(Università Pontificia Salesiana, Roma) – Among the approximately 90 Salesian circumscriptions worldwide, the “Mary, Seat of Wisdom” Vice-Province of the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) is unique, as it is the only one centered around a single university.
The present-day Salesian institution, officially named the “Mary, Seat of Wisdom” Vice-Province (ROME UPS) since 1984, was established in 1965 with the transfer of the Pontifical Salesian Athenaeum (PAS) from Turin-Rebaudengo to Rome, in the Nuovo Salario district.
From its foundation, the first and only Salesian community, “Jesus the Teacher,” gradually evolved from a Delegation to a Province, and later, into a Vice-Province. Over time, it was divided into multiple communities.
The Mission of the Vice-Province
The primary mission of the Vice-Province is academic, serving the Salesians, Members of the Salesian Family besides Diocesan priests and other consecrated men and women.
Young people enrolled in UPS’s five faculties:
- Theology
- Philosophy
- Educational Sciences
- Communication Sciences
- Classical and Christian Literature
The Vice-Province is made up of 264 Salesians and 47 diocesan or religious guests, totaling 311 residents.
Salesians in the Vice-Province
Among the Salesians of Don Bosco:
- 98 are permanently assigned to UPS
- 166 are Salesians from other provinces worldwide pursuing formation and studies
- 255 are priests or candidates for the priesthood
- 9 are Salesian brothers (coadjutors)
Salesian Communities in the Vice-Province
Currently, the Vice-Province consists of eight communities, all located in Rome.
Six are on the university campus:
- Jesus the Teacher (1965)
- St. Thomas Aquinas (1965)
- St. Francis de Sales (1965)
- St. John Bosco (1965)
- Blessed Michael Rua (1975)
- St. Dominic Savio (1975)
- Two are off-campus:
- St. Joseph Cafasso – Testaccio (1926, 2007)
- Blessed Zeffirino Namuncurá – Via della Bufalotta (1978, 2007, 2022)
Two of these communities serve as formation houses:
- Zeffirino Namuncurá houses students of Theology and priesthood candidates (First Cycle)
- St. Thomas Aquinas is home to deacons and priests in their five-year post-ordination formation
Additionally, the Blessed Luigi Variara Community of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary is affiliated with the Vice-Province and provides care for elderly and sick Salesians.
Pastoral and Apostolic Activities
Since the Vice-Province’s mission is closely tied to UPS’s academic mission, it also coordinates University Pastoral Ministry, offering various services and activities, especially for students.
Salesians also serve as chaplains for religious communities—such as the Generalate of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA)—and in local parishes. Some Salesians also minister beyond the Lazio region, offering weekend pastoral services, recollections, conferences, and spiritual retreats.
For over a year, some Salesians of Don Bosco have taken turns hearing confessions and assisting with penitential ministry at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome.
The Vice-Province also collaborates with the nearby Parish of St. Mary of Hope, which belongs to the Central Italy Province (ICC), fostering a spirit of closeness and fraternity with the local community. Additionally, it includes St. Mary the Liberator Parish, connected to the St. Joseph Cafasso Community in the Testaccio district of Rome.
Salesian Family
Alongside the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Vice-Province is enriched by the presence of three branches of the Salesian Family:
- Salesian Cooperators
- Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- Witnesses of the Risen Lord
Efforts have been made in recent years to establish a local Union of Past Pupils of Don Bosco, although this remains an ongoing endeavor.
Future Perspectives and Development Plans
In addition to strengthening its core academic mission, the Vice-Province’s leadership is working to expand its connections with the local Church and civil society. Key areas of focus include:
- Revising the Vice-Province’s legal status to find a more suitable structure than the current “Vice-Province” designation
- Optimizing the use of campus facilities, opening up rooms and spaces currently underutilized
- Creating a residence for diocesan priests
- Adopting new renewable energy solutions, such as solar panels for energy needs
- Carrying out ordinary and extraordinary building maintenance
Source: ANS – “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana”