Saint John Bosco, commonly known as "Don Bosco", is a saint and founder. He lived in Turin, Italy, between 1815 and 1888. The 19th century represented a very unique period in the history of the Church and Italy. Don Bosco became involved in the events of his times with the energy of a saint and with the personal talents of a founder. In the centenary of his death, John Paul II officially conferred the title of "Father and Teacher of Youth" on Don Bosco for having made young people the psychological, spiritual and organizational center of his life and activity. Many people the world over call upon him as a patron saint, particularly to help face the issues of daily life.

      A large Spiritual Family has grown out of Don Bosco´s experience, and numerous groups look to him as a spiritual father as they try to spread the Gospel throughout the world. The Salesians represent the group which Don Bosco personally established to launch new approaches in new initiatives for the education of youth. In addition, we recall groups in the Salesian Family that have the widest influence: the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesian Cooperators, the Past Pupils of Don Bosco (or "Don Bosco Alumni"), the Don Bosco Volunteers, these groups are at work on behalf of young people in every corner of the world.

      All the groups within Don Bosco´s Spiritual Family share his educational method, popularly called the "Preventive System." It is not a system at all, but a lifestyle, and educative approach, a pastoral method and a spiritual heritage. Significantly, Don Bosco´s example and educative method has inspired a Gospel lifestyle that has lead to holiness of life, as is witnessed in the lives of saints who have embraced Don Bosco´s experience and made it their own. There are holy priests and lay people, saintly youths and adults, saints who lived a life of consecration and saints who lived in the world: this is a particular gift of the Spirit of the Lord.

      If we regard Don Bosco as a founder, we can recall many different initiatives on behalf of young people: schools, oratories and youth centers, technical and professional training centers, parishes, foreign missions, and activities in the realm of mass media and social communications.

      Many of Don Bosco´s initiatives take place in the public sector and operate, therefore, according to civil structures that allow them public recognition. Today in Italy, for example, there are several public agencies that operate under Salesian auspices: there is a national organization for Salesian professional training centers called CNOS (Centro Nazionale Opere Salesiane), and a similar organization for works organized by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians called CIOFS; both have civil status. There are also a number of national associations in Italy: CNOS-Scuola (an association of teachers and administrators), PGS (Salesian Sports Association for Youth and Young Adults), TGS (Youth and Social Tourism Association), VIS (Volunteers for International Development).

      In order to support his ever growing works, not only from an economic standpoint, but above all from the point of view of youth advocacy, and to spread his spirit to an even wider group, Don Bosco began to publish the Salesian Bulletin in 1877. He had always been very committed to the area of social communication and media. He had personally worked as a writer, advertiser, and publisher.

      Don Bosco and his successors founded many publishing houses, including the SEI, the LDC, the EDEBE, to note a few of them. Aware of the needs of the young and of working people, Don Bosco and his Salesians designed magazines and other popular publications that were adapted to their particular needs.

      The world-wide outreach of Don Bosco´s work and the fact that he made young people his priority has made him a popular figure on many continents.

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