Volunteer with Us
As a BOVA volunteer, you could be working in schools or orphanages passing on vital skills such as Music, Sports, Sciences and English. There are also opportunities to give pastoral care, or just to 'be there' for the children.
You will be paired with a community that needs the skills and experience you have, meaning the work you do will be of vital importance. Whatever skills you have, there will be a Salesian community that needs you! You'll also gain new skills, and have experiences that will help you grow and develop as a person and in your work.
BOVA's MISSION
Learning through action; serving the young and the poor alongside Salesian communities around the world.
In all aspects of our work there is a particular focus on providing a well-planned educational experience; stimulating, preparing and encouraging a long term involvement with development issues, faith and the Salesian Family
Latest Resources
What's On
Salesian Family Celebration of the Feast of St John Bosco
1st February 2025 12:00 - 13:00
On Saturday 1st February 2025, Fr Steven Lloyd SDB will be celebrating Mass at St Augustine's Catholic Church, Grovsenor Street, M15 6BW.
After the Celebration Mass, there will be an opportunity to go for lunch afterwards.
All are welcome to attend!
Fr Martin Poulsom SDB to appear on Radio Maria
22nd November 2024 17:00 - 18:00
Fr Martin Poulsom SDB has recently given an interview with St John Bosco College Students for Radio Maria England Youth.
This will air on the Radio Maria website at 5pm on Friday 22nd November.
If you're not able to tune in on Friday, it will be repeated on Sunday 24th November at 8pm.
Feast of St Luigi Guanella
24th October 2024
St Luigi Guanella was born in Italy in 1842. He was a Salesian for several years and dedicated his life to serving the poor.
As a young parish priest in the 1860s, he was especially drawn to improving the lives of the young, and his encounters with Don Bosco led him to become a Salesian in 1875. He ran the St Aloysius Oratory in Turin and took charge of adult vocations until he was recalled to the diocese by his bishop to run a hostel for the eldely poor.
He was fearless in defending the weak - young or old - against the powerful, and he founded several religious institutions including the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence and the Servants of Charity, to work with the poor across the world. He also founded the Pious Union of St Joseph, whose first member was Pope Pius X.
Although God guided his life in another direction, he retained his devotion to Don Bosco, which can be seen in a prayer he wrote in his monthly magazine, Divine Providence, in 1908: 'May the great soul of John Bosco, who from on high protects the Congregation of his sons the Salesians, now too numerous to count, be pleased to turn his gaze on the Institutes of Divine Providence and extend the kindness of his protection on all those who belong to these works and especially on his devoted admirer and student, Fr Luigi Guanella.'
St Luigi was canonised in 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI.
His feast is celebrated on 24 October, the date of his death in 1925.
Salesian Cooperators - Residential Retreat & Celebration Weekend - Savio House, Bollington
12th July 2025 - 13th July 2025
The third of three Salesian Cooperator reflection events.
This final reflection event will be about celebrating 150 years of the Salesian Cooperators.
More information about this event will be published in early 2025
If you would like to attend then click here.
Salesian Cooperators - Day of Reflection - Glasgow
5th April 2025 10:30 - 17:00
The second of three Salesian Cooperator reflection days.
This second reflection day will take place in Glasgow and work on the theme of the 2025 Strenna
Participants are asked to bring a packed lunch, and there is a suggested donation of £5
If you would like to attend then click here.
The next day of reflection will be in July in Bollington and will also include celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Salesian Cooperators.
Salesian Cooperators - Day of Reflection - Battersea
16th November 2024 10:30 - 17:00
The first of three Salesian Cooperator reflection events.
This first reflection day will take place in Battersea and work on the theme of the Jubilee in 2025, Pilgrims of Hope.
Participants are asked to bring a packed lunch, and there is a suggested donation of £5
If you would like to attend then click here.
There are other events that will take place in 2025. In April in Glasgow, and in Bollington in July.
Feast of Blessed Ceferino Namuncura
26th August 2024
Today is the feast day of Blessed Ceferino Namuncura.
Namuncurá was born on 26 August 1886 in Chimpay, on the banks of the Rio Negro. His father Manuel, the last great cacique (leader) of the Indigenous Araucan tribes, had surrendered three years earlier to the troops of the Argentine Republic. After eleven years of life in the open countryside, Manuel Namuncurá sent Ceferino to study in Buenos
Aires, so that tomorrow he could defend his race. The family atmosphere in the Salesian college made him fall in love with Don Bosco.
The spiritual dimension grew in him and he began to desire to become a Salesian priest to evangelise his people. He chose Dominic Savio as a model, and during five years, through the extraordinary effort to enter a totally new culture, he himself became another Dominic Savio. His commitment to piety, charity, daily duties and ascetic exercise was exemplary.
This boy, who found it difficult to "get in line" or "obey the bell", gradually became a true model. As Don Bosco would have wanted, he was exact in fulfilling his duties of study and prayer. He was the referee at recreation: his word was acccpted by any schoolmates who were in disagreement. The care with which he made the sign of the cross, as if he were meditating on every word, impressed people; by his example he corrected his companions by teaching them to do it slowly and with devotion. In l903 (sixteen and a half years old, and his father was baptised at the age of eighty), Bishop Cagliero accepted him among the group of aspirants in Viedma, capital of the Apostolic Vicariate, to begin the study of Latin.
Because of his poor health, the Salesian bishop decided to take Ceferino to Italy so he could continue his studies in a more serious way and in a climate that seemed more suitable. In Italy he met Fr Rua and Pope Pius X, who blessed him with emotion. He attended school in Turin and later in the Salesian Villa Sora College in Frascati. He studied so hard to be
the second of the class.
But an illness undiagnosed at the time, perhaps because he never complained, undid him: tuberculosis. On 28 March 1905 he was taken to the Fatebenefratelli hospital on the Tiber Island in Rome. Too late. He died peacefully on 11 May. Since 1924 his mortal remains have been in his homeland, at Fortín Mercedes, where crowds of pilgrims come to
venerate him.
Declared Venerable 22 June 1972; beatified on 11 November 2007 during the pontificate of Benedict XVI
O God, who in Blessed Ceferino
has given to young people a model of holiness,
grant through his intercession,
that we too may collaborate in the coming of your kingdom
by carrying out with patience and love
the tasks of each day.
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Feast of Blessed Maria Troncatti
25th August 2024
Today is the feast day of Blessed Maria Troncatti.
Troncatti was born in Corteno Golgi, in the province of Brescia, on 16 February 1883 to a large family of mountain farmers. She grew up happy and hard-working among the fields and the care of her siblings, in a warm atmosphere of parental affection. The Salesian Bulletin came to Corteno and Mary, rich in Christian values, began thinking of a religious vocation. Initially her father disagreed but as soon as his daughter was of legal age, 21, he gave his consent. Mary asked to be admitted to the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and made her first profession in 1908 at Nizza Monferrato.
During the First World War she attended health care courses in Varazze and worked as a Red Cross nurse in the military hospital. Following a violent storm, Maria promised Our Lady that if he saved her life, she would leave for the missions. Our Lady saved her and Sister Maria asked Mother General if she could go among the lepers. Seven years later, Mother Caterina Daghero sent her to Ecuador.
In 1925 she landed in the Bay of Guayaquil and reached Chunchi where she was a nurse and pharmacist for a short time. Accompanied by the missionary Bishop Comin and a small expedition group, Sister Mary and two other sisters entered the Amazon forest.
Their mission field was the land of the Shuar Indians in the south-eastern part of Ecuador. As soon as they arrived in Mendez, Sister Maria earned the esteem of the Shuar tribe by working with a penknife to save the daughter of a chief. She had been wounded by a bullet. They settled permanently in Macas, a village of settlers surrounded by the collective housing of the Shuar, in a small house on a hill. Just as Don Bosco was a father and teacher Sister Mary became a mother, and for 44 years she would be known as "Madrecita" by everyone.
A difficult work of evangelisation began in the midst of all kinds of risks. She was a nurse, surgeon, orthopedist, dentist and anesthesiologist, but above all a catechist rich in wonderful resources of faith, patience and Salesian kindness. Her work for the promotion of the Shuar woman flourished in hundreds of new Christian families, who for the first time could make a free personal choice as young spouses. She worked mainly in the field of education and health at the Pius XII hospital in Sucúa and in numerous clinics. She is the mother of the missions of the Apostolic Vicariate of Méndez: Mácas, Méndez, Sevilla don Bosco and Sucúa, making endless visits into the Amazon jungle.
On 25 August 1969, Sister Maria was about to fly to Sucúa for a retreat. The plane crashed shortly after take-off. The Shuar Federation radio gave the sad announcement: "Our Mother, Sister Maria Troncatti is dead". Her body lies in Macas.
Merciful Father,
who through the power of the Holy Spirit
stirred up in the Virgin Blessed Maria Troncatti
a maternal charity to announce Christ to the nations,
grant, through her intercession,
that we might be instruments of reconciliation and peace,
so that all may glorify your holy name.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Don Bosco's Birthday
16th August 2024
Today marks the celebration of the 208th Anniversary of the birth of St John Bosco
Feast of Blessed August Czartoryski
2nd August 2024
Today marks the feast day of Blessed August Czartoryski. August was born in exile, in Paris, after his parents were moved to there by Russians.
August suffered with Tuberculosis for most of his life and it was an issue for Don Bosco, as he was cautious about him joining the Salesians. But Pope Leo XIII settled those doubts, and made sure that Don Bosco accepted August into the Society.
August came from a very rich and noble family, and his family, didn't support his decision to join the priesthood. But August was adamant that he would become a priest and renounced everything to the Salesians.
August was ordained a priest on 2 April 1892, but passed away only 1 year later on 8 April 1893. He was 35 years old, and had been a Salesian for 5 years.
The Czartoryski family reconciled with his decision to become a priest following his ordination, and they became benefactors of the Salesian Mission in Great Britain.