The Salesian Family in Spain
In Spain, the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) have 134 schools attended by over 99,750 students, who are taught by 7,260 educators. These centres follow the Preventive System developed by Don Bosco for the education and development of children and young people.
Salesian teaching also focuses on strengthening formation for future employment. More than 20,070 young people study and learn a trade in one of the 66 Vocational Training Centres of the Salesian Family, accompanied by 2,205 teachers.
Those who use the Salesian social platforms have the opportunity to learn about Don Bosco, who dedicated his life to young people in need. Currently, 529 projects are underway to continue supporting more than 85,900 people in vulnerable situations, who can count on the help of 4,200 educators and collaborators.
The 133 SDB and FMA youth centres are also celebrating Don Bosco Day. Approximately 33,020 children, adolescents and young people participate in the recreational and faith education activities offered by these centres, where over 4,100 animators collaborate in organising their free time.
In the days leading up to the feast of Don Bosco, more than fifty Salesian parishes host novenas and triduums in honour of the Saint of Youth. Some celebrations are presided over on the 31st itself by the bishops of the corresponding dioceses, testifying to the ecclesial importance of Don Bosco and his heirs. In total, 47,000 faithful attend these churches, animated by 3,050 collaborators, including Salesians and, fundamentally, lay people.
At the service of education and evangelisation
Salesians and FMA run eight leisure centres. They also run four higher education centres: the Salesian University School Sarriá in Barcelona, with around 830 students and 87 educators; the Don Bosco Higher Education Centre in Madrid, with more than 1,000 students and almost 90 professors; the Don Bosco Higher Institute of Religious Sciences (ISCR) in Barcelona and the Centre for Catechetical Studies in Seville, which have more than 230 students and 56 teachers.
In the field of NGOs for development and international cooperation, it is worth highlighting the presence of organisations such as the Misiones Salesianas the Mission Office in Madrid, or the Bosco Global, Madreselva, VIDES, VidesSur and Jóvenes y Desarrollo NGOs.
Standing out in the communications sector are the Edebé publishing house, the Dosatic IT services company,two printing companies, eight bookshops and three magazines aimed at the general public: the National Salesian Bulletin, the Misión Joven youth magazine and the Catequistas catechetical magazine.
The Salesian Family in Spain
There are 718 Salesians in the country, distributed among 84 houses. For their part, there are 469 FMA and 48 houses. Ten other groups complete the Salesian Family in Spain: 1,888 Salesian Cooperators; 6,200 members of the Past Pupils of Don Bosco; 1,340 Past Pupils of the FMA; 50,000 members of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA); 7 Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; 31 Volunteers of Don Bosco; 23 Damas Salesianas; 1 Volunteer with Don Bosco; 337 married couples and 33 widows and widowers from the Hogares Don Bosco Movement and 8 Witnesses of the Risen Lord.
A special year for Salesianity
The Salesian Congregation continues to enthusiastically and gratefully celebrate the 150th anniversary of the First Missionary Expedition that Don Bosco sent to Argentina in 1875. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), with the motto ‘Now is the time to rekindle the fire’, are also continuing their three-year preparation for the 150th anniversary of their first missionary expedition to Argentina and Uruguay in November 1877.
In addition, Campobosco 2026 will take place in August, one of the most important events on the Salesian calendar next year. Organised by the Salesian Youth Ministry of Spain and Portugal, it will bring together hundreds of young people in the places visited by Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello.
The Salesian Family today
To find out all the latest news about the Salesians in Spain, visit the salesianos.info news portal and their profiles on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
