In Solidarity with Those on the Margins

We are the Salesians of St. John Bosco—a global order of Catholic priests, brothers and sisters dedicated to improving the lives, circumstances and futures of some of the world’s most impoverished children and families.

Our approach to this work invokes the spiritual and pastoral legacy of our founder, Saint John “Don” Bosco, who aspired to bring young people to God—through his unwavering belief in the power of education, the value of work, and the dignity of the individual. This legacy has similarly inspired Pope Francis, who was baptized by a Salesian priest, educated in a Salesian school, and encouraged in his vocation by the same Salesian priest who introduced his parents to each other.

“I have vowed my life to these poor little outcasts,” Don Bosco once said. “It is God’s will; the path He has traced out for me.”

That path endures today. Guided by the preventive system of education that Don Bosco pioneered, more than 30,000 Salesians travel it together—with the young, and for the young, in more than 130 countries around the world.

On this historic occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States, we celebrate the powerful bond that unites us on behalf of the poor, the disenfranchised and the most exploited among us. Together, we envision, and will continue to work for, a truly just society—one forever free from the chains of poverty and despair.

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In a recent letter from Pope Francis to the Salesians, His Holiness recalls the “loving kindness” that was the hallmark of Don Bosco’s very being—a “love that is manifested and perceived, and reveals itself in caring, affection, understanding and involvement in the life of another person.”

The support of our friends is a concrete expression of that loving kindness—and brings our mission to life every day. Explore our website to learn more about how to join our family or the many ways to help.

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