Nurturing a Salesian Vocation Environment

By Fr. Steve DeMaio, SDB, Province Vocation Director

We are in the midst of National Vocation Awareness Week, and Bro. Rafael encouraged us to reflect on Don Bosco’s dream where the lambs were transformed into shepherds. I personally have seen this transformation in our own works and many ministries throughout the wider Church. Young people are responding to the invitation to take their faith more seriously and stepping up as leaders throughout our country.

The recipe for creating this environment that encourages this transformation seems to be simple:

1. Celebrate reverent and well-celebrated Masses, and provide frequent opportunities for Eucharistic adoration;
2. Offer Bible studies and other nourishing Christian/cultural content; and
3. Encourage meaningful fellowship and opportunities for service.

I would encourage all our communities to evaluate their apostolic ministry to see if these elements are present with young adults in your area. Although we SDBs don’t have to be the ones leading these ministries, we should do what we can to be a part of them or to encourage young people to be the animators themselves. It offers a beautiful opportunity to walk side by side with the young and to share our faith with them. This really is the most important way to spark some interest within them in discerning a Salesian vocation.

The approaching season of Advent would be a good time to gather young people together to read and pray with Scripture together, offer special Masses, times of adoration/confession, and maybe a day of service or community outreach. All of these can help prepare the young people for Christmas and begin an ongoing accompaniment that will help them discern their vocations in life.

This would also be a good time to consider whether your community can host a Salesian Gospel Roads or begin to plant the seed for some young adults to serve in one of our communities to serve in one of our communities for a Salesian summer of service. Additionally, the Young Adult Retreat (YAR) will be June 5-8, 2025, in Newton, NJ. The opportunities are there, and the young people are there. What is missing at times is the invitation.

We would love to have more vocations to the Salesian Family, but we can’t forget that our primary goal as Salesians is to help young people discern how God is calling them to use their gifts and talents to build up the Kingdom and to live as good Christians and honest citizens.

All in all, we see a lot of signs of hope in our communities. Thank you for all you are doing in building up a vocation culture. There is a lot of work still to be done, but we are moving in the right direction.

If you need anything from the vocation office or have any suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact Bro. Rafael Vargas or me.

Let’s keep living our Salesian vocation well and pray that God will send more men and women to the Salesian Family. Blessings!