Serve the Lord Joyfully!
– St. John Bosco
Spend a year serving young people in Salesian communities around the world.
By the Numbers
Serve Like Don Bosco
St. John Bosco drew young people to God with his presence. But he couldn’t do it alone – he needed lay people like you!
Choosing to serve can feel risky. But you’ll be glad you did. Your experience will shape the way you work, pray, and see your purpose in life.
Deciding Your Next Steps in Life?
We discern with you how to best use your gifts. You can teach, work in a parish, run retreats, help at-risk children, care for refugees and more.
Jump into each day like Don Bosco. Pray with the Salesians, laugh with the children, and watch God provide for you in surprising ways. Pour yourself out to the kids. You’ll be amazed at what you can do!
Educating For Life
You can help break the cycle of poverty by providing a quality education to vulnerable youth. At Salesian schools, young children attend classes, participate in sports and other activities and have a safe place to learn and grow.
Health & Medical Services
Use your professional knowledge to serve the sick at a Salesian clinic, hospital, or dispensary. Be it a nurse or medical doctor, the impact of healthcare ministry is quick and powerful.
Taking Care of the At-Risk
Do you have a caring and empathetic heart? Do you desire to help provide basic living necessities for youth? Why not serve at one of many shelters and homes where you can help counsel, stabilize, and educate those youth at-risk.
Closer to Jesus
Be a Salesian Youth Minister and help young people come to know and love Jesus Christ. Our way of ministering to young people guides them to serve others and the Church in the style of St. John Bosco – to form ‘upright citizens and good Christians.’
Reaching out to those in need
As a Salesian Lay Missioner, you will have the unique opportunity to make lasting positive impacts on entire communities – establishing school outreach programs, evaluating community needs, or simply listening to those who want to be heard. You can be that change!
Meet the SLMs
Meet the current lay missioners who have committed themselves to furthering Don Bosco’s and the church’s mission of serving those at-risk.
Why I’m Here
I left a career in software engineering to follow Christ more fully, offering my life in service to the Church. This year with the Salesian Lay Missioners is a gift — time set aside to live the Gospel with intention, humility, and joy. I want to grow in holiness and help others encounter Christ in meaningful, personal ways.
Drawn to the Salesians
What drew me to the Salesians was their joyful spirituality, their deep love for the young, and the strength of their community life. The family spirit and rhythm of shared prayer and mission resonate deeply with me. I’m excited to live, serve, and pray alongside others seeking God.
Ready to Teach, Listen, and Love
With experience mentoring middle school boys and leading young engineers, I love helping others grow — intellectually, spiritually, and personally. I feel especially called to teach, but I’m ready for anything: classrooms, food lines, or faith sharing. My passion for evangelization, languages, and accompaniment makes me eager to serve wherever I’m needed.
A Heart for Mission
My journey in mission began two decades ago with the Society of African Missions in 2003-04. Prior to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I served as an SLM Chemistry teacher in Sierra Leone 2019-2020…..an experience that renewed my desire to walk alongside youth in faith and service. As an older adult, many could consider this a time to slow down, yet I feel that I still have much to give. Mission isn’t just for the young—it’s for the willing.
Rooted in Faith
My Catholic faith is a primary source of my strength and joy. Daily prayer, Mass, and music ministry keep me grounded in Christ and open to whatever He asks of me. I approach each new opportunity with trust, offering my talents freely to serve our Church and those most in need.
Drawn to the Salesian Charism
The Salesian family captured my heart in Sierra Leone. There I witnessed a joyful commitment to young people. That same charism continues to inspire me to serve with simplicity, flexibility, and love. I’m honored to once again walk this path with the Salesians and the youth they uplift every day.
A Heart for Mission
After completing a year as a Salesian Lay Missioner in Alexandria, Egypt, I’ve chosen to renew for a second year of service. My first year was centered on teaching English to primary school students, and this year I’ve transitioned to working with secondary students—an exciting and rewarding new challenge. Teaching remains my core daily responsibility, complemented by occasional youth programs and retreats throughout the year.
Why the Salesians
The joyful and prayerful spirit of the Salesians has been a natural fit for me from the start. St. John Bosco’s emphasis on presence, accompaniment, and education continues to inspire my work. Living and serving alongside priests, brothers, and lay volunteers has allowed me to grow spiritually while staying grounded in a mission centered on Christ and the young.
Faith and Flexibility
Community prayer, daily Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration anchor my days and give strength to my ministry. Life in mission is full of unexpected changes, but I’ve learned to embrace them with openness and trust. I’m grateful to continue this journey in Egypt, building deeper relationships and allowing God to work through me in new and meaningful ways.
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