SALESIANS OF DON BOSCO - IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DATES

IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DATES

From 1815 to 1850

1815 (16^th August): Don Bosco born at Becchi (Asti).
1817Young John loses his father at age two.
1825Young John sees his mission prefigured in a ‘dream’.
1835Dons the cassock and enters the seminary.
1837 (9^th May): St. Mary Mazzarello, Co-foundress of the FMA, born at Mornese.
1841 (5^th June): Don Bosco ordained priest in Turin.
1841 (8^th December): Don Bosco begins his youthful apostolate in Turin with a catechism lesson.
1842(2^nd April): Birth of St. Dominic Savio.
1845 Don Bosco begins the evening schools.
1846 (12^th April): Don Bosco settles at Valdocco.
1847 Opens a second Oratory at Turin-Porta Nuova.
1848 Don Bosco considered mentally ill by those to whom he confides his apostolic project.

From 1851 to 1875

1851 (2 February): His first clerics don the cassock.
1852 (31^st March): Don Bosco is officially recognized by his Bishop as the director of three Oratories in Turin.
1853 Don Bosco opens the internal professional schools, founds his first musical band and, with the ‘Catholic Readings’ launches his first popular review.
1854 (26^th January): Calls his first helpers ‘Salesians’.
1854 (2^nd October): Meets Dominic Savio.
1855 (25^th March):First step for the neophyte Salesian Society: The cleric Rua professes his first vows before Don Bosco.
1855 Fr. Domenico Pestarino founds an association at Mornese (Alessandria) from which the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will develop.
1856 (25^th November):Mamma Margaret dies.
1857 (9^th March):Dominic Savio dies.
1858 First visit by Don Bosco to Rome and to the Pope.
1859 (9^th December): Don Bosco communicates his decision to found the Salesian Congregation.
1859 (18^th December):Don Bosco sets up the first Salesian Superior Chapter.
1860 (12^th June):26 Salesians subscribe to the Rules of the Congregation.
1860 Don Bosco accepts the first lay member amongst the Salesians: Coadjutor Brother Joseph Rossi.
1861 Don Bosco opens the first printing press.
1862 (14^th May):the first 22 Salesians profess vows before Don Bosco.
1863 (20^th October):Don Bosco opens the first house outside Turin (at Mirabello Monferrato).
1864 (23^rd July):the Salesian Congregation receives its first recognition by the Holy See (Decree of praise).
1864 (October): Don Bosco meets Mary Mazzarello at Mornese.
1865 (13^th November):First academic degree obtained by a Salesian (Fr. John Baptist Fancesia).
1868 (9^th June):consecration of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin.
1869 (18^th April):Don Bosco founds the Archconfraternity of Mary Help of Christians in Turin.
1870 (June):the ‘Society of Past Members of the Salesian Oratory’ is born, from which the Association of Past Pupils of Don Bosco will develop.
1870 (September):first house outside Piedmont opened (at Alassio, Province of Savona).
1872 (5^th August):The Institute of the FMA founded at Mornese.
1874 (3^rd April):The Holy See approves the Salesian Constitutions.
1875 (11^th November):the first Salesian missionary expedition departs for the Americas.
1875 (21^st November):first Salesian house outside Italy is opened (Nice, France).

From 1876 to 1900

1876 (9^th May):The Holy See approves the Association of Salesian Cooperators.
1877 (August):Don Bosco publishes the first number of the Salesian Bulletin.
1877 (1^st September):The FMA open their first house outside Italy (at Nice, France).
1877 (5^th September):The Salesians hold their first General Chapter.
1877 (14^th November): The first six FMA depart Italy for the missions in the Americas.
1879First contact between the Salesian missionaries and the Indians of Patagonia.
1880Salesians and FMA open their first missionary works in Patagonia (Argentina).
1881(14^th May): Mother Mary Mazzarello dies.
1881Beginning of the Salesian work in Spain.
1883 (February-March):Visit of Don Bosco to France.
1883 (14^th July):Beginning of the Salesian work in Brasil.
1884The FMA hold their first General Chapter.
1884(7^th December): The first Salesian Bishop (Bishop John Cagliero).
1886 Visit of Don Bosco to Barcelona.
1887 (19^th March):Beginning of the Salesian work in Chile.
1887 (14^th May):Consecration of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart – Rome.
1888 (31^st January):Don Bosco dies (leaves behind 773 Salesians and 393 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
1890Don Bosco’s cause for canonisation opens.
1891Salesians and FMA open works in Palestine and begin their work in Asia. The Salesians enter Africa (Algeria).
1893FMA begin activity in Africa with a work in Algeria.
1897 (September):Salesian work in Central America begins.

From 1901 to 1950

1905 Fr. Luigi Variara founds the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Colombia.
1906 The Salesian work begins in India – Tangore.
1908 (31^st July): Don Rua founds the Publishing House SEI in Turin (At that time it was known as the ‘Anonymous International Society for the Spread of Good Literature”
1910 Fr. Paul Albera, elected 2^nd successor of Don Bosco
1911The Holy See approves the Institute of the FMA.
1915 First Salesian Cardinal (John Cagliero)
1917 Fr. Philip Rinaldi founds a lay association from which the secular institute of the Don Bosco Volunteers will eventually develop.
1921 Fr. Philip Rinaldi elected as 3^rd successor of Don Bosco.
1922 Salesian work in Australia begins.
1928 Bishop Louis Versiglia founds the ‘Announcers of the Lord’ Sisters in China (transferred now to Hong Kong).
1929 (2^nd June):Don Bosco is beatified.
1932 Fr. Peter Ricaldone elected as 4^th successor of Don Bosco.
1933 Bishop Joseph Cognata founds the Salesian Oblate Sisters in Italy. (Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart).
1934 (1^st April):Don Bosco declared Saint.
1937 Fr. Anthony Cavoli founds the Sisters of Charity of Miyazaki in Japan; Bishop Gaetano Pasotti founds the Handmaids of the Immaculate Hearts in Thailand.
1938 The Catechetical Centre Office opens (to become eventually the Salesian Catechetical Centre).
1940 The Ateneo Salesiano opens in Turin (today the Pontifical University in Rome).
1940 Bishop Stephen Ferrando founds the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians in India
1941 The Publishing House LDC opens.
1946 (24 May):Don Bosco declared patron of Catholic editors.
1950 The missionaries expelled from China transplant their Salesian work in the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea.
1950 (5^th March): Dominic Savio beatified.

From 1951 to 1975

1951 (24^th June):Mother Mary Mazzarello declared Saint.
1952 XVII General Chaptter (Turin). Fr. Renato Ziggiotti elected as 5th successor of Don Bosco.
1954 (12^th June):Dominic Savio proclaimed Saint.
1958 (17^th January):Don Bosco patron of apprentices – Italy.
1965 XIX General Chapter (Rome). Fr. Louis Ricceri elected as 6th successor of Don Bosco.
1967The National Centre for Salesian works (CNOS) set up as a representative body for Italy.
1969The FMA transfer their General House form Turin to Rome and celebrate their Special General Chapter for renewal there.
1971Special General Chapter for renewal of the Salesian Congregation (Rome).
1972Salesian General House transferred to Rome.
1972 (29^th October):Fr. Michael Rua beatified.

From 1976 to 1999

1976 (13^th November): Bishop Louis Versiglia and Fr. Callistus Caravario declared Martyrs.
1978 XXI General Chapter – Rome. Fr. Egidius Viganò elected as 7th successor of Don Bosco.
1978 Project Africa follows on from GC21.
1980 (29^th August): First missionary expeditions of Indian Salesian missionaries to Africa.
1983 (15^th May):Bishop Louis Versiglia and Fr. Callistus Caravario are beatified.
198422^nd General Chapter (Rome): the definitive revision of the Constitutions is approved by the Holy See. 8^th December: promulgation of the Constitutions thus approved.
1988First centenary of the death of Don Bosco. Year of Grace (enriched through indulgences granted by His Holiness John Paul II) opened 31^st January with a solemn celebration in Turin. Present were the Rector Major and General Council, four cardinals and 58 Salesian Bishops.
1988 (14^th May):Salesian worldwide renew their profession of fidelity to the Founder.
1988 (2-4^th September):Extraordinary pilgrimage of Pope John Paul II to the places of Don Bosco: Becchi – Chieri – Valdocco. On 3^rd September at Colle Don Bosco, Laura Vicuna is beatified.
1989 (24^th January):Pope John Paul II officially proclaims Don Bosco as Father and Teacher of Youth.
1989 (31^st January):Centenary of Don Bosco concludes at Rome with a solemn civic commemoration at Campidoglia and with a concelebration in the grand Temple of Don Bosco at Cinecittà.
199023^rd General Chapter (Rome) on the theme: Educating the young to faith.
1990 (29^th April): Fr. Philip Rinaldi is beatified.
1994 (5^th November):Sr. Madeline Catherine Morano is beatified.
199624^th General Chapter on the theme: Salesians and Laity – communion and sharing in the spirit and mission of Don Bosco. Fr. Juan E. Vecchi elected as 8^th successor of Don Bosco.
1998 (24^th May):Ecclesial recognition of the Volunteers with Don Bosco, in the Archdiocese of Caracas.
1999 (13^th June):Pope John Paul II beatifies 108 Martyrs in Warsaw, amongst whom the Salesian priest Joseph Kowalski and 5 young members of the Salesian Oratory in Poznan.

From 2000 to the present

2000 (30^th and 31^st January):For the Feast of St. John Bosco in the year 2000, the Rector Major and his Council meet at Colle Don Bosco. In the afternoon of 30^th January – a solemn Concelebration at which, together with the inauguration of the reconstruction of the Temple of Don Bosco, the Salesian celebrations for the Junilee Year commence, with a Message to young people. The following day, 31^st January, from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, a Message to the Salesian Family.
2000 (1^st October): Solemn canonisation in St. Peter’s Square, of the two Salesian Protomartyrs, Bishop Louis Versiglia and Father Callistus Caravario.
2000 (11^th November):In the light of the celebration of the Great Jubilee Year 2000, and on the occasion of the 125^th anniversary of the first missionary expedition (1875) the Rector Major sends out an extraordinary missionary expedition from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians; he gives the Crucifix and mandate to 113 missionaries (86 SDBs, 4 FMAs, 23 lay Volunteers). He also gives a special missionary Message.
2001 (11^th March):In St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope John Paul II includes in the ranks of the beatified 233 Spanish Martyrs, 32 of whom belong to our Salesian Family, from the Provinces of Barcellona and Valencia (29 SDBs, of whome 7 are Brothers, 6 Clerics, 16 priests, 2 FMA and one lay collaborator).
2002 (23^rd January): Fr. Juan Vecchi dies.
2002 (24^th February – 20^th April): 25^th General Chapter (Rome) on the theme: The Salesian Community Today – fraternal life, gospel witness, animating presence amongst the young. Fr. Pascual Chávez Villanueva elected as 9^th successor of Don Bosco.
2002 (14^th April):In St. Peter’s Square in Rome, John Paul II proclaims Brother Artemide Zatti, Fr. Louis Variara and Sr. Maria Romero Meneses FMA as Blessed.
2004 (25 aprile): Nella Piazza San Pietro in Roma il Papa Giovanni Paolo II proclama Beati Don Augusto Czartoryski, Suor Eusebia Palomino e Alessandrina da Costa, Cooperatrice.

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