St. John Bosco (Don Bosco)

John Bosco was born in the little hamlet of Becchi some 14 miles from Turin, Italy in 1815. His father Francis Bosco was a hard working peasant who died when John was only 2 years old. The grief stricken words of him other telling him that he was now fatherless remained deeply impressed in the child’s mind and perhaps helped to instill into his mind the intense pity for orphans and the homeless which became the dominant note of his life. The story of the exertion and sacrifices made by him and his mother cannot be told here in detail. Working as a servant, teaching, assisting a tailor, doing chores for a blacksmith and keeping score at a billiard table were some of the things he did in order to pay for his food, lodging and tuition while at school. But the worst was over when in October 1835 with an outfit provided by charitable neighbors John Bosco entered the Ecclesiastical seminary at Chieri. On 5th June 1841, John Bosco was ordained priest. Disregarding attractive offers of Sacerdotal work Don Bosco as he was from now on called, went on to pursue a postgraduate course in theology together with some practical training in priestly duties.

Don Bosco became a frequent visitor to the poorer quarters of the city. Owing to its rapid expansion labourers were crowding in to Turin in great numbers. The young priest was distressed by the swarms of neglected children whom he encountered. In the miserable garrets and cellars which he visited, he found exemplified all the evils of over crowding, all the terrible effects of herding the young and the innocent with those already corrupt. In the prison he met youths serving terms for every type of crime. During his evening walks he constantly met hordes of young people fighting, gambling, making themselves a danger to society. He decided that the work of his life would be to redeem these desirable youths. Don Bosco’s work for boys started with one boy, a mason’s apprentice. Soon this brought others and the number of Don Bosco’s friends soon multiplied. Don Bosco gave them facilities for games and taught them their religion. In the meantime Don Bosco had finished his postgraduate course of Sacerdotal studies and was full-time employed in the work of the oratory. Soon he started offering shelter to destitute children who had nowhere to go. Thus in 1846 in his Sunday oratory there were over 600 boys while some 20 youngsters lodged with him. He needed someone to look after his boys and his mother “Mama Margaret”as the boys would affectionately called her, offered to come to Turin and help him.

Although enlarged and reconstructed more than once the first building became quite inadequate. In1856 it was demolished and an entirely new structure took its place. In1853 two small workshops had been opened, one, a shoe maker’s the other, a tailor’s for teaching the unemployed youngsters of the oratory a trade in order to provide them with the means of earning an honest livelihood. A workshop for teaching carpentry was soon followed by others for bookbinding and cabinet making. Lastly there was founded a very modest printing press which has since developed into a great publication house known all over as the “Society Edit rice Internationale”. All this while from his old boys Don Bosco had been building up a society of men who would help him to develop his work and would carry on when he died. In December 1859 these young men were formed into a simple society for the purpose. In 1869 this community was officially recognized by the Catholic Church and it took the name of Salesians after St. Francis of Sales Together with the spread of his institutions there came also an increase in the number of Salesians. In 1880 they numbered over 900. Praises and triumphs greeted Don Bosco in the last years of his life. The Government of Italy recognized him as an outstanding public benefactor. Educationists sought his advice and profited from the system practised in his schools.

Church authorities including popes regarded his work as providential, rightly fitted to the needs of the times. He lived for 73 years, not an old age but his work was done. So indefatigably had he worked that it was firmly established. He could no longer stand. His right hand was paralyzed, and he asked “Do you know where I could buy anew pair of bellows?” pointing to his lungs, “for these wont work much longer”. Don Bosco died on 31st January 1888. He was declared a saint of the catholic church on April 1,1934. Let us sum up the present work of the farm boy of Becchi. The society he founded now numbers over 16,000 members working in 129 countries through 2,500 institutions. In India alone there are 1800 Salesians serving the educational needs throughout the country. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christian have a membership of 19,000 and they work in 100countries through 1500 institutions. The children educated by the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary help of Christian area legion. Countless young men and women well established in society living lives useful to themselves and to their fellow beings offer ceaseless thanks to Don Bosco for having saved them from lives of crime and misery. That is all. But then that is all he wanted: to guide the young along the path of virtue and goodness and make them a credit to themselves and to society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Bosco became a frequent visitor to the poorer quarters of the city. Owing to its rapid expansion labourers were crowding in to Turin in great numbers. The young priest was distressed by the swarms of neglected children whom he encountered. In the miserable garrets and cellars which he visited, he found exemplified all the evils of over crowding, all the terrible effects of herding the young and the innocent with those already corrupt. In the prison he met youths serving terms for every type of crime. During his evening walks he constantly met hordes of young people fighting, gambling, making themselves a danger to society. He decided that the work of his life would be to redeem these desirable youths. Don Bosco’s work for boys started with one boy, a mason’s apprentice. Soon this brought others and the number of Don Bosco’s friends soon multiplied. Don Bosco gave them facilities for games and taught them their religion. In the meantime Don Bosco had finished his postgraduate course of Sacerdotal studies and was full-time employed in the work of the oratory. Soon he started offering shelter to destitute children who had nowhere to go. Thus in 1846 in his Sunday oratory there were over 600 boys while some 20 youngsters lodged with him. He needed someone to look after his boys and his mother “Mama Margaret”as the boys would affectionately called her, offered to come to Turin and help him.

Although enlarged and reconstructed more than once the first building became quite inadequate. In1856 it was demolished and an entirely new structure took its place. In1853 two small workshops had been opened, one, a shoe maker’s the other, a tailor’s for teaching the unemployed youngsters of the oratory a trade in order to provide them with the means of earning an honest livelihood. A workshop for teaching carpentry was soon followed by others for bookbinding and cabinet making. Lastly there was founded a very modest printing press which has since developed into a great publication house known all over as the “Society Edit rice Internationale”. All this while from his old boys Don Bosco had been building up a society of men who would help him to develop his work and would carry on when he died. In December 1859 these young men were formed into a simple society for the purpose. In 1869 this community was officially recognized by the Catholic Church and it took the name of Salesians after St. Francis of Sales Together with the spread of his institutions there came also an increase in the number of Salesians. In 1880 they numbered over 900. Praises and triumphs greeted Don Bosco in the last years of his life. The Government of Italy recognized him as an outstanding public benefactor. Educationists sought his advice and profited from the system practised in his schools.

Church authorities including popes regarded his work as providential, rightly fitted to the needs of the times. He lived for 73 years, not an old age but his work was done. So indefatigably had he worked that it was firmly established. He could no longer stand. His right hand was paralyzed, and he asked “Do you know where I could buy anew pair of bellows?” pointing to his lungs, “for these wont work much longer”. Don Bosco died on 31st January 1888. He was declared a saint of the catholic church on April 1,1934. Let us sum up the present work of the farm boy of Becchi. The society he founded now numbers over 16,000 members working in 129 countries through 2,500 institutions. In India alone there are 1800 Salesians serving the educational needs throughout the country. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christian have a membership of 19,000 and they work in 100countries through 1500 institutions. The children educated by the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary help of Christian area legion. Countless young men and women well established in society living lives useful to themselves and to their fellow beings offer ceaseless thanks to Don Bosco for having saved them from lives of crime and misery. That is all. But then that is all he wanted: to guide the young along the path of virtue and goodness and make them a credit to themselves and to society.