As a Salesian parish, St. Benedict’s has a particular sensitivity for the missions. Don Bosco’s concern and apostolic effort for the missions was a driving force in his life. He sent his first Salesian Missionaries to Argentina in 1875. From there, Salesian missions have spread throughout 130 countries on 5 continents, thus keeping alive the “mission dreams of their father and founder.
Over the years, St. Benedict Parish has helped to build schools in Haiti and many other spots where our brothers and sisters have known God’s love through our efforts. Two of our parishioners are missionary sisters: Sr. Claudia Stecker, as a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions, has been serving tirelessly in the Philippines since 1997, and Sr. Salvina (nee Marthese) Pace, a Missioary of Charity, is Mistress of Novices in San Francisco, USA.
Missionary Possibilities for Lay People
You don’t have to be a priest, brother of sister to be a missionary. Have you ever dreamed of living a lay missionary experience in keeping with your Catholic faith? What a wonderful way to spend a year of transition between completing your studies and beginning your career. Wouldn’t it be a courageous way to begin your retirement?
Salesian Lay Missioners (SLMs)
One branch of our Salesian family is the Salesian Lay Missioners (SLMs). This is a Catholic association of men and women, seeking to answer God’s missionary call in their own lives by dedicating themselves to works of education, evangelization and human development among poor youth.
Three St. Benedict parishioners have recently lived powerful SLM experiences. In 2010 Nicole Leblanc served in Kenya and Lionel Alleluia spent a year in a Salesian orphanage and school in Rwanda. In 2011, Monica Marcelli will spend 10 months with the Salesian sisters in Cambodia.
SLMs share in the tradition, prayer, work, family spirit, community life and educational method of the Salesians of Don Bosco, while living in community with Salesians and other missioners. SLMs work in various projects to provide an educational experience for young people and are committed to be, above all, Christian witnesses.
For more information:
Salesian Mission Offices
Most of us, for many good reasons, won’t be able to go abroad. However, we can still be missionaries from home by sending desperately needed financial support.
Resources