10. WHY “SALESIAN”? St. John Bosco wanted his priests, Brothers, and Sisters to imitate the kind and gentle ways of St. Francis de Sales in community life and in mission. Our name is pronounced “suh-LEE-zian”
9. WHO ARE YOUR FOUNDERS? By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and guidance of Mother Mary, 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!
8. 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.
7. MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS? 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.
6. F.M.A…? These initials are on our crucifix. In Latin: Filiae Mariae Auxilium Christianorum. In English: Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. It is the official Institute name of the Salesian Sisters who were founded to be “a living monument of gratitude” to Mary Help of Christians.
5. WHERE ARE YOU? Today, our congregation numbers over 11,200 Sisters in 97 countries on every inhabited continent. The Salesian Sisters are organized into provinces based upon region. There are about 80 provinces, with two in North America: Eastern and Western. The Eastern Province is called St. Joseph Province and has 16 convents currently in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Surrey B.C., Montréal, Cornwall, and Toronto.
4. MISSION? Jesus and the young person, especially the poor and most at risk, are at the heart of our mission. Together with lay collaborators, we are dedicated to the education and evangelization of young people and their families through schools, camps, retreats, catechesis, youth and young adult parish ministries, oratories, and after- school programs. In other countries, Salesian Sisters also serve the young and their families in universities, medical clinics, orphanages, resident schools, and many other works.
3. YOU HAVE A 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, inconvenience, or hardship can stand in the way of our joyful fervor for souls.
2. WAIT, HOW MANY SAINTS? 173 official ones as of 2021, but who’s counting? But if you really want to know how effective the Salesian charism is… the Salesian Family includes 9 Saints, 118 Blesseds, 18 Venerables, and 28 Servants of God. And we keep growing! On 30 August 2021, Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Mariacristina Cella Mocellin – wife, mother, and past pupil of the Salesian Sisters- and declared her Venerable. Is God calling you to become a saint as a Salesian Sister?
1. JESUS. MARY. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and Mother Mary: our Salesian spirituality is anchored in these two central truths of our faith. “Trust in Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and Mary Most Holy, and you will see what miracles are.” (St. John Bosco). Read the story of St. John Bosco’s “Dream of the Two Pillars.”
