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 Serve
This year of mission came unexpectedly, but I believe it’s exactly where God wants me to be. I’m entering with a desire to deepen my discernment—whether that leads to the priesthood or another path of service. I know it won’t be easy, and I’m nervous about how God will challenge me, but I’m also excited to grow, to be stretched, and to open myself more fully to Him.
Drawn to the Salesians
What first drew me to the Salesians was their strong sense of brotherhood and family. Living in community with them has been one of the most beautiful aspects of my journey. Their joy, simplicity, and love for the young inspire me to do the same—to love God and neighbor with a generous heart.
Living for Christ, Loving Like Christ
Christ is everything to me. He’s not just a part of my life—He’s the center. I try each day to imitate His simplicity and love, to live with purpose, and to bring that love to those around me. Through the sacraments, daily Mass, prayer, the Rosary, and even acts of self-denial, I try to stay close to Him. I trust in the Church fully, and I believe the laity have a powerful role to play in helping guide souls to Christ.
From Lost to Found
I once chased everything the world offered — until I found myself empty, broken, and far from who I was meant to be. But Christ, in His mercy, came after me when I had nothing to offer and called me His own. That love changed everything. Since then, I’ve felt a deep desire to live for Him and make His name known, especially through mission — serving the poor, the forgotten, and the young with the same love that rescued me.
Why the Salesians
Through prayer and God’s providence, I was introduced to the Salesian Lay Missioners. Their focus on faith, community, and youth ministry resonated with the mission God placed in my heart. I long to work with children, especially in orphanages, where I can help nurture not just minds, but hearts — pointing them to Christ. The SLM emphasis on presence, accompaniment, and joyful service aligns perfectly with my spiritual gifts in prayer, teaching, and encouragement.
Equipped and Willing
Though I haven’t done formal mission work yet, my travels and leadership experiences have prepared me to be adaptable, compassionate, and creative in ministry. Whether it’s leading Bible studies, creating evangelization content, or simply loving the one in front of me, I believe God has uniquely equipped me to serve. I don’t bring perfection — I bring a willing heart. I am saying yes to Christ, trusting that where He leads, He will provide.
Why I’m Here
I’ve felt the call to mission since I was a child. Early service trips to inner-city Chicago, a Native American reservation, and rural Costa Rica planted the seed. Years later, after returning to the Catholic Church and growing in faith through adult altar serving and RCIA involvement, I knew it was time to respond. Serving as a Salesian Lay Missioner is my way of living out that call—offering my gifts to build up the Church and walk with others in faith.
Why the Salesians?
What excites me most about the Salesians is their commitment to joy, community, and the young. Their focus on presence, education, and faith-filled living is exactly the kind of mission I want to be part of. As someone who values structure, fraternity, and meaningful service, I’m eager to be shaped by the Salesian way of life.
Teaching and Witnessing Christ
I feel called to teach—especially English and history—and I’m certified to teach English as a second language. My background in writing and communication, combined with my love for the Church, makes me excited to help others gain language skills that can build bridges across cultures and grow the universal Church. Above all, I want to witness Christ in everyday moments and serve with humility, presence, and love.
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