeting was the General Assembly of World Confederation which is supposed to take place in the late 2021 in accordance to the statute of Past Pupils. The new and very specific challenge which we face now is, how, when and where realize this fundamental and crucial meeting of the most important body of World Confederation. The Executive Council of World Confederation has brought the idea of online meeting which will prevent many around the world from not participating to remain safe from possible health threats. Since the situation is developing every day, the Presidency is monitoring very closely and will evaluate all important changes along the year 2021. I ask you for your prayers and the support for the best possible outcome for all of us and for the World Confederation of Past Pupils. For the best outcomes, the World Confederation needs a more functional structure and open to means of communication channels. It is crucial that we maintain our working structure from the Presidency through regional, national and local Federations directly through to every Past Pupil. It is a way how the richness of our community is able to thrive and develop. I encourage you specifically to give attention to the local unions all over the world. They face the biggest challenge of surviving and serving for its purpose since the time and pandemic restrictions can threaten their existence. I pray for the all Past Pupils and their local unions to stay active and in positive mood serving each other for the greater good of all dreams of Don Bosco.
Let us use all the new options we have. I am sure that local unions can continue in many of its purposes in online world by video calls, regular calls, emails, letters and last, but not least, prayers. We see the great example in our leaders of Salesian Family, how they face new problems and challenges. For example, let us the very recent online Days of Salesian Spirituality meeting be the shining example of how not to get stuck with new problems, but rather to solve them with modern solutions. I was very motivated personally from seeing and witnessing the energy and the blessing of the Salesian Family during the online broadcast of the Salesian Spirituality Days. Lots of similar connections and celebration of feasts happened on regional, national and local level during the feast of our father don Bosco at the end of January. May this important day and memory will serve as an energy for us into the next days and months. Along with the invitation for drawing from the common Salesian practice, I invite you to form and participate in the prayer chains among each other for each other. Let us pray together for our dear ones, for our colleagues, fellow Past Pupils, our Salesians, our local unions and even for the association of Past Pupils in general. I ask you very humbly for the prayers for the Presidency of World Confederation and for its members as well. Many of them are facing the COVID-19 19 illness firsthand and still work and serve for every Past Pupil of Don Bosco out there. Before the end of this Monthly letter, allow me to bring on some practical points to remind you and re-invite you to participate. 1. Be aware that we still have few exclusive “tazzine” gift box of anniversary 150th of Past Pupils of Don Bosco from 2020. Since the anniversary and the Jubilee year is still on, I invite you to contact our official email tazzine150@exallievi.org and claim your special, exclusively numbered gift box. 2. Please pay attention not only to prayers and support regarding the upcoming General Assembly but also to technical and practical background– which is – to have the approved statute of the member association, and to have the membership fees paid to date with World Treasurer – it means to have them paid or at least communicated the pending payments in accordance to your case. 3. And one of my most common reminder (nowadays it comes to its most urgency) – please, keep up building the network of your contacts, emails, phones and any other communication matters inside your regional and national associations. Now, more than ever it brings a huge importance for our future and active and fruitful communication and work. I pray for you all my dear Past Pupils and friends of Don Bosco around the world – may Don Bosco our father will protect us from the evil and the illness and will help us in our challenges and all our work for those who are in the need of it. Yours faithfully
Michal Hort President of World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco