The celebrations for the Bicentennial of Don Bosco's Dream at Nine Years of Age (1824-2024) continue this year. However, the pastoral gaze can only be focused on the future, and therefore on the Jubilee of 2025, now almost at the door, which will be focused on hope. In this context, the Salesians of Don Bosco have thought of a guiding motto for the pastoral campaign of the new year, which reads: "Somos futuro". "Convinced that God loves the world, we want to learn to live together, to share and to be grateful for this Love that fills our future with Hope", say the Salesians.
The multiple meanings, values and implications of this pastoral program are well outlined on the website https://salesianos.info/somosfuturo/, where you can also find various useful work materials for schools, social platforms, youth centres and parishes.
The education of young people as a mission
The Salesians in Spain have numerous educational and evangelisation works at the service of children, adolescents and young people. In this way, they perpetuate the mission of their founder, St John Bosco.
The two Provinces of the Salesians in Spain – St James the Greater and Mary Help of Christians – have a total of 95 schools, in which more than 81,000 students are educated, accompanied by about 6,000 educators.
The flagship of Salesian education is vocational training. The 55 vocational training centres are attended by a total of 18,000 students, who thanks to the service of over 2,000 educators have the opportunity to learn a profession that projects them with dignity into the world of work.
With over 300 ongoing projects, the 58 social platforms of the Salesians offer opportunities for social and work promotion to more than 44,000 beneficiaries, supported by about 2,100 educators and collaborators.
In addition, about 45,000 young people attend one of the more than 102 Salesian youth centres, where they find a space for growth in faith and good use of free time, accompanied by about 4,000 leaders who spend their time and energy on them.
Finally, through 57 parishes, the Salesians provide sacraments and spiritual assistance to over 46,000 faithful, thanks also to the help of 3,000 collaborators.
In addition to the Salesians of Don Bosco, there are 11 other groups of the Salesian Family in Spain. And the Salesian pastoral ministry is completed through NGOs, university centres, magazines, fraternities, other entities... All this to form a broad movement of people totally committed to young people.
