Don Bosco

Don Bosco , a Great Role Model for the Guard of Honor

Don bosco was a teacher, catechist, writer and founder of religious congregations dedicated to the education of youth.

He was born into a poor family in a small town near, Castelnuovo in Piedmont Italy on 16 August 1815 and died 31 January 1888. John Bosco was beatified in 1929 and canonized by Pope Pius the 11th in 1934.

After his ordination, on the eve of Trinity Sunday in 1835, he began his priestly duties in Turin Italy. As a new priest he visited the prisons of the city and upon seeing the conditions of the young children and all that they were exposed to, he embarked on what was to become his life work: working with underprivileged and abandoned children. Observing these children in these conditions was the playing out of a dream he had when he was 9 years old which left him determined to not allow boys to end up in those conditions. His efforts and the zealous way in which he carried out his calling would eventually lead him to be recognized as a saint.

Helping one young boy and befriending him one day after seeing him dragged away from the Church was the beginning of the “Oratory“ he founded, so called because of the emphasis on prayer, following the example of St. Philip Neri. In a few short years the number of boys John Bosco was helping was four hundred. Soon it was necessary to find a meeting place, and, in time, a chapel dedicated to St. Francis de Sales was built on the site.

It wasn’t long! While at his first meeting site, that there were many difficulties. Don Bosco, however, persevered and his Oratory moved from place to place. At one point his mother, Margaret, joined him sacrificing everything even her home . Bringing the love of a mother, things began to improve. Eventually the first Salesian home was begun. From this numbers grew as well as recognition from the community. Hence the first Church, technical schools and workshops followed. Financial difficulties were met through the charity of his supporters.

Most importantly Don Bosco was a teacher, priest and role model to the youth he guided. He embraced the virtues of gentleness and docility inspired by the Patron Saint of the Salesians, St. Francis de Sales.

What he emphasized and taught the youth under his tutelage is also a great lesson for us. He had a profound love for Mary help of Christians, and taught his boys to pray to her often to be lead to Jesus. He tirelessly promoted Communion, Confession and Eucharistic Adoration. He would tell them to make many visits to Jesus, if they wanted many graces.

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“Take refuge often at the feet of Jesus…My dear ones, the Visit to the Blessed Sacrament is an extremely necessary way to conquer the devil. Therefore, go often to visit Jesus and the devil will not come out victorious against you. Trust all things to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians and you will see what miracles happen.”
Here is one beautiful teaching we can reflect on before the Blessed Sacrament, taken from the words of St. Don Bosco:
“We envy the shepherd who went to visit the grotto of Bethlehem to see him, kissed his little hand, and offered him their gifts. ‘Lucky Shepherds!’ we exclaim. And yet there is no reason to envy them, for their fortune is ours too. The same Jesus they visited in the grotto is in our tabernacle. The only difference is that the shepherds saw Him with the eyes of the body, where as we see Him with the eyes of faith. Nothing will please Him more than our frequent visits to Him.”
We thank God for the example of St. Don Bosco, and pray to Mary help of Christians to lead us closer and closer to her son until we are safely home in Heaven.
-written by Mary Ann Spiller, member of the Guard of Honor