Salesians of Don Bosco

The Salesian Society is a worldwide organization founded by St. John Bosco and is the third largest Catholic religious order in the world. Don Bosco gathered a number of priests and lay people together to found a religious congregation in the Catholic Church. He called this congregation the Salesian Society.It was named after St. Francis de Sales who was known for his kind and gentle manner, a trait which Don Bosco wanted his Salesians to acquire. He also chose Mary, Help of Christians, as the patroness of the Salesian Society.

Since that time, a large spiritual family has grown out of Don Bosco”s experience. Numerous groups look at him as a spiritual father as they try to spread the Gospel throughout the world such as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters - FMA), Salesian Co-operators, Past pupils of Don Bosco (Don Bosco Alumni), and Don Bosco Volunteers. These groups are at work for the good of young people in every corner of the world. All these groups within Don Bosco”s spiritual family share his educational method, popularly called “The Preventive System”. In fact, it is not a system, but a lifestyle, an educational approach, a pastoral method, and a spiritual heritage. Significantly, Don Bosco”s example and educational methods have inspired a gospel lifestyle which leads to holiness of life, as witnessed in the lives of saints who have embraced Don Bosco”s experience and made it their own.

The Salesians can be found worldwide in many different initiatives on behalf of young people: schools, oratories, youth centres, technical and professional training centres, parishes, foreign missions, and activities in the realm of mass media and social communications.

Don Bosco, the Apostle of Youth, died on 31 st January 1888, leaving behind 773 Salesians, 393 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the lay branch of Salesian Co-operators, an Association of Past Pupils as well works in nine countries in Europe and America during that time. Nowadays the “Salesian Family” is found in 128 countries with 402,500 members which include priests, brothers, sisters, lay co-operators, benefactors and past pupils at the service of the education of the young:

“We, the Salesians of Don Bosco, are an international organization of men and women dedicated full time to the service of young people, especially those who are poorer and disadvantaged. Wherever we work, Youth Resource Development ’ through education and evangelization is the focus of all our concern - because we believe that our total dedication to the young is our best gift to humanity.”