They were 17 young people in addition to Don Bosco, and together they laid the foundations of what was established as the "Pious Society of Saint Francis de Sales".
The same minutes then read: "The Gathered group then decided to form a society or congregation with the aim of promoting the glory of God and the salvation of souls, especially of those most in need of instruction and education, while providing the members with mutual help toward their own sanctification."
Don Bosco had made several attempts to found a Society to ensure the continuity of his oratory work, which was growing day by day. Although his project did not materialise immediately, he never gave up on this idea.
In fact, he had realised that all the good he did for his boys was at risk of being lost due to bad influences from outside. This is why he took many steps to give structure to his work. He decided to build his own apprenticeship workshops and the first two were opened in 1853. By 1856, there were already 150 resident students, 4 workshops, a printing press, 4 Latin classes and 10 priests. And there were were 500 day students.
After the foundation, on 2 February, 1860, the first coadjutor brother was accepted into the Congregation, another happy intuition of Don Bosco, who wanted to involve a large number of people with various attitudes and backgrounds in the service of his young people.
On 23 July 1864, the "Decretum Laudis of the Society" arrived from the Holy See. Later, on 1 March 1869, the final approval came and, finally, on 3 April 1874, the approval of the Constitutions by the Holy See.
Since then it has continued to grow and spread throughout the world's continents with a clear educational charism directed to the most disadvantaged children and young people and a missionary evangelising spirit without geographical limits. In 1863 there were already 39 Salesians and, at Don Bosco's death, there were 768. Today the Salesian Congregation has over 14,000 members in over 135 countries on five continents.
