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).  

174 official ones as of 2025, but who’s counting? But if you want to know how effective the Salesian charism is… the Salesian Family includes 10 Saints, 117 Blesseds, 17 Venerables, 29 Servants of God and 55 other causes are underway. And we keep growing! We are called to journey towards holiness. Is God calling you to become a saint as a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sister)?

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 great 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.

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, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters) also serve the young and their families in universities, medical clinics, orphanages, resident schools, and many other works.

Today, our congregation numbers over 10,788 Sisters in 97 countries on every inhabited continent. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters) are organized into provinces based on region. There are about 80 provinces. In East Africa, our Province is called Our Lady of Hope Province (AFE) and has 13 communities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Our Provincial House is in Nairobi.

These initials are on our crucifix. In Italian: Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice. 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.

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 during the Battle at Lepanto.

With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and guidance of Mother Mary, St. John Bosco worked with St. Mary Mazzarello to found the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters) in 1872 in Italy. In 2022, we celebrated 150 years of God’s Providence and the life of our charism!

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.

As the co-founder of our Institute, she dedicated her life to empowering young girls through education, faith, and love. A woman of deep wisdom, tireless dedication, and unshakable joy, she left behind a legacy of service that continues to inspire generations worldwide.”

John Bosco wanted his Priests, Brothers, and Sisters to imitate the kind and gentle ways of St. Francis de Sales in community life and mission. Our name is pronounced “suh·lee·zhn”

Don Bosco inspired the start of a vast movement of people who in different ways work for the benefit of the young. He founded not only the Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians of Don Bosco) but also the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters) and the Association of Salesian Cooperators. Salesian Family today consists of 32 officially recognized groups that have a total of 402,500 members. There are currently 23 more groups that are seeking membership within the Salesian Family.