Ukraine – Italian and Ukrainian ministers visit the Salesian centre in Lviv

The Director of the centre, Fr Andriy Bodnar, welcomed the guests, recounting the fascinating story of how the Salesians established the first amputee football team in Ukraine.

On this occasion, a new project was also presented: a facility and sports area dedicated to children, young people and, in particular, boys and girls with amputations, designed to support their post-rehabilitation journey.

The ministers were able to see at first hand how sport, combined with the Christian faith and the pedagogy of St John Bosco, offers a second chance at life and hope. The Salesians, in fact, do not limit themselves to training athletes, but build true fraternal communities: they support veterans, accompany the most vulnerable and help them reintegrate into society. This deeply Christian mission makes football on crutches not just a sport, but a true testimony of hope and rebirth.

The ministers’ presence underscored the importance of these projects. True to their charism, the Salesians offer not only spiritual support but also concrete opportunities for a new social life.

The project for a new sports facility near Lviv is a tangible sign of how faith and social commitment can come together for the good of people. Through sport, hope is built, family ties are strengthened, and every person is accompanied on a journey of dignity and fraternity.

This reality is also embodied in the story of captain Valentyn Osovskyi, who found a new family through football on crutches. Thanks to the team’s support, he bravely undertook his rehabilitation, demonstrating that faith and solidarity make it possible to overcome any obstacle. In this way, the Salesians bear witness to the fact that, with a Christian spirit, even the deepest wounds can be transformed into new opportunities.

At the end of the visit, the exchange of the club’s symbols – scarves and shirts – represented not only a gesture of friendship, but also a concrete sign of collaboration between Italy, Ukraine and the Salesian world.

Fr Bodnar presented the two ministers with a medal bearing the image of St John Bosco, as a sign and encouragement to participate in Salesian works. “A powerful symbol of how faith, sport and solidarity can build bridges of hope and transform the lives of those who have suffered, always upholding the dignity of every person”.