Formation and Prayers

Don Bosco's preventive education system is based on three pillars: reason, religion, and love. Reason means that the student must understand why certain rules exist — not blindly obeying, but consciously accepting. Religion provides the spiritual basis and meaning for life. Love is a sincere, warm relationship between a tutor and a tutor that creates an atmosphere of trust.

This system is the opposite of a repressive system based on punishment and fear. Don Bosco believed that there is good in every young person, and the task of the educator is to help that good unfold.

Salesian spirituality is rooted in everyday life. This is not withdrawing from the world, but seeking God here and now — in work, prayer, and relationships with other people.

The main characteristics of Salesian spirituality: optimism and joy (Don Bosco used to say: "Be cheerful!"), diligence as prayer, devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Eucharist, concern for the souls of the young, and simplicity and humility in everyday life.

Every year, the Superior Rector of the Salesian Society presents "Strenna", an annual theme and invitation to the entire Salesian family. This tradition started back in Don Bosco's time.

in 2026 Strenna invites us to reflect on the importance of evangelization in the modern world and to find new ways to bring the Good News to young people through digital technologies, art and community.

A child is born into a family. The faces of his father and mother are the first sights of the world around him. In their smile, a human being is revealed to him. Holding their hands, he learns to walk and learns about love from them. For a person who has not experienced it at the beginning of his life, it is often very difficult to trust other people, believe in love and be loved.

A person becomes a lover himself, because God, who is Love, created him in his own image, "he created people as male and female" (Gen 1, 27). When a man and a woman find and love each other and no longer want to live separately, they promise to be faithful to each other throughout their lives - they offer each other the Sacrament of Marriage. Since it is not only the love of the two of them, but also the love of God, they promise publicly, in the presence of a priest, a representative of the Church, and two witnesses. The seal of their bargain is the giving of themselves to each other: they become "one soul and one body" and thus find fulfillment and happiness. Being one body, they can awaken new life - then man and woman become father and mother. This is how they extend their life. Every child is a gift from God, but also an obligation. Therefore, spouses should plan their family together in the presence of God and according to their conscience.

Marriage is a lifetime deal. Jesus says: "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder!" (Mk 10:9) These words are very difficult for many people, because there is no guarantee that the partnership will be successful: people can be disappointed in each other. In sickness and poverty, love can die out. It is possible that two people who loved each other very much start not to understand each other anymore. They can no longer talk to each other, they become complete strangers. There are many broken marriages.

Christians can believe that even in this case they do not lose God's love and do not cease to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Marriage Oath:

I take you to be my wife (husband)

and i swear to love you

to be faithful to you

in favorable and difficult days,

seeing you healthy or depressed,

to honor you and not forsake you until death.

• The sacrament of marriage: "Oneness, indissolubility and readiness to be fruitful are the essential elements of marriage. Polygamy is incompatible with the unity of marriage; divorce separates what God has joined together; refusal to be fruitful deprives married life of its 'most precious gift' - the baby" (Gaudium et Spes 50, 1. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1964).