General Councilor for the Salesian Family

Rome (Italy). Sr. Leslie Sandigo Ortega is the General Councilor for the Salesian Family of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.

Sr. Leslie Sandigo Ortega was born in Granada in Nicaragua and lived her infancy and adolescence at Dirià, a small town, in a united family open to encounter.

She studied in the Salesian Schools of the FMA in Masatepe and Granada, and it was there that she felt the desire to serve the Lord. She saw the witness of joy and commitment in the educational mission of the community, the love they imprinted in the hearts of all the students like Mother Mazzarello, and their solidarity with the poorest.

Sr. Leslie entered the Aspirantate in 1984 at San José, Costa Rica  and made her Religious Profession on 6 January 1988, in the shrine of Our Lady of the Angels at Cartago, Costa Rica.

She worked as an assistant and teacher of religion, geography, psychology, and philosophy at Mary Help of Christians Secondary Institute in Granada, at  Mary Mazzarello Normal Center in Managua in Nicaragua, and at  Mary Help of Christians High School in San José in Costa Rica.

She holds a doctorate in the Science of Education; a Masters Degree in Education with a specialization in Didactics; a Licentiate in Psychology and Pedagogy.  She also has the Diploma of Formation for Formators and Development of Strategies in Modernization and Management of Educational Institutions.

She carried out the roles of Community Animator, Coordinator of the Provincial Pastoral Team, Provincial Councilor. In the years 2006-2012, she carried out the service of animation and government as Provincial in Our Lady of the Angels Province (CAR), which includes Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.

From 2012 to 2020, she held various positions. She was appointed World Delegate for the Salesian Cooperators and World Animator of the Association of the Devotees of Mary Help of Christians, collaborating in the Salesian Family and in the Organizational Commission of Charismatic Families, which have the objective to gather the greatest number of Charismatic Families present in Rome to promote  synergy between Consecrated persons and Laity around a Foundational Charism.

Since 2021, she has been in the Community of Mornese with the task of animating Project Mornese for the FMA Institute and for the reception of the various groups.

The dream for the Salesian Family is to feel an active part in this great Charismatic Family as Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello wanted! To be prophets of hope and joy for and with young people.

During the XXIV General Chapter, the Chapter Assembly elected her as General Councilor for the Salesian Family.