Chapter I. Who was Severino? What led to these tales?


Chapter I. Who was Severino? What led to these tales?

  1. SEVERINO, OR THE ADVENTURES OF AN ALPINE LAD, AS TOLD BY HIMSELF AND PRESENTED BY FATHER JOHN BOSCO

TURIN

ORATORY OF ST FRANCIS DE SALES PRESS

PUBLISHER’S PROPERTY

Don Bosco – Severino, or the Adventures of an Alpine Lad

Table of Contents

Chapter I. Who was Severino? What led to these tales?



Chapter 2. Severino speaks of his father’s hard work on behalf of the family.



Chapter 3. Severino speaks about his mother’s apathy.



Chapter 4. Severino tells of a terrible disaster in the family.



Chapter 5. Severino speaks of his father’s hard work.



Chapter 6. Severino tells us about his father’s death.



Chapter 7. Severino speaks of games at the Oratory.



Chapter 8. Severino talks about a few pleasant episodes.



Chapter 9. Severino speaks about his studies.



Chapter 10. Severino speaks of his plunge into Protestantism.



Chapter 11. Severino speaks of leaving Turin and the death of Bl. Pavonio



Chapter 12. Severino speaks of his studies on the origins of the Waldensians.



Chapter 13. Severino speaks of the Luserna Valley and the true origins of the Waldensians.



Chapter 14. Severino talks about how the Waldensians spread and how they joined the Protestants.



Chapter 15. Severino speaks of changes to Waldensian teaching.



Chapter 16. Severino speaks of some curious episodes in Waldensian teaching.



Chapter 17. Severino tells of his departure for Geneva and his arrival on the Gran S. Bernardo.



Chapter 18. Severino speaks of some incidents on the Gran S. Bernardo.



Chapter 19. Severino speaks about Geneva and Calvin.



Chapter 20. Severino speaks about events affecting Catholicism in Geneva.



Chapter 21. Severino speaks of his stay in Geneva.



Chapter 22. Severino speaks of his friend’s death and going to the Capuchin church.



Chapter 23. Severino speaks of his trip to Turin and his new life in the family.



Chapter 24. Severino tells the story of a lively discussion between a priest and a Waldensian minister.



Chapter 25. Severino tells of how he moved elsewhere, and of his unexpected recovery.



Chapter 26. Severino’s final years: his mother’s death.



Conclusion.



Appendix: Severino’s death.





Severino was born in a village which lay at the foot of the Alps. After a series of strange adventures he returned to his birthplace stricken by an illness that had brought him to the brink of the grave. Many of his relatives and friends hurried to visit him and took delight in hearing the stories of what he had been involved in or had seen. One day they asked him to give them an orderly account of his life. “We will gladly come and listen,” they added “and we’ll bring other friends of ours along as well. They will enjoy listening as much as we do.”

Although Severino was prostrate from his illness, he still very much enjoyed visits from good people; he liked listening to pleasant tales and even liked telling them himself. “Since you enjoy listening to me” he answered, “I will gladly tell you about some of the strange things that have happened to me, and I do so willingly because it provides good reason for you to visit me. For my part it gives me a chance to make some reparation for the scandal I have given, but even more so because my misfortunes might be a warning to others to avoid the pitfalls that lead so many naive young people to ruin. Of course I should say that for obvious reasons I will not be naming places and people who might otherwise be subjected to inappropriate questioning. If you see me occasionally overcome by emotion or even weeping over my past misadventures please be a little patient with me. I am but human, and I keenly feel anything that either honours or demeans our poor humanity; but you can be sure that amidst everything I say I will not utter a single syllable not based on fact.

Once word got around that Severino was going to recount his adventures, a considerable number of listeners turned up amongst whom many young men of the district, since they all knew that Severino had studied and read much and had been involved in many interesting things during his extensive travels.

When Severino saw that his room was full of people he motioned for them to be seated and then began telling the story of his life in the following order.

1 Chapter 2. Severino speaks of his father’s hard work on behalf of the family.

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2 Chapter 3. Severino speaks about his mother’s apathy.

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3 Chapter 4. Severino tells of a terrible disaster in the family.

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4 Chapter 5. Severino speaks of his father’s hard work.

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5 Chapter 6. Severino tells us about his father’s death.

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6 Chapter 7. Severino speaks of games at the Oratory.

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7 Chapter 8. Severino talks about a few pleasant episodes.

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8 Chapter 9. Severino speaks about his studies.

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9 Chapter 10. Severino speaks of his plunge into Protestantism.

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10 Chapter 11. Severino speaks of leaving Turin and the death of Bl. Pavonio

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11 Chapter 12. Severino speaks of his studies on the origins of the Waldensians.

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12 Chapter 13. Severino speaks of the Luserna Valley and the true origins of the Waldensians.

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13 Chapter 14. Severino talks about how the Waldensians spread and how they joined the Protestants.

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14 Chapter 15. Severino speaks of changes to Waldensian teaching.

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15 Chapter 16. Severino speaks of some curious episodes in Waldensian teaching.

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16 Chapter 17. Severino tells of his departure for Geneva and his arrival on the Gran S. Bernardo.

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17 Chapter 18. Severino speaks of some incidents on the Gran S. Bernardo.

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18 Chapter 19. Severino speaks about Geneva and Calvin.

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19 Chapter 20. Severino speaks about events affecting Catholicism in Geneva.

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20 Chapter 21. Severino speaks of his stay in Geneva.

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21 Chapter 22. Severino speaks of his friend’s death and going to the Capuchin church.

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22 Chapter 23. Severino speaks of his trip to Turin and his new life in the family.

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23 Chapter 24. Severino tells the story of a lively discussion between a priest and a Waldensian minister.

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24 Chapter 25. Severino tells of how he moved elsewhere, and of his unexpected recovery.

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25 Chapter 26. Severino’s final years: his mother’s death.

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26 Conclusion.

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27 Appendix: Severino’s death.

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