Program Requirements

You are responsible for paying your way to & from our orientation. (Room & board are taken care of during the orientation.) Vaccinations are another financial responsibility for you. Visa expenses and travel expenses to & from site are paid by the Salesian Lay Missioner (SLM), but will be reimbursed upon completion of commitment. Travel to/from required discernment weekend are covered by the applicant (Room/board/program fees are covered by the SLM program).

No. SLMs do not have to do fundraising; however, many SLMs, once at their respective site, decide that they would like to raise money for a specific project or for a general donation to their site.

Placement is a process of mutual discernment, involving the missioner, SLM program, and the ministry site. We will take your geographic and ministry preference into account. It’s important to us that you will be able to use your gifts and feel you are making a difference. It is also important that we are responding to the urgent needs of the people we serve, and so we ask applicants to be flexible and open to a true discernment process.

SLMs are free to depart for mission after successful completion of the orientation program. Because of the complicated logistics and the timing of administrative tasks that must be done prior to leaving, we do not allow people to leave for mission directly from orientation. It is recommended that SLMs depart for mission within 1 month of the end of orientation. There is no “fixed date” that all lay missioners depart for mission.