Regional Formation Meeting of the Salesian Cooperators – Interamerican Region

Last Sunday, June 1, the Salesian Cooperators of the Interamerican Region held their second Regional Formation Meeting of 2025, held virtually under the theme “A Salesian Educational Style for Young People.”

The formation was led by Sister Runita Galve Borja, World Councilor for Youth Ministry of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, who offered a profound reflection on the role of Salesian educators as “builders of hope.”

Sister Runita emphasized that educating hope requires recognizing its enemies: resignation, pessimism, hopelessness, and false optimism. Faced with these challenges, she invited participants to ask themselves: What position do we take toward life? Toward our lives and that of young people?

With these questions as a starting point, he encouraged us to live the Jubilee as a concrete path of commitment: “The Grace of God is nothing other than service to life. Hope is not only a motto for a special year, but a program, a choice, and a way of life.”

The meeting began with a prayer in English led by Raúl Vallejo, Salesian Cooperator of the United States West, and concluded with a prayer in French by Gaby Vilchis, Salesian Cooperator of Canada.

The activity was organized by the Regional Secretariat and broadcast live via Zoom and Facebook, with simultaneous translation into English and French. Couldn’t connect? You can relive the entire meeting in Spanish on the Facebook Live page: SC Interamericana.

Shared Good Death Retreat in El Salvador – CAM North Province.

On Sunday, June 1, the Salesian Cooperators of El Salvador experienced their shared Good Death Retreat, a special moment of fraternity, reflection, and community. The central theme was Strenna 2025. The theme revolved around hope in personal history, illuminated by the Project of Apostolic Life and the inspiring story of Don Bosco.

This meeting marks the beginning of preparation for the pilgrimage and the Jubilee of Hope, which they will experience as an Association in the coming months. The activity culminated with the Via Lucis.

The Good Death Retreat was organized by the National Consultation of El Salvador and was held in the Rossi Hall of the María Auxiliadora Parish in San Salvador. Participants from the five local centers in the country participated, thus strengthening community, fraternity, and shared faith.

Spiritual Exercises of the Salesian Cooperators in Puerto Rico, Province of the Antilles

From May 31 to June 1, 27 Salesian Cooperators from Puerto Rico experienced their Spiritual Exercises 2025 in a moment of deep reflection, prayer, and silence. Under the guidance of Father Hiram Santiago, SDB, participants had the opportunity to deepen their vocation through three inspiring reflections, beginning with the question: How can I be a better Salesian Cooperator during the third year of Relaunch?

On May 31st, in celebration of the Feast of the Visitation, we joyfully closed the Marian month together with the Salesian Family of Aibonito (SDB, ADMA, SSCC, SSCC Aspirants), strengthening our ties and our mission.

Participants came from the four local centers in Puerto Rico: Alejandrina Da Costa in Orocovis, Don Bosco 88 in Aguadilla, Don Bosco Amigo Calle Lutz in San Juan, and San Francisco de Sales in Cataño.

These moments of prayer and reflection took place at the Salesian Retreat House in Aibonito, lovingly organized by the National Council of Salesian Cooperators of Puerto Rico.

The Regional Training School for Trainers has begun!

On May 20th, we launched this important initiative with the topic “Methodology, Pedagogy, and Teaching Techniques in Salesian Formation,” led by Agustín Bautista, Salesian Cooperator of the Mexico South Province. The session, held virtually, marks the beginning of a training process that will feature five modules designed to strengthen our capacities as trainers.

The objective of this first meeting was to offer an introductory framework on the pedagogical, methodological, and spiritual foundations that guide the work of Salesian Cooperators. We also sought to recognize the vital role of the trainer and their mission within our Association.

The Training School for Trainers emerges as a concrete response to the need for Salesian Cooperators prepared to accompany, animate, and guide training processes from a human, Christian, and charismatic perspective. Inspired by Don Bosco and faithful to our Project of Apostolic Life (PVA), we have designed a modular and experiential itinerary that strengthens the formative vocation, emphasizing service, identity and Salesian methodology.

The goal is to train our future formators in the Inter-American Region, enhancing their human, Christian, and Salesian capacities. Through a reflective, practical, and participatory training process, we seek to enable them to accompany initial and ongoing formation processes, using active methodologies and faithful to our charism and guidelines.

In each session, tasks will be assigned to further enrich this process. The school will last one year, with quarterly sessions. In this first session, 116 formators from different countries in the region participated—a great start!