“There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips.”

St. John Bosco, otherwise known as Don Bosco, or St. Giovanni Melchior Bosco in Italian, was a very inspirational man. His life was accompanied by many miracles, marvels, and spiritual graces. While those graces are definite attention getters, what truly makes him special are the many ways in which he imitated Christ in his mission of caring for boys who were otherwise condemned. He possessed an admirable spiritual integrity, which is found so often in the saints of the Catholic Church.

St. John Bosco was born into a relatively poor family near Catelnuovo, Piedmont, Italy, on August 16, 1815.

John frequently experienced mystical dreams throughout his life, even in his early childhood. One of the more significant dreams occurred when John was just nine years old. He dreamed that he was in a field with rowdy children, and then he jumped in trying to get them to behave by fighting and shouting. Suddenly a man that had a face filled with light appeared wearing a flowing white covering. This man made John the leader of the boys, which stunned him. The man said, “You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows but with gentleness and kindness.” This seemed quite impossible to John, as he was just a young boy himself. The man assured John that once he changed and grew in humility, faithfulness, and strength, he would see a change in these children. He also learned that this would be the field of his life’s work.

John obviously had no idea what most of this meant, and those that he told just laughed at him. John was laughed at often during his life, and even thought to be insane by some. At one point in his life, John was nearly committed to an institution.

Eventually, this first mystical dream led him to become a priest and minister to poor and neglected boys. He learned to do tricks and juggle so that he could catch their attention. He would then take them to Mass and introduce them further into the faith. He ultimately gained renown for his work as a confessor, showing tremendous insight into people’s souls.

St. John Bosco dedicated his life to the service of abandoned youth. He worked to change the way these young people were treated, and continues to this day to inspire others to finish the work that he began.

St. John Bosco died on January 31, 1888, the day on which we celebrate his memorial, at the age of 72. He was declared venerable by Pope Piux X in 1907, beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929, and canonized by Pius XI in 1934.

St. John Bosco is the patron of boys, students, young people, and laborers. He is certainly worthy of veneration by others as well. Fathers especially should find wisdom in the words of St. John Bosco. The following are excerpts from a letter that he wrote. This man, though he had no children of his own, is a wonderful source of inspiration in dealing with youth.

“It is easier to become angry than to restrain oneself, and to threaten a boy than to persuade him. Yes, indeed, it is more fitting to be persistent in punishing our own impatience and pride than to correct the boys. We must be firm but kind, and be patient with them.”

“This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized, and still others to hope for God’s mercy. And so he bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.”

“There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips. We must use mercy for the present and have hope for the future, as is fitting for true fathers who are eager for real correction and improvement.”

A simple prayer for the intercession of St. John Bosco follows:

Saint John Bosco, you reached out to children whom no one cared for despite ridicule and insults. Help us to care less about the laughter of the world and care more about the joy of the Lord. Amen

For additional information about St. John Bosco, check out the following resources:

Salesiani di Don Bosco
BoscoNet