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BOOKS – A DIVINE MEANS
Don Bosco was profoundly convinced that the means of social communication,
available in his own times, could help him with his mission as an evangelizer
and educator.
Certainly in terms of the reality before him, the means available to him were
not many, but he choose them all and knew how to appreciate their value for
spreading the Gospel, for the formation of youth, for service to the Church
and the People of God. We are certain that had he the chance to know of the
new media, the technological latest of our generation, he would have wanted
them to make his apostolate more functional, effective and real.
We can draw such conclusions from a letter dated 19th March 1885, in which
Don Bosco spoke of his convictions and motivations regarding the importance
and alue of good books, something he wanted to pass on to his first Salesians.
He would have reserved the same strength of conviction, the same passion,
(‘I want to warmly recommend to you..”) for all media, and would have communicated
this to Salesians of every period. Each instrument, and in his case the book,
is useful in promoting the good and the dignity of human beings, and is a
richness and an investment for humanity and its future.
Don Bosco’s Circular Letter on the ‘spreading of good books’
“I want to see you grow in zeal and in merit before God, every ay, and so
I will not hesitate to suggest to you from time to time various means which
I believe to be an improvement, so that your ministry will be more fruitful.
Amongst these, one that I want to warmly recommend to you, for the glory of
God and the good of souls, is the spreading of good books.
I don’t hesitate to call this means ‘Divine’, since God Himself used it to
rejuvenate human beings. There were books inspired by Him that have brought
correct teaching to all the world.
He wished that throughout all the cities and villages of Palestine there would
be copies and that each Sabbath there would be reading in the religious assemblies.
At the beginning these books were the sole patrimony of the Hebrew people
but, once the tribes were taken into captivity in Assyria and amongst the
Chaldeans, the Sacred Scriptures were translated into the Syro-chaldean language,
and all of central Asia had them in their own languages. Once Grece was in
the ascendancy, the Hebrews brought their colonies to every corner of the
world and with them the Sacred Books were multiplied ‘ad infinitum’; and they
even enriched the libraries of pagan peoples through their version of the
Septuagint. Orators. Poets and philosophers of those times drew not a few
truths from the Bible. God, principally through his inspired writings, prepared
the world for the coming of the Saviour.
It behoves us, then, to imitate the work of the Heavenly Father. Good books,
spread amongst the people, are one of the active ways to preserve the kingdom
of the Saviour in so many souls. The thoughts, principles, the morals of a
Catholic book have substance drawn from the Apostolic books and tradition.
They are so much more necessary today in the face of the army of impiety and
immorality wreaking havoc in the sheepfold of Jesus Christ, leading on and
dragging down to perdition those who are careless and disobedient. It is necessary
to fight arms with arms.
You can add that the book, even if on the one hand it does not have the power
of the living word, on the other hand offers even greater advantages in certain
circumstances. The good book can enter a house where the priest cannot, it
is even tolerated by bad people as a gift or remembrance. No need to blush,
offering it, no need to worry if it is neglected; when read it teaches truths
calmly, if you don’t like it it doesn’t have to leave you bored, yet it leaves
feelings of misgiving that sometimes spark a desire to know the truth. Meanwhile
it is always ready to teach.
Sometimes it remains gathering dust on the table or in the library. No-one
gives it a second thought. But come the hour of solitude, or sadness, or boredom
or a need to escape, or of anxiety about the future, and this faithful friend
shakes off its dust, opens its pages and there we find again the wonderful
conversions of St. Augustine, of Blessed Columbine and St. Ignatius. Polite
in dealing with those who are fearful through human respect, it arouses suspicion
in no-one. Familiar with those who are good, it is always ready to talk things
over; it goes with them at every moment, everywhere. How many the souls saved
by good books, how many preserved from error, how many encouraged in doing
good. The one who gives a good book might have no other merit than to awaken
some thought of God, but has already gained an incomparable merit before God.
And yet how much more is gained. A book in a family, if not read by the one
to whom it was given or intended, is read by a son or daughter, by a friend
or neighbour.
A book in a village then passes into the hands of a hundred eople. God alone
knows the good that a book produces in a city, in a travelling library, in
a worker’s club, in a hospital, given as a mark of friendship. Should one
be afraid that a book would be refused by someone just because it is good?
On the contrary. A confrere of ours, each time he went to the grand constructions
in that port, took with him his store of good books to give to the porters,
the workers, the sailors. These books were always welcomed with joy and gratitude
and then immediately read with lively curisoity”.
About to depart for France, Don Bosco sent the Colleges this Circular on being
enthusiastic in spreading wholesome books.
Having said all that, and leaving aside much of what you already know, I want
to point out why, not only as Catholics but especially as Salesians, you should
be enthusiastic and spare no effort or means to spread wholesome books.
1. This was amongst the main tasks Divine Providence entrusted to me, and
you know how much effort I spent on it, not withstanding my thousand and one
other occupations. The raging hatred of the enemies of what is good, and the
persecutions against my own person show how error sees in these books a formidable
opponent, and how, for exactly the opposite reason, they are an undertaking
blessed by God.
2. In fact, the marvellous distribution these books have had is an argument
that proves God's special assistance. In less than 30 years, the total number
of publications and books we have spread among ordinary people amounts to
about twenty million. If some of them have been ignored, others have had hundreds
of readers, and thus we can certainly reckon that the number of people who
have benefitted from our books is much greater than the number of books we
have published.
3. This spreading of wholesome literature is one of the principal ends of
our Congregation. Article 7 of the first paragraph of our Regulations says
of the Salesians: "They shall devote themselves to spreading good
books among the people, using all the means which Christian charity inspires.
By word and writing they will seek to counteract the godlessness and heresy
that is trying in so many guises to creep in amongst the uncultured and unlearned.
To this end they should direct the sermons they preach from time to time,
triduums, novenas and the spreading of good books."
4. Amongst the books to be spread I propose that we stick to those that have
a reputation for being good, moral and religious, and we should give preference
to those produced by our own presses. The reason is that the material benefit
that results, becomes charity through the support it provides for the many
poor young people we have, and because our publications tend to form an orderly
system, that embraces on a vast scale all the classes that make up human society.
I won't dwell on this point; rather I am pleased to look at just one class,
that of young people, to whom I have always striven to do good not only with
the spoken but also with the printed word. With the Catholic Readings,
while I tried to instruct all the people, its purpose was to get into the
houses, to let people know about the spirit in our Colleges, and draw young
people to virtue, especially with the biographies of Savio, Besucco and others.
With the Companion of Youth, my aim was to draw them into church, instil
in them the spirit of piety and lead them to love frequenting the sacraments.
With the collection of edited Italian and Latin classics and with the History
of Italy and the other historical or literary books, I wanted to be at
their side in school and preserve them from so many errors and passions, that
would be fatal for them in time and eternity. I wanted, as in the old days,
to be their companion in the hours of recreation, and I thought of arranging
a series of enjoyable books, which I hope will not be long in coming to the
light. Finally with the Salesian Bulletin, amongst my many aims, I
also had this one: to keep alive in boys who have returned to their families
the spirit of St Francis de Sales and his mottos, and to make them the saviours
of other young people. I will not tell you I have reached my ideal of perfection;
on the contrary, I am telling you that it is up to you to co-ordinate it in
such a way that it will be complete in all its parts.
I ask and beseech you then not to neglect this most important part of our
mission. Work at it not only amongst the young people Providence has confided
to you, but with your words and example, make them so many other apostles
in the spreading of good books.
At the start of the year the pupils, especially the new ones, are alight with
enthusiasm at the offer of our associations, even more so when it costs so
little. But make sure that they join spontaneously and are not in anyway forced
to belong. With well reasoned exhortations lead the young people to join,
not just for the good the books will do them, but also for the good they can
do to others, sending them home as soon as they are published, to their father,
mother, brothers, benefactors.
Besides, parents who practice their religion little, are moved by this thoughtfulness
of a son, or brother who is away from home, and they are easily lead to read
the book out of curiosity, if for no other reason. Let them be careful though
that what they send never looks like preaching or talking at their relatives,
but is always and only a thoughtful gift and an affectionate memento. When
they return home, they should strive to increase the merits of their good
works, by giving them as presents to their friends, loaning them to relatives,
giving them as thanks for a favour done, passing them on to their parish priest,
asking him to distribute them and get more members.
Be persuaded, my dear sons, that such industriousness will draw down on you
and on our young people the Lord's choicest blessings.
I finish: draw the conclusion to this letter yourselves by seeing that our
young people get hold of moral and Christian principles especially by means
of our productions, without despising other publishers' books. I must tell
you, however, that I was cut to the quick, when I got to know that, in some
of our houses, the books we printed were at times not known or held in no
regard. Do not love, nor lead others to love, that science, which the Apostle
says inflat (pumps up). And remind yourselves that, even though
St Augustine was an eminent teacher of fine letters and an eloquent orator,
after he became a bishop, he preferred the incorrect use of language and the
absence of stylish elegance, rather than run the risk of not being understood
by the people.
The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. Pray for me.
Most affectionately in Jesus Christ,
Fr John Bosco
(1) He left Turin on 24 March.
(2) Bosco, Epistolario, IV.
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