January 31
Saint John Bosco
Priest, Founder of Salesians
(1815-1888)
“Forget the services you have rendered to others, but not those rendered to you.”
Saint John Bosco
Saint’s Life Story
His Early Life
Giovanni Melchiorre (John Melchior) was born on August 16, 1815 in Becchi, Piedmont, Italy, the youngest son to his father, Francesco Bosco and mother, Margherita Occhiena. He had two older brothers, Antonio and Giuseppe. His father died when he was two. Poverty prevented any serious attempt at schooling. John’s early years were spent as a shepherd and he received his first instruction from Don Calosso. From his childhood, he wanted to dedicate his life to keeping youngsters close to God. His childhood experiences are thought to have inspired him to become a priest. Bosco’s mother, Margherita, managed to earn enough money to finance his education.
Seminary to Priesthood
In 1835, Bosco entered the seminary at Chieri, next to the Church of the Immacolata Concezione. The day before John entered the seminary, his mother laid her hands on his shoulders as he was dressed in his clerical dress and said, “To see you dressed in this manner fills my heart with joy. But remember that it is not the dress gives honor to the state, but the practice of virtue. If at any time you come to doubt you vocation, I beseech you, lay it aside at once. I would rather have a poor peasant for my son than a negligent priest.” (Hoever) In 1841 at the age of 26, after six years of study, John was ordained a priest on the eve of Trinity Sunday by Archbishop Franzoni of Turin.
Opened Refuge for Boys in Turin, Italy
John began his work with neglected boys at Turin, Italy where he was ordained. Father Joseph Cafasso encourage this work. John was appointed chaplain of St Philomena’s Hospice for girls in 1844 and housed his boys in an old building on the grounds of the Hospice. When the boys became too unruly, he was ordered to give up his care of the boys or resign as chaplain. He resigned and opened a refuge for boys with his mother. John devised a plan to care for delinquents after their release and to keep boys out of trouble. He called the institution that he envisioned an “oratory,” a place of prayer. It was much more than that; it was a place to play and make friends, a school, an employment service, and a home. By 1856, he was housing 150 boys and had another 500 oratories with 10 priests. John dedicated his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth.
Founder of Salesians
As his work expanded, John paid for it by preaching writing books, and from charitable donations. His need for dependable assistants led him to found the Society of St. Frances de Sales (or the Salesians), which received approval from Pope Pius XI on 1859. The Salesian coat of arms appreared for the first time in a circular letter of Don Bosco on December 8, 1885 with the motto Da mihi animas, caetera tolle (Give me souls, take away everything else).
Salesion Preventive System
John developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method that became known as the Salesian Preventive System. John taught his Salesians and the young people they served that it was easy to be a saint. “Do the ordinary things in an extraordinary way,” he told them. He taught that it was not necessary to look for extraordinary ways to be holy or practice virtue. “Accept what the day brings.” He taught them just to do what they had to do each day, but do it well and offer it as a prayer.
Salesians Sisters
With the help of Saint Maria Domenca Mazzarello, John Bosco founded a society for women, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, known as the Salesian Sister, dedicated to the care and education of poor girls. John In 1876, Bosco also started with the help of many lay people and founded a movement of lay persons, the Association of Salesian Cooperators, with the same educational mission to the poor.
His Death
At the age of 72, John died on January 31, 1888 in Turin, Italy. Following his beatification in 1929, he was canonized as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Pius XI in 1934. Since then, his society has been known as the Salesians of Don Bosco. By the time John died his Salesians, men and women, numbered 1,400 and were in 9 countries of Europe and South America. Today, they labor for poor and abandoned young people on all 6 continents, in about 130 countries, and number about 28,000. In addition, there are tens of thousands of members of the wider Salesian family: cooperators, alumni, a secular institute, and several small religious congregations. On the centenary of St. John Bosco’s death, January 31, 1988, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him as “the Father and Teacher of the Youth.”
Born: August 16, 1815 in Becchi, Piedmont, Italy
Died: January 31, 1888 in Turin, Italy
Beatified: June 2, 1929 by Pope Pius XI
Canonized: April 1, 1934 by Pope Pius XI
Feast Day: January 31
Patron Saint: Apprentices, Catholic Publishers & Editors, Young People
Reflection
St. John Bosco dedicated his life to the education and care of poor youth. Aid us in reaching out to those who need our assistance right now, not tomorrow, and right here, not somewhere else. Through your intercession may we carry out a fraction of the good that you achieved in your life.
What can you do today to aid and educate those in need of assistance?
Prayers
Saint John Bosco,
You who devoted your life to the care and education of youth and who sought to lead them to Christ through love and kindness, we seek your intercession in our lives.
Help us to nurture the children and youth in our lives and to inspire them with your example of patience, wisdom, and love.
Grant us, through your prayers, the grace to be good role models, and to lead others to Christ by our words and actions.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Saint Links
Aleteia – How St. John Bosco’s life was saved by a mysterious dog
All Saints & Martyrs – Saint John Bosco – Priest, Confessor, Founder, “Father and Teacher of Youth”
Anastpaul – St John Bosco “Don Bosco” SDB (1815-1888)
Angelus News – St. John Bosco
Catholic Culture – St. John Bosco
Catholic Exchange – St. John Bosco
Catholic Fire – Saint John Bosco: Hero of Youth
Catholic Ireland – Jan 31 – St John Bosco (1815-1888)
Catholic News Agency – St. John Bosco Feast Day: Jan 31
CatholicSaints.Info – Saint John Bosco
Franciscan Media – Saint John Bosco
Good Catholic – Keep the Devil Away – St. John Bosco Tells You How
Independent Catholic News – St John Bosco
Loyola Press – Saint John Bosco Feast day January 31
My Catholic Life – Saint John Bosco, Priest
Newman Ministry – Saint John Bosco
Rev Alban Butler’s Lives Of The Saints Complete Edition – St John Bosco, Founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco
Salesians – Who are the Salesians?
Saint Mary’s Press – Saint John Bosco (1815-1888)
Saint of the Day – January 31 St. John Bosco
Saint Resources – St John Bosco
uCatholic – Saint John Bosco