John Bosco

1815-1888

• Born in Italy to poor peasant farmers.
• When he was 2, his father died. His mother, now single, brought him up herself using industry and the faith to carry her and him through.
• He began working as a shepherd when he was only 5 years old. When he was 9, he had a dream that called him to his priestly vocation.
• He went from fist-fighting with other boys to being a silent accomplice to their sins, trying in vain to help them not live a life of sin, denying them the excuse that their poverty gave them the right to misbehave.
• As he got older, he learned from our Lady that gentleness, education, and firm direction was what these boys needed, so his primary focus became to help poor young boys.
• He began studying for the priesthood when he was 16, borrowing clothes and shoes to be able to attend the seminary, walking  four miles a day to and from the seminary, receiving ordination when he was 26 years old. When he was ordained, his mother told him that she had consecrated him to Mary when he was young, and said that she would prefer to see him die as a peasant than be a “negligent priest,” saying that his clerical garb meant he had to work even harder at virtue, that which he took very seriously.
• He wanted to be an out-of-country missionary, but his first spiritual guide told him not to give up on the poor young boys he was already helping. But, his first assignment was to help an older woman with poor girls; he continued to help boys on Sundays by giving them both instruction and recreation time. The older woman wanted him to quit taking care of the boys; he resigned from helping her with the girls, still firm in his belief that poor young boys and men were his special and particular mission.
• He fell seriously ill when he moved to his new location but was able to hire his own mom to be his housekeeper at this time. When he became well again, she helped him open their house for poor young boys and men, whom they taught trades and the faith. Many destitute and neglected boys were sent their way.
• Young people in particular were attracted to his preaching, teaching style, and service to the poor. New priests and religious women wanted to help him in his mission to help neglected boys, so Latin, grammar, technical and trade courses were added to his school, all done from his home.  Some, however, lacked the patience and couldn’t master John’s method of teaching, so they had to leave.
• It wasn’t until John created a foundation with guidelines from his favorite saint, St. Francis de Sales, that the interested priests and religious women were given some direction on how teachers should be.
• Soon, he was able to help with the creation of new houses for girls with the same goals and mission as he had for the boys. The name of the groups he started—Salesians.
• He also was able to build new churches in several areas to serve these poorer areas.
• When he was 73, never having taking rest for himself, he died from being worn out.
• see “Authentic Masculinity, Lived” for references