The Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) are Catholic priests and brothers founded by St. John Bosco in 1859. The sole focus of their work and life is to be in the Church signs and bearers of God’s love for disadvantaged young people. The first Salesians arrived in Australia in 1922. The Australia-Pacific province now encompasses Australia, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand.
A key component of Salesian spirituality is service to God in a spirit of joyful enthusiasm. It involves an active presence amongst the young working with them and beside them so that they can grow and mature to be “good Christians and honest citizens”.
Working in the ‘Salesian Way; is about being committed to the young, especially the poor, disadvantaged and marginalised. This is most effectively manifested through education and evangelisation.
Salesianity is a spirituality where daily life is the meeting place with God, and Christian life is understood as a path to happiness. It is by encountering God in the young with whom they work that members of the Salesian Family discover the fullness, beauty and wonder of God’s love.
St. John Bosco, affectionately known as Don Bosco, is the founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco. He began his work by supporting, educating and befriending young men, many of them whose prospects in life would otherwise be dim. Don Bosco spent his life establishing oratories (youth centres) and schools for these poor boys.
Today, the Salesians continue their work all over the world with the same focus on education and young people.
The worldwide Salesian family is a vast movement of people dedicated to the education and spiritual care of the young, and includes an immense number of lay people working besides the Salesian priests, brothers and sisters.
Missionary work is essential to the Salesian charism
and the Salesians operate missions in every region of the world.