Our Founding & Mission
“It is not enough to love the young,
they must know that they are loved.”
- St. John Bosco
Fr. Christopher Vaccaro, a priest of the Diocese of Arlington, saw the sheer number of Catholics who abandon the Church during their college years, and desired to do something about it. In 2011, he founded the Associates of St. John Bosco, named after a saint whose methods with the young our organization attempts to emulate. The Associates of St. John Bosco is a Catholic 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Northern Virginia whose purpose is to assist high school and college students in fostering their faith as an essential part of their journey in college. We help them make a faith-filled transition into this next stage of life.
The two main divisions of the Associates of St. John Bosco are the College Division and the Scholarship Division. Our College Division hosts our College Nights, which are interactive and faith-filled events located in different parishes around the Diocese of Arlington, in which we connect incoming college freshmen with other Catholic peers while also providing resources for them to grow in their faith while at college. Our College Division also provides a year-long internship called the Associate Program, in which college students receive formation and learn the essentials of working in the apostolate. Finally, we hold Pack Your Faith for College events held in Catholic high schools, which prepare seniors to graduate high school and take their next step with their Catholic faith.
Our Scholarship Division provides financial assistance to students who seek to serve the Church in some capacity after college, whether that be in a religious vocation or serving in a particular apostolate.
We are passionate about the Catholic faith and helping students live virtuous lives in college!
““After attending one of the Associates of Saint John Bosco events, I felt more equipped and ready to take on the challenges of school with a strong faith.””
Our Patron
St. John Bosco, devoted his entire life to helping young boys in Turin become great lovers of the Church and of God. We seek to emulate his dedication to young people by forming them in the ways of the faith and in the practicals of his method of evangelization. In essence, our efforts are molding them into being Associates of St. John Bosco.