4056_Journey together (4) The Salesian Family of Don Bosco

How many are the Salesian Family groups in our Region?

July 4, 2016

By Fr Vaclav Klement, SDB

EAO, 4 July 2016 -- From the moment of our first profession each Salesian of Don Bosco is becoming also a member of the whole Salesian Family. Art 5 of the SDB Constitutions 'Our Society in the Salesian Family' is quite demanding on us: "Within this family, by the will of the Founder, we have particular responsibilities: to preserve unity of spirit and to foster dialogue and fraternal collaboration for our mutual enrichment and greater apostolic effectiveness."

At present there are 15 official groups (among the total of 30 groups) living and working in the 11 provinces of our EAO region:

• SDB (Salesians of Don Bosco)


• FMA (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians)


• ASC (Association of the Salesian Cooperators)


• Past Pupils of Don Bosco (Alumni, Exallievi/e SDB)


• Past Pupils of Mary Help of Christians (Exallievi/e FMA)


• VDB (Volunteers of Don Bosco)


• CDB (Volunteers with Don Bosco) - so far only in FIN province


• ADMA (Association of Mary Help of Christians)


• CSG (Caritas Sisters of Jesus)


• CSMA (Congregation of St Archangel Michael) - so far only in AUL and PGS provinces


• Damas Salesianas - so far only in FIS and FIN


• SAL (Sisters Announcers of the Lord) - so far only in CIN province


• SIHM (Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary) - so far only in Thailand and Cambodia


• DQM (Daughters of Queenship of Mary) - secular institute, so far only in Thailand


• SQM (Sisters of Queenship of Mary) - religious congregation, so far only in Thailand

Five of the 15 groups were born in the EAO provinces (SAL, DQM, SQM, SIHM and Caritas Sisters of Jesus) and five of them are so far present in only one province (CDB, Damas Salesianas, SAL, DQM and SQM).

Whenever we think or talk about the Salesian Family, we have a common point of reference 'The Identity Charter of the SF' (2012). Art 10 highlights one of the main principles

"All heirs to the Salesian charism and spirit, the (30) Groups establish among themselves a very close relationship so that each Group expresses the identity of the Salesian Family, but not without reference to the others. In fact, entering into a Group, in virtue of a specific vocation, means entering the whole Family; it is as though each one feels entrusted to the others in a mutual relationship...

The relatively short history of the Salesian Family demonstrates that without real communion there is the danger of a progressive impoverishment of the project of Don Bosco... The recognition that without the others the members of a particular Group cannot be themselves, ought to be an awareness cultivated by all..."

Video with the presentation of all 30 official groups of the Salesian Family is avaliable on the internet: (ENGLISH)