Young People, Reason for Salesian Congregation's Founding

Young People, the Reason for Salesian Congregation’s Founding 158 years ago

(ANS – Rome – December 18) – In Don Bosco’s mind there was no other idea but to give himself to God through young people. Despite the few years of priesthood, he understood that “if we want to have a good society we must concentrate all our efforts on educating young people about Christianity. Experience has taught me that caring for young people is the only way to achieve a sustainable civil society.” Thus, knowing he was doing the will of God, Don Bosco founded the Salesian Congregation, and December 18, 1859, can be considered as the official date of the founding of the Society of St. Francis de Sales (BM 6:181).

An 1870 photo of Don Bosco (front row, wearing biretta) with some of the Salesians. On the photo 2 Salesians are identified, at the left of the front row: Fr. James Costamagna, a future bishop, and Fr. John Cagliero, who would become the first SDB bishop and cardinal. Others in the front row: Fr. Celestine Durando immediately to DB's left; to his right: Fr. Joseph Lazzero, Fr. Angelo Savio, seminarian Bros. John Pellegrini, Julius Barberis, and Joseph Bertello.

The name given by the founder was “Pia Società di San Francesco di Sales,” or the Pious Society of St. Francis de Sales, and at its origins it counted 17 members besides Don Bosco: a priest, 15 seminarians, and a student). The first Salesian coadjutor entered the Congregation on February 22, 1860. The Church approved the Congregation on July 23, 1864, and officially recognized its Constitutions and Regulations on April 3, 1874.

Don Bosco gave the name “Salesians” to the Congregation in honor of the holy bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales (1567-1622). On January 26, 1854, Don Bosco gathered the first four young men who were proposing to “have ... an experience in the practical exercise of charity with others” and “according to the words of Father Lemoyne, they took the name of Salesians for the first time. Looking back, this event would represent the first significant experience leading to the foundation of the Congregation in 1859,” wrote Fr. Arthur Lenti.

After these significant events, the Salesians inaugurated new presences: the first Salesian house outside Turin was in Mirabello, opened in 1863; while the first house outside Italy was in Nice, France, in 1875; the first center outside Europe was in Argentina, where the Salesians arrived in the same year.

On this day, when we celebrate the anniversary of the Salesian Congregation’s foundation, let us not forget the words of Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, the Rector Major: “The first great sensation is that God continues to want Don Bosco’s charism for the good of the young people of world.”