|
|
|
Beatified
2-6-1929
Canonized 1-4-1934
Early
years and eventual priesthood
John Bosco
was born at Castelnuovo d'Asti on 16 August 185, of a family of peasant
farmers. His father, Francis Bosco, died when John was just two, and
Margaret Occhiena found herself bringing up Anthony, Joseph and John
alone.
With firm kindness and unbounded faith Margaret, wise educator that she
was, made her family into a domestic church.
From when he was small, John began to feel a desire to become a priest.
he spoke of having had a dream at nine years of age, which
revealed to him his mission: "Make yourself humble, strong and robust",
a woman resplendent as the sun told him, "and what you see happening to
these wolves which change into lambs, you will do for my children. I
will be your teacher. In time you will understand". While still a lad,
John began to do magic tricks, learned with hard effort, for his
friends, and he alternated this with work and prayer.
The elderly Fr Calosso started him off with his studies for the
priesthood, studies that cost him effort, to the point where he had to
leave home because of his brother anthony's opposition. He wanted John
to work in the fields.
As a seminarian at Chieri, he thought up the idea of the 'Cheerful
Society, which gathered boys from around the town. In June 1841 he was
ordained priest. His spiritual director, Fr cafasso, advised him to
complete his studies at the Ecclesiastical Institute. Meanwhile Don
Bosco gathered his first boys around him, and organised a festive
oratory, initially on the move but then stabilised at Valdocco.
Margaret, by now elderly, accepted to come to Turin and help him, and
become 'Mamma Margaret' for the boys.
Preventive
system
Don Bosco
began to give a place to boys without a home to go to. He taught them
to work, and to love the Lord; he sang, played and prayed with them.
With the first boys came his first helpers. Thus he developed
his famous educational method, the Preventive System. "Be with the
boys, prevent sin through reason, religion and loving kindness. Become
saints and educators of saints. Our boys must know they are loved".
Over time the first helpers, with the help of Pope Pius IX, became a
Congregation aimed at the salvation of the young, fighting all forms of
poverty and taking as its own the motto: "Give me souls, take away the
rest".
Young Dominic Savio is the first fruit of the Preventive System. Mary
Help of Christians, who always supported Don Bosco in his work,
obtained many graces for him, even extraordinary ones, as well as the
funds necessary for his enterprises. She helped him build the
Basilica which bears her name.
Salesian
Sisters and Salesian Cooperators
With the help of Saint Mary domenica Mazzarello, he founded the
Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. With benefactors
and committed lay people he gave life to the Salesian Cooperators.
Don Bosco died exhausted from work at age 72, on 31 January 1888. Today
the Salesian Family is throughout the world. Pope John paul II declared
him 'Father and Teacher of Youth' on the centenary of his death.
|
