Jan. 31, 2012 Tuesday: St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco's dream when he was 9 years old
"When I was about nine years old, I had a dream that left a profound impression on me for the rest of my life. I dreamed that I was near my home, in a very large playing field where a crowd of children were having fun. Some were laughing, others were playing and not a few were cursing. I was so shocked at their language that I jumped into their midst, swinging wildly and shouting at them to stop. At that moment, a Man appeared, nobly attired, with a manly and imposing bearing. He was clad with a white flowing mantle, and his face radiated such light that I could not look directly at Him. He called me by name and told me to place myself as leader over those boys, adding the words,
'You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows, but with gentleness and kindness. So begin right now to show them that sin is ugly and virtue beautiful.'
"Confused and afraid, I replied that I was only a boy and unable to talk to these youngsters about religion. At that moment the fighting, shouting and cursing stopped and the crowd of boys gathered about the Man who was now talking. Almost unconsciously, I asked:
'But how can you order me to do something that looks so impossible?'
'What seems so impossible you must achieve by being obedient and by acquiring knowledge.'
'But where, how?'
'I will give you a Teacher, under whose guidance you will learn and without whose help all knowledge becomes foolishness.'
'But who are you?'
'I am the Son of Her whom your mother has taught you to greet three times a day.'
'My mother told me not to talk to people I don't know unless she gives me permission. So, please tell me your name.'
"At that moment I saw beside Him a Lady of majestic appearance, wearing a beautiful mantle glowing as if bedecked with stars. She saw my confusion mount; so she beckoned me to her. Taking my hand with great kindness, she said:
'Look!'
"I did so. All the children had vanished. In their place I saw many animals: goats, dogs, cats, bears and a variety of others.
...the wild animals had turned into lambs...
"`This is your field, this is where you must work.' the Lady told me. `Make yourself humble, steadfast, and strong. And what you will see happen to these animals you will have to do for my children.'
"I looked again; the wild animals had turned into as many lambs, gently gamboling lambs, bleating a welcome for that Man and Lady.
"At this point of my dream I started to cry and begged the Lady to explain what it all meant because I was so confused. She then placed her hand on my head and said:
'In due time everything will be clear to you.'
"After she had spoken these words, some noise awoke me; everything had vanished."
The next day, when he shared this dream with his family, everybody came up with a variety of interpretations of what the dream might have meant. However, his mother zeroed in on the message immediately. She said, "Who knows if some day he may not become a priest?"
-----------------------------
John Bosco was born on August 16, 1815, in Becchi, a small town near Turin, Italy. His parents were poor farmers. When John was only two years old, his father died. John’s mother struggled to keep the family together. As soon as he was old enough, John began working as hard as he could to help his mother.
As he grew up, John started to think about becoming a priest. But he didn’t say anything to his mother because he knew they couldn’t afford the seminary tuition. Besides, his mother needed help to run their farm. So John waited and prayed and hoped. Finally, a holy priest named Don Joseph Cafasso (“Don” is a special title of respect and honor which people in Italy use for priests) became aware of John’s desire. Don Cafasso helped him enter the seminary.
John had to work his way through school. He learned all kinds of trades. He was a carpenter, a shoemaker, a cook, a pastry maker and a farmer. He did many other jobs as well. He could never have guessed how much this practical experience would help others later on.
John became a priest in 1841. After his ordination, Don Bosco began working with Don Cafasso visiting the prisons in Turin. He was saddened to see how many boys were in the prisons, and how hopeless their futures were. Don Bosco decided to open a home for troubled boys.
Because of his kindness and caring, it was easy for him to attract youngsters. Don Bosco taught the boys different trades so that they could get good jobs and not be tempted to steal or get into trouble. He prayed with them, and took them on outings. He even organized a brass band! By 1850, there were 150 boys living at his home for boys. Don Bosco’s mother was the housekeeper.
At first, people didn’t understand what Don Bosco was trying to do. But soon everyone began to realize that he was carrying on a very important work. His boys were learning skills and receiving an education. They were becoming young men who would contribute to society instead of turning to lives of crime. Don Bosco even built a church for the boys. Daily Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation were the foundation of their whole education.
Don Bosco felt that his success with the boys was due to an attitude of love and respect rather than the use of harsh discipline. Religious instruction and prayer helped the boys want to lead good lives.
Don Bosco started his own religious order of priests and brothers too. They were called the Salesians, in honor of St. Francis de Sales. An order of Salesian sisters was started later, with the help of Mary Mazzarello (who also became a saint). When Don Bosco died in Turin on January 31, 1888, there were 250 Salesian houses around the world educating 130,000 children. By the same time, over 6,000 of his boys had chosen to become priests! One of them, Dominic Savio, who became one of Don Bosco’s students at the age of twelve, is now a saint too. A young parish priest who had once met Don Bosco later became Pope Pius XI. He had the joy of declaring Don Bosco a saint in 1934.
-Daughters of St. Paul
"When I was about nine years old, I had a dream that left a profound impression on me for the rest of my life. I dreamed that I was near my home, in a very large playing field where a crowd of children were having fun. Some were laughing, others were playing and not a few were cursing. I was so shocked at their language that I jumped into their midst, swinging wildly and shouting at them to stop. At that moment, a Man appeared, nobly attired, with a manly and imposing bearing. He was clad with a white flowing mantle, and his face radiated such light that I could not look directly at Him. He called me by name and told me to place myself as leader over those boys, adding the words,
'You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows, but with gentleness and kindness. So begin right now to show them that sin is ugly and virtue beautiful.'
"Confused and afraid, I replied that I was only a boy and unable to talk to these youngsters about religion. At that moment the fighting, shouting and cursing stopped and the crowd of boys gathered about the Man who was now talking. Almost unconsciously, I asked:
'But how can you order me to do something that looks so impossible?'
'What seems so impossible you must achieve by being obedient and by acquiring knowledge.'
'But where, how?'
'I will give you a Teacher, under whose guidance you will learn and without whose help all knowledge becomes foolishness.'
'But who are you?'
'I am the Son of Her whom your mother has taught you to greet three times a day.'
'My mother told me not to talk to people I don't know unless she gives me permission. So, please tell me your name.'
"At that moment I saw beside Him a Lady of majestic appearance, wearing a beautiful mantle glowing as if bedecked with stars. She saw my confusion mount; so she beckoned me to her. Taking my hand with great kindness, she said:
'Look!'
"I did so. All the children had vanished. In their place I saw many animals: goats, dogs, cats, bears and a variety of others.
...the wild animals had turned into lambs...
"`This is your field, this is where you must work.' the Lady told me. `Make yourself humble, steadfast, and strong. And what you will see happen to these animals you will have to do for my children.'
"I looked again; the wild animals had turned into as many lambs, gently gamboling lambs, bleating a welcome for that Man and Lady.
"At this point of my dream I started to cry and begged the Lady to explain what it all meant because I was so confused. She then placed her hand on my head and said:
'In due time everything will be clear to you.'
"After she had spoken these words, some noise awoke me; everything had vanished."
The next day, when he shared this dream with his family, everybody came up with a variety of interpretations of what the dream might have meant. However, his mother zeroed in on the message immediately. She said, "Who knows if some day he may not become a priest?"
-----------------------------
John Bosco was born on August 16, 1815, in Becchi, a small town near Turin, Italy. His parents were poor farmers. When John was only two years old, his father died. John’s mother struggled to keep the family together. As soon as he was old enough, John began working as hard as he could to help his mother.
As he grew up, John started to think about becoming a priest. But he didn’t say anything to his mother because he knew they couldn’t afford the seminary tuition. Besides, his mother needed help to run their farm. So John waited and prayed and hoped. Finally, a holy priest named Don Joseph Cafasso (“Don” is a special title of respect and honor which people in Italy use for priests) became aware of John’s desire. Don Cafasso helped him enter the seminary.
John had to work his way through school. He learned all kinds of trades. He was a carpenter, a shoemaker, a cook, a pastry maker and a farmer. He did many other jobs as well. He could never have guessed how much this practical experience would help others later on.
John became a priest in 1841. After his ordination, Don Bosco began working with Don Cafasso visiting the prisons in Turin. He was saddened to see how many boys were in the prisons, and how hopeless their futures were. Don Bosco decided to open a home for troubled boys.
Because of his kindness and caring, it was easy for him to attract youngsters. Don Bosco taught the boys different trades so that they could get good jobs and not be tempted to steal or get into trouble. He prayed with them, and took them on outings. He even organized a brass band! By 1850, there were 150 boys living at his home for boys. Don Bosco’s mother was the housekeeper.
At first, people didn’t understand what Don Bosco was trying to do. But soon everyone began to realize that he was carrying on a very important work. His boys were learning skills and receiving an education. They were becoming young men who would contribute to society instead of turning to lives of crime. Don Bosco even built a church for the boys. Daily Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation were the foundation of their whole education.
Don Bosco felt that his success with the boys was due to an attitude of love and respect rather than the use of harsh discipline. Religious instruction and prayer helped the boys want to lead good lives.
Don Bosco started his own religious order of priests and brothers too. They were called the Salesians, in honor of St. Francis de Sales. An order of Salesian sisters was started later, with the help of Mary Mazzarello (who also became a saint). When Don Bosco died in Turin on January 31, 1888, there were 250 Salesian houses around the world educating 130,000 children. By the same time, over 6,000 of his boys had chosen to become priests! One of them, Dominic Savio, who became one of Don Bosco’s students at the age of twelve, is now a saint too. A young parish priest who had once met Don Bosco later became Pope Pius XI. He had the joy of declaring Don Bosco a saint in 1934.
-Daughters of St. Paul
