The Salesians of Don Bosco are a religious congregation within the Roman Catholic Church. All congregations have their particular "charism", or gift of the Holy Spirit. The charism entrusted to the Salesians is youth ministry of every type. In recent times, this has grown to include family ministry.
At the invitation of the Ordinary (Bishop or Archbishop), a religious congregation may come to a diocese to share in its pastoral mission. Since 1983, the Archdiocese of Toronto has entrusted the animation of St. Benedict parish to the Salesians.
There are currently 6 Salesians in Toronto, and 1 in Hamilton. Together, these 7 men form one Salesian community, under the leadership of their director, Fr. John Puntino.
Three of these priests are mandated by His Emminence Thomas Cardinal Collins to render their services at St. Benedict Parish: Fr. Michael Pace as pastor, Fr. Joseph Ho as associate pastor, and Fr. Joseph Occhio, in residence.
The other well known and beloved confreres - Br. Bernie Dube, Fr. John Puntino and Fr. Frank Kelly - while not mandated to work here, choose to make St. Benedict Parish the base for their Salesian ministry. We owe them a debt of gratitude for all of the ways they enrich St. Benedict's with their time, treasure and talent.
Finally, Fr. Drago Gacnik is pastor of St. Gregory the Great Slovenian Parish in Hamilton.