Who are Salesians?

Some information

  • Society of Saint Francis de Sales

    Official title

  • Salesians of Don Bosco

    Alternative title

  • 18 December 1859

    Date founded

  • Saint John Bosco

    Founder

  • 14,486 (14,056 without novices and bishops)

    Salesians

  • 133

    Nations

  • 7

    Regions

  • 90

    Provinces

  • 32

    Groups in the Salesian Family

Our story!

We, the Salesians of Don Bosco, officially known as the Society of Saint Francis de Sales, are recognised in the Church as a clerical religious institute of pontifical right, dedicated to apostolic works. We are a male religious congregation dedicated to apostolic and missionary activity and to the many works that Christian charity has given rise to, but above all at the service of young people, especially the poorest and most abandoned.

Open to the cultural values ​​of the countries in which we work, we try to understand them and welcome their values, to embody the  message of the gospel.

The needs of young people and popular groups, the desire to act with and in the Church’s name move and guide our pastoral action for the advent of a more just and more fraternal world in Christ.

Founded by St. John Bosco, a nineteenth-century Italian educator, we are present in 133 countries.

This official salesian MOR website seeks to let you know what we do, how we do it and why we believe that what we do is worth our life and our death.

By walking with young people  you take part in this adventure! 

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