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.
Drawn to Mission, Rooted in Faith
The desire to serve has been with me for as long as I can remember. From an early age, I felt a pull toward international mission and even began learning Spanish in middle school with the hope of one day traveling abroad to help those in need. While I explored opportunities with the Peace Corps and other NGOs, something never quite clicked—until I discovered Catholic organizations that served the poor with both material support and spiritual accompaniment. As my faith deepened, I realized I wanted to serve alongside others who shared the same Catholic values, grounded in humility, simplicity, and love.
From Capitol Hill to the Hill of the Lord
After graduating, I worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for three years, serving my hometown district and learning invaluable lessons about leadership and service. While I was grateful for the experience, I began to feel spiritually unsettled and uncertain about my next steps. I prayed, discerned, and eventually found myself returning to that long-held desire for mission. What moved me most about the Salesian Lay Missioners wasn’t just their global reach—it was the way they described mission as becoming a mother, sister, and friend to children who lacked those examples of love.
Choosing Joy with the Salesians
Attending the SLM Discernment Weekend confirmed everything I had been feeling. There was a peace that settled over me—a peace I hadn’t felt in years. I saw clearly the joy of a life rooted in God and of being part of a mission family that lives simply and loves deeply. For as long as I can remember, I’ve trusted God’s direction, and now I feel Him inviting me to step forward with courage and joy.
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.
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.
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