Salesians of Don Bosco facts for kids
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Societas Sancti Francisci Salesii
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Coat of arms
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| Abbreviation | SDB |
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| Nickname | Salesians of Don Bosco |
| Formation | December 18, 1859 |
| Founder | John Bosco |
| Founded at | Valdocco, Turin |
| Type | Clerical Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right |
| Headquarters | Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio Rome, Italy |
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Membership (2022)
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14,614 (128 bishops, 14,056 priests and 430 novices) |
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Rector Major of the Salesians
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Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB |
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Vicar of the Rector Major
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Francesco Cereda, SDB |
The Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) are a group of Catholic men. They are also known as the Society of Saint Francis de Sales. An Italian priest named John Bosco started this group in 1859. His goal was to help young people who were poor or had moved to new places during the Industrial Revolution. The group is named after Francis de Sales, a kind bishop from the 1600s.
The Salesians' main goal is to help their members grow in their faith. They do this by doing good deeds for young people, especially those in need. They also help boys study to become priests. The Salesians have a sister group called the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco. There is also a group for everyday people called the Association of Salesian Cooperators.
Contents
History of the Salesians
In 1845, Don John Bosco opened a night school for boys. "Don" is a special Italian title for a priest. This school was in a place called Valdocco, which is now part of Turin, Italy. Over the next few years, he opened more schools. By 1857, he wrote down rules for the people who helped him. Don Bosco really liked the simple faith and kindness of Francis de Sales. So, he named his new group, the Society of St. Francis de Sales, after him in 1859.
The rules for the Salesians were officially approved in 1873 by Pope Pius IX. The group grew very quickly. Within a year of being officially recognized, they had started houses in France and Argentina. Their official magazine, Salesian Bulletin, was first printed in 1877.
In the next ten years, the Salesians spread to many more countries. These included Austria, Britain, Spain, and several countries in South America. Don Bosco passed away in 1888, but the group kept growing. The Salesians arrived in Mexico in 1892. By 1911, they were active all over the world. This included places like Colombia, China, India, South Africa, Tunisia, Venezuela, and the United States.
Salesians Today
The Salesian Society is still active around the world. In 2021, they had 14,232 members in 1,703 houses. As of 2023, Salesians work in more than 130 countries.
Salesian Symbols
Coat of Arms Meaning
The Salesian coat of arms was created by Professor Boidi. It first appeared in a letter from Don Bosco in 1885. It has a bright star, a large anchor, and a burning heart. These symbols stand for Faith, Hope, and Charity. The picture of Saint Francis de Sales reminds everyone who the group is named after. The small wood at the bottom represents Don Bosco, the founder. The tall mountains show the high goals members try to reach. The palm and laurel leaves around the shield mean that a good and giving life is rewarded. The motto at the bottom says, Da mihi animas, caetera tolle. This means "Give me souls, take away the rest."
Understanding the Salesian Logo
The Salesian logo has two pictures placed on top of each other. It combines ideas from the German and Brazilian Salesian groups. The main idea behind the logo is "Don Bosco and the Salesians walking with the young through the world." A designer named Fabrizio Emigli in Rome created the final artwork.
In the background, there is a globe. This shows that the Salesians work all over the world. Inside the globe, a white "S" shape looks like a winding road. This road stands for the learning journey young people take.
In the front, there is an arrow pointing up. It rests on three straight lines with three circles on top. This looks like three people. The person in the middle is taller and is the tip of the arrow. The other two people seem to be hugged by the central figure. These three figures show Saint John Bosco reaching out to young people. They also show his call for Salesians to keep his work going. The three figures with the arrow can also look like a house with a sloped roof held up by three pillars. This represents Don Bosco's way of teaching, which uses Reason, Religion, and Loving Kindness.
How the Salesians are Organized
The Salesians of Don Bosco are led by the Rector Major and a general council. Each of the ninety-four areas, called provinces, has its own leader called a Provincial. These leaders serve for six years. The Rector Major and the general council members are chosen by a meeting called the General Chapter. This meeting happens every six years or if the Rector Major passes away. Each local Salesian community has a leader called a Rector, or sometimes a "Director." This person is chosen for three years and can serve a second three-year term.
Since 2014, the main leader, the Rector Major, has been Father Ángel Fernández Artime.
What Salesians Do
Salesian groups mainly run shelters for young people who are homeless or at risk. They also operate schools and centers for learning skills like technical trades or languages. These centers are for both young people and adults. They also have boys' clubs and community centers. In some places, they manage churches. Salesians are also involved in publishing books and other ways of sharing information. They do a lot of mission work, especially in places like Asia (Siberia), Africa, and South America (Yanomami). The Salesian Bulletin is now printed in fifty-two different versions and in thirty languages.
In 1988, the Salesians started the Salesian Youth Movement. In the 1990s, they began new work in college education. Today, they have a network of over 58 colleges and universities. The main university for the Salesian Society is the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome.
Important Salesian Members
Saints and Blesseds
- Saint John Bosco
- Saint Dominic Savio
- Saint Aloysius Versiglia, Bishop and Martyr
- Saint Callixtus Caravario, martyr
- Saint Artémides Zatti
- Blessed Michael Rua
- Blessed Stephen Sandor, martyr
- Blessed Luis Variara
- Blessed Titus Zeman
- Venerable August Hlond
Images for kids
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Lucas Van Looy (left), Bishop of Ghent
See also
In Spanish: Pía Sociedad de San Francisco de Sales para niños
- Don Bosco School
- List of Salesian schools
- Rector Major of the Salesians
- Croatian Salesian Province of Saint Don Bosco
- Salesian Pastoral Youth Service, a Maltese Salesian group of religious and lay youth leaders
- Salesians in Hungary
- Bartolome Blanco Marquez, martyr of the religious persecutions of the Spanish Civil War
- Giuseppe Moja
- Jan Tyranowski, mentor of the young Karol Wojtyla, later to be Pope John Paul II
