TOP 10 things you should know about us
WHY “SALESIAN”?
St. John Bosco desired that his priests, Brothers, and Sisters imitate the kind and gentle ways of St. Francis de Sales in community life and in mission.
By the intervention of Mother Mary and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, St. John Bosco worked with St. Mary Mazzarello to found the Salesian Sisters in 1872 in Italy. In 2022, we celebrate 150 years of God’s Providence and life of our Charism!
WHO ARE YOUR FOUNDERS?
DON BOSCO OR JOHN BOSCO?
Don means ‘padre’ or Fr. In Italian, so that’s his title, not his first name. Giovanni, or John, is his baptized name. As you may have caught on, Don Bosco and St. John Bosco are used interchangeably.
Don Bosco said, “Our Lady wants us to honor her under the title Mary, Help of Christians. Times are so bad that we need Our Lady to help us to be faithful and defend our beliefs.” This title for the Blessed Mother dates to 1571 and Pope Pius V.
MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
F.M.A
Filiae Mariae Auxilium Christianorum.
In English: Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. It is the official Institute name of the Salesian Sisters as founded conceived by Don Bosco who wanted the Sisters to be a living monument of gratitude to Mary Help of Christians.Today, our congregation numbers over 11,000 Sisters in 98 countries. The Salesian Sisters are organized into provinces based upon region. There are about 80 provinces on six continents, with two provinces in North America: Eastern and Western. The St. Joseph Province is the Eastern Province. Our 17 convents and numerous ministries are currently in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Louisiana, Surrey B.C., Montréal, Cornwall, and Toronto.
WORLDWIDE
MISSION
Jesus and the young person, especially the poor and most at risk, is the heart of our mission. Together with lay collaborators, we are dedicated to the education, formation, and evangelization of youth and their families through schools (PK-12), camps, retreats, catechesis, youth and young adult parish ministries, oratories, and after school programs. In other countries, in addition to these, Salesian Sisters also serve the young and their families through universities, medical clinics, orphanages, resident schools, and many other works.
“Trust in Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and Mary Most Holy, and you will see what miracles are.” -St. John Bosco
THE TWO PILLARS
MOTTO:
Da Mihi Animas – Caetera Tolle! “
Give me souls – Take away the rest!” Don Bosco took this verse from Scripture (cf. Gen. 14:21) to be the motto for the Salesian mission in the Church. The laser focus of the Saint was the salvation of souls. No sacrifice is too small or too great, no discomfort, no inconvenience, or hardship can stand in the way of our joyful fervor for souls.
An environment of warm welcome, love, and joy permeates our Salesian houses and places of ministry. This charismatic way of living and relating, called “the Family Spirit” by Don Bosco, is intricately forged with his Preventive System of reason, religion, and loving-kindness and is uniquely Salesian.
There are many vocations within the Salesian Family! Women are invited to consider being a Salesian Cooperator (lay collaborator, single or married), a Volunteer of Don Bosco (consecrated lay single with vows), or a Salesian Sister. We rejoice and give thanks to God that our congregation continues to grow here and throughout the world. On average, annually, 400 novices are preparing to become Salesian Sisters!