SDB MEDIA Publications

SDB MEDIA makes available books on Salesian topics as well as books published by Salesians. You may see our listings by expanding the "Books" section on our website navigation bar.

While SDB MEDIA is a modest affair, its activities fit into a major artery of Salesian life.

Pic (right): Don Bosco the writer at his desk
Don Bosco himself was a prolific writer and publisher. From as early as 1844, as a 29 year old priest, he had already written Historical notes on Luigi Comollo, a companion of his who had died in their student days. When the Cause for Don Bosco's canonisation was introduced, it took seven years for all his writings to be examined.

In such profilic work Don Bosco was following the example of his great patron, St Francis de Sales (1567-1622). This saint's writings and gentle manner were responsible for the conversion of about 70,000 Calvinists in the Chablais. They include Introduction to the Devout Life (Philotea), Controversies, Lectures and Essays, and his Treatise on the Love of God. His feast is celebrated on 24 January, the day when traditionally the Pope issues his yearly Message for World Communications Day.

Pius XI made Francis Patron Saint of Catholic journalists and writers on 26 January 1923. Don Bosco himself was made Patron of the Catholic Publishers of Italy by Pius XII on 24 May 1946.

SALESIAN PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE

Don Bosco told the future Pius XI that he wanted to be at the cutting edge of progress when it came to press and publications. He saw the field of communications as a most important part of the mission his Salesian congregation had.

Today's advanced technology has put all kinds of means for communicating into the hands of young people: they communicate, express themselves, they are seen and heard! They are becoming more and more active in the process of their own education. In this, Don Bosco would be delighted to encourage their initiative.

In the field of communications, this also included for Don Bosco, the theatre, acting, drama, plays, sketches, stage productions and what he called 'Academies' of all sorts, music, choirs, orchestras, bands… the list is endless.

In the century and a half of their existence, the Salesians have worked in these areas, many of them never even dreamt of by Don Bosco. Major printing presses and publishing houses; audio-visual, slide, video, CD, DVD, film production; bookshops; radio and TV studios and production centres, as well as media training centres and University faculties for the study of Social Communications. To encourage and coordinate all this activity, one member of the General Council is elected specifically for this area of social communications.

SALESIAN PUBLISHERS OF THE NORTH EUROPE REGION

SDB MEDIA is a member of an initiative concerning media activities of the Salesian provinces of Northern Europe called for by a conference of provincials in Malta in the summer of 1999. The proposal got under way in Munich (Germany) in November of that year. Provinces taking part included: North Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, Croatia, Austria, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland (Warsaw).

This initiative has been hugely successful. Some of the fruits of this joint co-operation in agreed publishing projects include the books, Rosie goes to Church, 101 Saints and Special People and the multilingual DVD, "Róisín i dTeach Dé / Rosie Goes to Church", which has NINE languages - Irish, English, German, Dutch, Polish, Italian, Spanish, Slovenian, Czech - on the ONE DVD!

Photos from the meeting in Slovenia, 27-29 August 2003: Salesian Publishers meet in Zelimlje, and explore the caves of Zupanova Jama.