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ACTS 300 April-June 1981
LETTER OF THE RECTOR MAJOR
Father Egidio VIGANÒ'
THE SALESIAN ACCORDING TO DON BOSCO'S DREAM OF THE TEN DIAMONDS
1.1 «THE SALESIAN ACCORDING TO DON BOSCO'S DREAM OF THE TEN DIAMONDS» .
Introduction . The model of the true Salesian. . Importance given to the dream by Don Bosco. Importance
of the dream in our Salesian traditions - Don Rinaldi the most enlightened interpreter. Our specific
spirituality: The august personage; The august personage: front and back - The visible Image of the
Salesian: Visible characteristics; Basic elements; Christ the fountainhead - The supporting spiritual
framework: Obedience is central; Practical poverty; Demands of chastity; The guerdon of heaven -
Distinctive Salesian spirituality. Destruction of Salesian Identity: The Salesian Image debased; Collapse of
the supporting spiritual structure - Appeal for formation and vocations for the future.
Rome, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 1981
Dear Confreres,
My first duty is to invite you to share the joy and hope of our confreres in Spain as they begin on 16
February the celebration of the centenary of Don Bosco's charisma in Spain. Together with the 4th
missionary expedition in late January of 1881, Father John Branda left Turin with four other confreres and a
layman and traveled to Andalusia to set up the Salesian foundation at Utrera. With them went Father John
Cagliero to help them with his five years of founding expertise in South America.
Today Spain has over 3,200 Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and also many
missionaries, thousands of Co-operators, innumerable past pupils, an active group of Don Bosco
Volunteers, and friends throughout the length and breadth of the Peninsula. The pioneers possessed the
secret of expansion and the courage to face the future; they had been trained at Valdocco and their model
was our. great-hearted. Founder himself.
We congratulate the confreres of Spain for their generous and inspired sharing of this "experience of the
Holy Spirit" that had its beginnings so humbly in that tiny southern Spanish town. We wish to imitate the
spiritual zeal they are displaying this year and explore the secret of the true Salesian model the early
pioneers projected so magnificently.
On this same line of thought, there is another significant centenary in September next: Don Bosco's
important dream of the future of his Society. He saw an "august personage" wearing a mantle "richly
adorned" with ten large and brilliant diamonds. The dream took place at San Benigno Canavese on the night
of 10 September 1881.
The model of the true Salesian
The dream has three parts. In Scene I the august personage portrays the ideal Salesian. The front of his
mantle is adorned with five diamonds, three on the breast representing Faith, Hope and Charity, and two at
shoulder level for Work and Temperance. On the back of the garment are another five diamonds: they stand
for Obedience, Poverty, Reward, Chastity and Fasting.
Don Rinaldi calls this august personage of the ten diamonds "the model of the true Salesian".1
In Scene II the august personage depicts the model completely debased. The mantle "is faded, moth-
eaten and torn. Where the diamonds, had been, the cloth was in tatters and eaten away by grubs". This
1 ASC 55, p. 930.

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depressing scene portrays "the ruin, the antithesis of the true Salesian".2
In Scene III there is a handsome young man of imposing and charming mien, dressed in white garments
delicately worked in gold and silver thread. His message to the Salesians is to "listen, take heed and be
strong and courageous; to bear witness in their words and lives, to be prudent in accepting and training the
new generation, and to see to the healthy growth of the Congregation".
The three scenes of the dream are realistic and challenging. They present a deft, personalized and
dramatic exposition of Salesian spirituality. Don Bosco considered them an important frame of reference
for our Salesian vocation. The careful choice and presentation of the special characteristics must be seen as
an authoritative identikit of a true Salesian, and Don Bosco tells us that as long as we cherish these
characteristics the future of our vocation in the Church is assured; however, if we neglect them the
Congregation will face total extinction.
In his description of the dream Don Bosco remarked on two events: first, that 10 September was the
Feast of the Holy Name of Mary,3 and secondly, that the Salesians at San Benigno were making their
Retreat and he seemed to be walking up and down with the Rectors. These are two matters worth reflecting
on: they link the dream with Marian devotion, and suggest that the dream is particularly suitable for days
of reflection and meditation (such as Retreats), and of special importance for those responsible for
animation (such as Superiors).
It is a dream offered to every Salesian because he is a Salesian. There is no direct reference to the young
(though obviously it is totally oriented to their good). Don Bosco is speaking to us in our own Salesian
house; or whilst we are making our Retreat; or in our character as animators and educators.
It is a topic that affects us intimately; it calls for a "revision of life".
Importance given to the dream by Don Bosco
The dream made such an impression on the Saint that he not only expounded it by word of
mouth but also set it down in writing.4 In the archives we have his own hand-written text that Don Ceria
had been unable to find for inclusion in Volume XV of the Memorie Biografiche. Now, thanks to the patient
and painstaking labors of a Salesian Sister, we have at our disposal even a critical edition of the dream.5
The text was written some weeks after the 11 September and reflects Don Bosco's concern that the
dream be understood and applied to our living traditions. The rough copy of the manuscript has many
corrections and shows Don Bosco's painstaking care in editing for publication;6 also his concern to recall
accurately the details of the dream - a profound effort to record faithfully what he humbly believed to be an
admonition from on high. Don Bosco prefaces his dream with words that imbue it with mystery, solemnity
2 ASC 55, p. 923.
3 The Feast of the 'Holy Name of Mary was instituted by Innocent XI to commemorate the Christian victory over the Turks at
Vienna on 13 September 1683. It was kept on the first Sunday after the Nativity of Mary. In 1881, the year of Don Bosco's
dream. this was 10 September. At the be. ginning of the 20th century Pope St Pius X changed the date of the feast to 12
September to free the Sunday for liturgical reasons.
4 MB xv 182.
5 Sister Cecilia Romero: I sogni di Don Bosco - edizione critica; LDC 1978. The authress groups this dream with a number of
others Don Bosco had towards the close of his life (187087). Sister Romero remarks on p. 10 that the current events of his history
"had a considerable bearing on the content of the dreams; for this was the period following the abolition of the temporal power of
the Popes and characterized by profound social, political and religious changes. One of the serious problems that resulted was
that of religious and priestly vocations. "Also, this was a time of soul-searching for Don Bosco In regard to his educational work
and his Congregation. It was In need of consolidation to meet the present and future needs of the Church and society, and so It
required a solid Increase all the more so because of the great missionary expansion taking place at. that time. "This soul-
searching is very obvious in a lumber of his writings In this second half of' the 19th century - for instance, the Memoirs of the
Oratory (1873.75) and the pamphlet on the Preventive System (1877). "Seen In this light the dreams assume a marked
importance both in view of their content and their common characteristics; they can be analyzed under various aspects:
psychological, pedagogical, theological, historical, and so forth."
6 P. Stella: Don Bosco nella storia della religiosità cattolica: Vol. II, p. 527.

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and prophecy: "May the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten us all. Amen".
From these pages, filled with Don Bosco's minute and painstaking corrections, Don Berto made a fair
copy and gave it to the Saint to check. Don Bosco added yet another addendum which read: " This dream
lasted almost the whole night, and in the morning I was exhausted. Still, for fear of forgetting it, I rose
quickly and made a few notes that have helped me recall what I have written here on the Feast of the
Presentation, of Mary in the Temple" (21 November).
Don Bosco's concern is noteworthy: he immediately made notes; later he applied himself personally to
writing the details. He plainly saw it as something important, and it is not out of place to add his own
words: "I was not able to remember everything".
And note again Don Bosco's repeated reference to a Feast of our Heavenly Mother. Because of our
Founder's special effort to keep alive the memory of this dream, Father Ceria, in the Memorie Biografiche,
ranks it as one of the most important of his many dreams.7
Importance of the dream in our Salesian traditions
At San Benigno Canavese today one can still see the room and bed where Don Bosco had the dream:
such is the desire to keep it ever in mind; and it is no overstatement to say that almost straight away
Salesians used the dream for meditation, spiritual formation and revision of life. The oldest extant printed
edition has the title in Latin: Futura Salesianorum Societatem respicientia, and it was used for innumerable
conferences, sermons and spiritual retreats.
Don Albera refers to it as a well-known theme in his famous letter of 1920; and it is significant that he
is developing the concept of Don Bosco our model.8
Don Rinaldi spoke frequently of it and referred to it several times in various Acts of the Superior
Council (in those days called the "Superior Chapter").9 He also published the dream twice: in 1924 and
1930.10 The first edition contained the complete text referred to above; the second edition had the Latin
expressions translated and certain dates omitted that did not affect the content in any way. Each confrere
was presented with a copy.
Don Rinaldi considered that the rays of the ten diamonds had their best authentic and practical
explanation in the writings of St Francis of Sales, particularly his Theotimus and Spiritual Treatises11 that
were daily fare for Salesian formation. Furthermore, in two of his more significant circular letters he has
linked the teachings of the dream to the most authoritative sources of our Salesian spirituality: the
Constitutions, the Regulations, and our authentic Traditions. It was the golden jubilee of the Constitutions,
and there had been a recent revision of the Regulations (both basic and authoritative texts and at the very
heart of the Congregation);12 and Don Rinaldi also spoke of the traditions as giving to our Society and
mission a color and character without which we might still be religious and educators according to the mere
letter of our Rule, but we would no longer be Salesians of Don Bosco.13
In fact the dream was a constantly recurring theme in Don Rinaldi's conferences and homilies,
especially in his latter years. He saw it as essentially linked to the Holy Rule and the Salesian traditions; it
was a frame of reference for delineating the Salesian identity.
Don Ziggiotti too in his Motto for 1964 drew the attention of Salesians to the dream. He presented it as an
authoritative means for life-revision, conversion and the development of our charisma. "The dream of the
ten diamonds", he wrote, "invites us to practice the virtues most vital for us".
7 MB XV 182.
8 Lettere circolari di D. Paolo Albera ai salesiani, ed. 1965, p.370.
9 ASC 23, p. 197; 55, p. 923; 56, p. 933; 57, p. 965.
10 ASC 23, pp. 200-3; ASC 55, pp. 925-30.
11 ASC 23 p.175.
12 ASC 23, pp, 174 et seq.
13 ASC 56, p. 933.

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It has been rightly maintained that this is one of the best-known dreams in our Salesian tradition, and
among the most popular for meditation and reflection.14
At this point, specialists in certain fields of study might justly remark that "a minute examination
should be made of the documentary tradition of the dreams of Don Bosco before subjecting them to
psychological, theological and pedagogical analysis". This is hardly the place for a scientific assessment of
the textual criticism or the specific nature of Don Bosco's dreams. We are interested in something more
important and sublime: our living and authoritative spirituality. After all, life must be lived before it can be
studied; and the elements that go to nourish and stimulate life must find expression by means of an
authoritative and timely charisma. (If these elements had to wait to be detailed and programmed by
scholars, it would be too late!) Don Bosco and his successors, especially Don Rinaldi, made use of this
charisma with confident assurance; so did their co-workers in Salesian formation, In other words, our
spirituality came to us by means of a living transmission.
The following words of Don Rinaldi are thought provoking in this regard: he tells us the model
presented by the dream "should be studied and elucidated in daily meditation; every opportunity should be
used to speak of it; it should enlighten every angle of our perspective. Provincials and Rectors are asked to
base their conferences on it; and retreat preachers should use the material in their instructions and impress
the confreres with the beauty of our Salesian spirituality"15
Don Rinaldi the most enlightened interpreter
Without a doubt Don Rinaldi would have pondered this dream more than anyone else; and time and
time again he spoke of it to the whole Congregation. He was actually at the house of San Benigno when
Don Bosco had the dream and related it to the confreres; and hence he was impressed by it in a particularly
vivid manner.
As Don Bosco's third successor he wrote often to the confreres regarding its contents, as we have
already indicated. There are still many Salesians who actually heard him dilate on the topic for example, in
the final sermon to the young confreres in formation at Foglizzo in the early summer of 1931 when the
souvenir cards were given out.
(Notes of this sermon are extant in the archives.)
A perusal of Don Rinaldi's writings reveals a profound study and a progressive elucidation of the dream,
and we see in his last two pronouncements an interpretation that is original, excellently devised, penetrating
and detailed; the perfected fruit of long meditation and assiduous exploration. He has described with
exactness the real significance of the august personage and interpreted the particular disposition of the
diamonds. These latter, mounted on the front and back of the garment, each suitably positioned and
luminous, present our Salesian spirituality both forcefully and methodically. Don Rinaldi comments that the
disposition of the diamonds is important: set in any other way they would not show forth the splendor of
our lifestyle.16
Many times did Don Rinaldi affirm that the dream portrayed "the model of the true Salesian"17 as Don
Bosco envisaged him and "handed down to us to be not just a memory but the reality of our life".18
In summation, according to Don Rinaldi, the august personage clad in the mantle and the particular
disposition of the diamonds are important, as they combine to give a true picture of our distinctive spiritual
character. This is interesting and has the backing of scholarly researchers as they study the special qualities
of the various vocations.
Don Rinaldi is one of the most faithful witnesses of our Salesian spirituality and his reflections on the
14 Romero: I sogni di Don Bosco; v. note on page 6.
15 ASC 56, p. 934.
16ASC 56. p. 934.
17 ASC 57, p. 965.
18 ASC 56. pp. 933-4.

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dream belong mainly to the last years of his life as Rector Major. I am convinced that his interpretation was
the integrated and seasoned fusion of ideas achieved by one who was utterly conscious of his Salesian
vocation and totally at one with it; who had meditated and prayed; and had perhaps been blessed by some
special enlightenment from on high.
The thoughts I now offer you are inspired by Don Rinaldi's exact and penetrating understanding of the
dream; and I have endeavored to develop certain particular aspects. My hope is that they will help all to be
ever more loyal to our vocation in the Church and that we shall all gain an ever greater insight into its
distinctive character.
Our specific spirituality
Scene I of the dream presents us with the model of the Salesian not by means of the diamonds alone but
rather by the vision taken as a whole.
The august personage
The protagonist is a "man of majestic mien" and represents the ideal of our Salesian spirituality. He
should be a reflection of every Salesian present and future.19 Today, a hundred years later, we can assuredly
state that Don Bosco himself "was throughout his life the living incarnation of that symbolic personage".
Indeed we can go even further and use Don Rinaldi's imaginative words: "All the diamonds had their own
special ray, but all the rays make up but one sole ray of light - Don Bosco".20
Naturally Don Bosco did not explain the dream in this way: the thought would not even have occurred
to him. But the acute and practical interpretation of Don Rinaldi rings true.
Indeed the new Constitutions speak of Don Bosco as the model whom "the Salesian studies and imitates
very closely; he is the father given us by God and by the Church"21
The august personage: front and back
The dream portrays the august personage from both front and back. To remark that these positions are
complementary may seem a platitude; but there is more in it than meets the eye. It was one of Don Rinaldi's
suggestive and meaningful observations that had not occurred to others. He mentioned it in many of his
talks (for instance, in the already cited sermon of the Retreat souvenirs at Foglizzo in 1931), and we find it
briefly but clearly in his April circular letter of that same year: the Salesian life is symbolized "in its
activity", by the diamonds in front, and "in its interior life" by the diamonds at the back.22
We could speak of the front and back of the Salesian coin: the social work of the Salesian, the Da mihi
animas (the obverse), and the secret constancy and asceticism, the spiritual supporting structure, the caetera
tolle (the reverse).
The visible image of the Salesian
The five shining diamonds in front (Faith, Hope, Charity, Work and Temperance) show the Salesian in
his public witness of self-donation to the young. From this frontal view he is not classified as a religious but
rather as a Christian overflowing with enthusiasm for the mystery of Christ and full of kindness and charity.
He is dynamic and balanced, hard-working and temperate, imbued with creativity and common sense. Work
and Temperance support the whole mantle. Don Rinaldi writes, "Here we see the Salesian life: considered
in its activity it is work and temperance enlivened by profound charity in the ever-growing light of faith and
19 ASC 55. p. 923.
20 ASC 55. p. 923.
21 Const. 49.
22 ASC 56, p. 934.

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hope".23
I do not envisage at this point a Salesian meditation on these first five diamonds; but I think it well to
make a few general remarks that may serve as food for reflection by all.
Visible characteristics
It should be pointed out that the diamonds must not be interpreted simplistically as a mere list of generic
virtues to be considered one by one as in a theological treatise. Nor are we interested in the fact that they
are all found in the classical list of virtues. For us they are seen as practical attitudes and in particular
(referring to the front part of the mantle) as external and clearly perceptible. The diamonds add up to a
portrait of the Salesian that shows forth his Salesian traits, that limns the features that characterize the
disciple of Christ as Don Bosco wanted him to appear in a society that unfortunately no longer seemed to
appreciate the classic forms of the religious life.
Recently in my letter to you on the Salesian Brother I wrote that our Congregation was founded with an
unusual "secular slant".24 I was struck by Don Rinaldi's insistence on "certain modern principles (sic) on
which Don Bosco was inspired to base his while Institute, and which are our most precious heritage".25
The best way to illustrate these "principles" is to quote the memorable words of Pius IX to Don Bosco
at the audience granted to him in his bedroom on 21 January 1877: "I am certain that your Congregation has
been raised up by Divine Providence to show forth the power of God. I am certain that God had willed to
keep hidden an important secret till our times, a secret unknown to so many centuries and so many other
Congregations of the past. Your Congregation is new in the Church; it has a new nature; it has arisen in
these times and is both religious and secular; it has the vow of poverty and allows ownership; it belongs to
the cloister and also to the world; its members are both religious and secular, cloistered and free citizens. It
was instituted to show how religious can render to God what is God's and to Caesar what is Caesar's".26
Thus the characteristics of a Salesian shown by the first five diamonds are not primarily a description
of the Salesian as a religious, even though, as we shall demonstrate, we definitely are true and solid
religious.
The first and principal aspect of the august personage is that of a loyal hardworking citizen spurred on
by the profound mystery of Christ. The fact that he is also a 100% religious should create no problem
whatsoever. The Salesian is normal and at his ease in a secularized society. He is an active and responsible
citizen yet totally Christian because. of his vigorously committed interior life.
The same holds for the larger circle of the Salesian Family, in which numerous groups of nonreligious"
commit themselves' to work according to the Salesian spirit. The form of their work is not identical but
varies with the actual situation of each one and the real need of youth in a particular case and at a given
moment."27
Basic elements
The mantle of the august personage hangs from the shoulders and seems to be held in position by the
two large diamonds of Work and Temperance, so often referred to as Don Bosco's escutcheon.28
In the dream of the angry bull (1876) we have the conditions for the future of our vocation: "You must
etch these words into your minds as your special armorial bearings, as your password, your distinctive
badge. Take good notice of them Work and Temperance will prosper the Salesian Congregation. Explain
these words well; repeat them and insist on them. Have the explanation printed and see that all understand
23 ASC 56, p. 934.
24 ASC 298. p. 32.
25 ASC 23. p. 184.
26 Quoted by Don Rinaldi ASC 23. p. 184; v. MB XIII 82-83.
27 SGC 729.
28 Const. 42. 43, 87.

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that work and temperance are your heritage to the Congregation, and its glory".29
The diamond of Work is on the right shoulder as if to indicate the primacy for Salesians of that "ecstasy
in work" spoken of in St Francis de Sales' Theotimus,30 and that is animated utterly by the urge of Faith,
Hope, and especially Charity. This kind of activity must not reduce the Salesian to a frenzied fusspot but
make him a genuine worker in the cause of salvation in his ceaseless and updated educational efforts for
man's betterment.
The diamond of Temperance, on the left shoulder, must not be confused with the diamond of Fasting;
and to emphasize the difference in these two virtues, so seemingly alike, one is positioned on the front of
the mantle and the other on the back. As we shall see, the diamond of Fasting stands for mortification of the
senses; whereas Temperance indicates a general Spartan like self-control achieved through a cogent work-
plan, self-sacrifice, moderation and balance that are the fruit of self denial. Our temperance will be linked
with a general mien that is congenial and in keeping with the ordinary working folk, full of common sense
and tinged with a healthy shrewdness. To quote Don Rinaldi: "The Salesian must practice self control: he
does not go about with his eyes closed; he opens them but goes no further; if something is wrong, he stops.
He will control himself also in his games; he will be restrained with the bothersome boy; he will be able to
hold his peace, hide his feelings, speak at the right time, and exercise a measure of shrewdness".
Christ the fountainhead
The three magnificent diamonds on the breast of the mantle symbolize the sparkling fountainhead of the
whole personality of the Salesian: his constant openness to the mystery of God as he follows in the steps of
Christ. This is the fundamental secret of Don Bosco's special vocation and hence of Salesian spirituality in
its totality.
In my letter on the Preventive System31 I wrote that the Salesian spirit derives from the enthusiastic and
total bond with Christ; and under Mary's guiding hand it brings to today's world the mystery of Christ
"blessing the, young and doing good to all", as Vatican II affirms.32
It is not possible to develop fully in this letter the Salesian contents of the diamonds of Faith, Hope and
Charity. Still, it should be noted that the diamond of Faith stands for a totally supernatural vision of the
world in which we are immersed, and it is a vision full of optimism: "This is the victory over the world, our
faith".33 It provides our activities with clear pastoral motivations; it permeates and sustains that healthy
humanism that characterizes the Salesian apostolate.34
The diamond of Hope assures us that as we live our daily lives in creative and practical dedication to
the young our help from on high is certain (after all, we honor Mary as our help).35
The diamond of Charity calls for special attention. It is positioned over the heart of the august
personage; and Scene I of the dream closes with Father Costamagna telling Father Fagnano, "Charity
understands all things, sustains- all things, conquers all things; let us preach it 'in word and deed" .
For Don Bosco charity means a constant attitude of sincere love for persons, treating each individual as
God himself or his image; it means being one with Christ and living in him our sonship to the Father in an
uninterrupted spirit of prayer; uniting ourselves with him in total dedication to our neighbor - our boys. It is
here that we discover the heart of Don Bosco in its overflowing kindness, endowed with his singular
predilection for the young.
This charity, says Don Albera, "does not consist in a kind of natural attraction towards the young: it is a
29 MB XII 466-7.
30 Treatise on the Love of God, Bk. VII. ch. 7.
31 ASC 290.
32 Lumen Gentium 46.
33 1 John V 4.
34 Const. 47.
35 Const. 43.

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true love of predilection. This predilection is initially a gift from God, it is the actual Salesian vocation; but
it is up to us to put our intelligence and our heart into developing and perfecting it".36 In short, we are
speaking of that pastoral charity that is at the very centre of the Salesian spirit37 and the perennial source of
an extraordinary kindliness that characterizes our whole pedagogy and permeates it with an aura of joy and
spontaneous happiness.
Thus it is that the diamonds on the front of the mantle present the basic Salesian image.
The supporting spiritual framework
On the reserve side of the mantle the rays of the five diamonds of Obedience, Poverty} Reward}
Chastity and Fasting present the Salesian's strong and hidden spiritual framework. Here lies fulfillment of
the second part of the Salesian motto, Caetera tolle; here lies too our special style of consecrated life.
Again it goes without saying that the five diamonds are not just a list of virtues but rather the principal
paths of an ascetical sequela Christi.
Following Don Rinaldi's line of thought, it is important to indicate that these principal ways are
positioned on the back of the mantle and characterize the Salesian's interior life. They are not directly
obvious in the basic exterior image of the Salesian, but rather they are a hidden and absolutely necessary
supporting structure.
Don Bosco was very concerned that his Salesians should not present a public image as monks or friars,
and in this he had the backing of Pius IX. There are many witnesses and facts that make it clear he did not
want his Salesians to have the external appearance (in habit, customs and style) of the traditional religious.
They were not to catch the public eye and invite antagonism in the new secularist society - although he
wished them to be 100 % "priests" and "faithful", no matter what kind of society they lived in.
However, for Don Bosco, the more hidden the more profound must be the Salesian's conscious
determination to strive after a genuine asceticism in his following of Christ. He considered it absolutely
necessary that the backing strength, the power from within, should be provided by the inexhaustible drive
that derived from strongholds hidden and well defended (hence the square of diamonds on the back of the
mantle). John Cagliero understood this well when he said, "Friar or no friar, I'm staying with Don Bosco".
The front of the mantle depicts the Salesian's public image in society and among his boys; the secret of
his spiritual energy, his constancy, and his solid hard work is to be found in his profound awareness that he
is a consecrated person and hence must walk in the steps of asceticism.
Again, rather than a detailed analysis of the five diamonds, here are a few general thoughts.
Obedience is central
The first thing that strikes one about the diamonds at the back of the mantle is the central position given
to the diamond of obedience. Don Rinaldi comments, "The spirituality of a Salesian is guided by
obedience".38
In the Constitutions Don Bosco always put obedience as the first of the vows for his Salesians.
Speaking of the spiritual formation of his sons he insisted on obedience as the first religious principle to be
cultivated. "In the Congregation", he said, "obedience is everything";39 "it is the basis and support of every
virtue";40 "it is the very soul of a Religious Congregation".41 In his Introduction to the Holy Rule he quotes
St Jerome, St Bonaventure and St Gregory, and adds that the primacy given to obedience was also
noticeable in a negative sense: one's religious identity and sense of belonging was lost when one placed
one's own will before obedience. "On that day", Don Bosco wrote, "you will begin to be discontented with
your state of life".42
36 Lettere circolari di Don Paolo Albera, ed. 1965.
37 Const. 40, 41.
38 ASC 56, p. 934.
39 MB X 1059.
40 MB XVII 890.
41 MB XII 459.
42 Const. Appendix, p. 237.

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This central position could also suggest a Mari. an thought when we consider Don Bosco's dream of the
ribbon.43 Our Blessed Mother tells Don Bosco to "tie them together with the ribbon of obedience".
One of the main reasons of this priority of obedience in the life of a Salesian is the importance of our
mission44 and our community life.45 Availability is part of the very foundation of a Salesian's religious
profession;46 for Don Bosco a genuine and suitable obedience was a priority even in the young when being
educated.47
Indeed in the writing up of his dream Don Bosco asserts that the "largest and most brilliant diamond
was in the middle of the square formed by the others, and it carried the inscription, Obedience".
It is also significant that the central position of the diamond of Obedience is matched by the centrality
of Charity on the front of the mantle: Salesian obedience must help in giving practical expression to the
"one heart and one soul" of our community life, which in turn is the fruit of that bond of brotherly love that
gives foundation and life to our communion.48
Practical Poverty
On the rays emanating from the diamond of Poverty is written, "Poverty is not lived in words but in love
and deeds". In its place on the torn and tattered mantle in Scene II of the dream the voracious grub carries
the inscription, "Bed, dress, drink and money".
The diamond of Poverty reminds us too that this vow should be considered according to the
characteristics common to all the diamonds on the back of the mantle: it is not immediately visible; it forms
part of our renouncement, our asceticism as consecrated souls, both as individuals and as communities.
To quote Don Bosco: "The dignity of a religious lies in his practice of poverty",49 "which must be
coupled with scrupulous personal cleanliness";50 "we must eschew the abuse of the superfluous... what we
possess is not ours, it belongs to the poor; woe to us if we do not make good use of it" 51 "We must love
poverty and the companions of poverty".52 Hence, no soft living; let us be Spartanlike; we must "have
poverty in our hearts if we wish to practice it".
The diamond of poverty stands for an attitude of the heart and a personal and community way of life by
which, "like the apostles at our Lord's invitation, we free ourselves from the burden of earthly goods, trust
in the providence of the Father, and dedicate ourselves completely to the service of the Gospel".53
The apostolic and more obvious aspect of our poverty appears rather on the front part of the mantle.
Don Bosco remarked that "we must possess the spirit of poverty not only in our hearts and in detachment
from material things, but we must show the world we are poor".54
Our poverty will be evident to all by the kind of people we work for, and especially by our public way
of life and apostolate. The diamonds of Work and Temperance are rightly considered the social expressions
of our poverty;55 for by them we associate ourselves with the poor, and with them we testify to a common
life inspired by the poverty preached by Christ in his sermon on the mount. This witness we give shows the
world the inspiring alternative to materialism. To quote Puebla:
43 MB II 298 et seq.
44 Const. 3.
45 Const. 35, 50.
46 P. Stella: Don Bosco nella storia della religiosità cattolica; Vol. II, pp. 402-7.
47 Ibid. v Vol. II, pp. 227-240.
48 Const. 5.
49 MB XIV 549
50 MB XV 682.
51 MB XV 682.
52 MB X 1046.
53 Const. 81
54 MB V 875.
55 Const. 87.

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"In today's world, Gospel poverty is a challenge to materialism and makes alternative solutions to
consumerism possible ".56 Our life must be the antithesis of capitalistic schemes and social-political
intrigues. We do not seek ideological subjection or class warfare: we go to the Gospel for our inspirations;
we seek continuous nourishment and updating from the mystery of Christ; we live the Gospel in well-
balanced common sense; we are able to dialogue with all. This was how Don Bosco acted in a society in
travail and in search of new structures.
Demands of Chastity
The dream tells us, "This diamond of Chastity had a splendor all its own. It drew and held the attention
as a magnet attracts metal".
Don Bosco spoke often of the splendor of chastity in a Salesian. The Benedictine Rule says that
"chastity must be loved". Don Bosco went further: not only must chastity be loved and practiced, it must be
made to shine splendidly.
We are well aware how our Father insisted on the value of chastity. The Salesian must work amongst
the young and must show to all a heart brimming over with pastoral charity in order to build up friendship.
For him it is not enough to love his boys: he must make himself loved by them. This is not an easy task
(suffice it to recall the dream of the bower of roses).57 It is essential that the Salesian's spiritual formation be
such as to make him a model of chastity beyond reproach, taking wise preventive precautions in defense of
this virtue. Salesian loving-kindness is impossible without purity.
Chastity for us is "the supremely necessary virtue" also in regard to our mission as educators: in a
special way must we be bearers of the message of love in the young people's world so plagued by eroticism
today. Also, as Don Bosco writes in his Introduction to the Holy Rule) "this pearl beyond price is
everywhere beset by the enemy of souls, because he well knows that if he succeeds in snatching it from us
the whole affair of our sanctification may be said to be ruined".58 Hence the need of precaution, prevention
and defense that must form an intelligent part of our Salesian spirituality.
Such precautions are part of the diamond of Fasting.
This diamond is, as already stated, quite distinct from that of Temperance. Its being on the back of the
mantle emphasizes its indispensable place in Salesian spiritual formation; whereas Temperance indicates
one of the qualities of the external image of the Salesian.
For Don Rinaldi the diamond of Fasting stood for the large area of asceticism covering the mortification
of the senses: chastity is inconceivable without mortification. Don Bosco spoke often of "the beautiful
virtue" ,but he always linked it with a spirit of mortification - many daily acts of self denial. He was more
concerned with how to guard chastity than with its beauty (which he was heard to laud so often). This
certainly shows how practical our Founder's pedagogy was.
The guerdon of heaven
The diamond of Reward is quite different from that of Hope, which displays visibly the drive and
activity of the Salesian in building up the Kingdom; his persevering efforts and enthusiastic dedication are
based on the certainty of God's help given through the risen Christ and his Holy Mother.
The diamond of Reward, on the other hand, lays the emphasis on the constant attitude of mind that
imbues every effort of a man of the spirit - "a little bit of Paradise puts everything right".
The Salesian, according to Don Bosco, "should be ready to suffer cold and heat, hunger and thirst,
fatigue and rejection whenever the glory of God and the salvation of souls require it".59 The interior support
for this spiritual urge is the thought of heaven that accompanies a good conscience. "In all we do, our duty,
56 Puebla 1152.
57 MB III 32.
58 Const. Appendix, p. 241.
59 Const. 42.

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hard work, troubles and sufferings, we must never forget that the least thing done for his name's sake is not
forgotten. It is of faith that in his own good time he will give us rich recompense. At the end of our lives,
radiant with love, he will say to us as we stand before his judgment seat, 'Well done, good and faithful
servant; you have been faithful over a little: I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your Master'."60
"In fatigue and suffering, never forget that there is a great reward awaiting us in heaven."61 And when Don
Bosco tells us that a "Salesian worn out with overwork" is a triumph for the whole Congregation, he seems
to imply that the diamond of Reward includes brotherly communion - the community sharing the guerdon
of heaven.
The continual awareness of heaven is one of the pivot-principles that gives thrust to Don Bosco's
distinctive spirituality and pedagogy. It sheds light and deep understanding on the basic instinct of a soul in
vital quest of its own proper goal. This is instanced in the seven" Goodnights" on "Why we must be
convinced that God wills Paradise for us".62
Distinctive Salesian spirituality
The front and back diamonds are complementary and portray the Salesian idiom, or, according to Don
Rinaldi, the "distinctive spirituality of the Salesian life".63 With the help of the dream it is not difficult to
describe this specific spirituality point by point. It consists in the blending of the ten diamonds in the vital
and radiant unity of the august personage wearing the mantle. It is plain the complementary front and back
diamonds are inseparable. The dream portrays a person (or a dedicated community) committed utterly to
the mystery of Christ, convinced of the ultimate triumph of good over evil, given tirelessly to the building
up of the Kingdom, with a heart permeated with that pastoral charity which is love translated into kindness
and firmly engaged in constant and practical asceticism. History has presented us with a living and visible
example of this in that master piece of the Holy Spirit, Saint John Bosco. To quote again Don Rinaldi's
words: "All the diamonds had their own specific rays; however, all these rays make up but one single ray -
Don Bosco".
The distinctive quality of the Salesian spirit is not one single characteristic or virtue: it is a blending of
attitudes, of profound convictions and well-tested methodological experiences, all combining to create a
'unique and peculiar style of holiness and apostolate. For a true understanding of this idiom it is better to
look to the dream than to an abstract definition, to Don Bosco rather than a theoretical tabulation of items.
The practice of this distinctive Salesian idiom makes us (as Don Rinaldi puts it) "living examples
of the august personage";64 but to achieve this ideal requires a community life and a formation totally in
accord with the Constitutions and our genuine Traditions. These latter are our help in vitally and
authentically transmitting that experience of the Holy Spirit created and lived in the early days in
communion with our Father and Founder.
Don Rinaldi calls on us to imitate the august personage of the dream' (not only as individuals but also as
communities) "in every minute detail, so that the Salesian Society may shed its splendor as it ought
throughout the world. Don Bosco sees us, the Society, in the august personage and all the magnificence of
his mantle with its radiant beams of light. Each individual Salesian must set about acquiring for himself and
perfecting the diamonds; but if we wish them to blaze in all their splendor, we must be united into one sole
body (just as the mantle is one) by observing the Constitutions in accordance with our Regulations and
genuine Traditions".65
Destruction of Salesian identity
60 Matt. XXV 21: Const. Appendix. p. 256.
61 MB VI 442.
62 MB V 554-6.
63 ASC 55. p. 923.
64 ASC 55. p. 924.
65 ASC 56. p. 934-5.

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Scene II of the dream is dramatic. It describes the "ruination of the true Salesian",66 the "antiSalesian".
The frightening argument of "Salesian/ anti-Salesian" threatens us like the sword of Damodes, and it
behooves us to be continually on the defense. The scene was depressing enough for our early Salesians. For
us today, after the grave crisis in the last two decades, it should constitute a very special frame of reference
regarding our too numerous losses.
Among those who asked me to write about the dream was one who argued strongly for an original
interpretation of the date "1900" found at the beginning of Scene II. According to him, the date in the title
"What the Salesian is in danger of becoming in 1900" could refer to any specific year in the 1900's; there
are still a couple of decades left to fix that date, and perhaps the serious crisis of recent years could then be
better understood in relation to the grave warning on the tattered mantle.
But even without this interesting hypothesis it is still relevant and fruitful to apply ourselves to what
Don Bosco wanted to say to us. More than once his conferences and dreams had severe warnings about the
future of our Society. (For instance there was the dream of the meeting of devils to discuss ways and means
of destroying the Congregation).67 The distressing Scene II of the dream of the diamonds is so full of
dramatic warning that it is unnecessary to bother about dates. In times of travail such as today the warnings
become desperately relevant; but they are valid for all periods of history.
We have already reflected on the alarming crisis in religious life in my letter Strengthen your 67. brothers.68
Here and now we shall limit our remarks to emphasize the gravity of the dream's warning.
In Scene II the august personage is "distressed and seemingly on the verge of tears". His mantle
is faded, tattered and moth-eaten. In place of the diamonds are moth-eaten holes. In fact the dia monds
have become so many grubs gnawing away at the garment.
The Salesian image defaced
Instead of the diamonds of Faith, Hope and Charity there were words indicating a complete weakening
of the sense of the supernatural and the subsequent grave spiritual decline. We know how the failing sense
of the supernatural is usually substituted by current ideologies that in various ways tend to justify the
change in identity that is taking place - which in turn leads to final abandonment. Work and Temperence will
be exchanged for idleness and neglect of the apostolate and the easy life with the frivolities, fads and
superficialities of consumerism (and of course sporting some fashionable ideology of the moment).
Collapse of the supporting spiritual structure
The back of the mantle shows a progressive destruction of the whole spiritual structure with the neglect
of obedience. Thus is destroyed the practical basis of our spirituality; the bonds of communion are severed,
individualism is lionized, and there is little chance of recovery.
Concupiscence replaces chastity, with an immature and compulsive need for sensory affection that
quickly leads to the most unforeseen falls.
Poverty, with its detachment, its dependence, its sharing and its regulated use of material things, is
considered out of step with modern times: it is replaced by constant selfish pursuit of comforts and an
unhealthy independence in the use of money.
In place of the diamond of Reward there is no daily effort in asceticism, and no longer are eyes lifted up to
the joys of heaven. There is an increasing inclination towards temporal things and a well-heeled
horizontalism that seeks man's development only in the present life.
In place of the diamond of Fasting there is now only an empty hole and no writing. When custody of
the senses is missing the gate is thrown open to all sorts of temptations and deviations.
It is plain that Scene II more than sufficiently portrays our crisis, and we summa rise it thus:
66 ASC 55. p. 924.
67 MB XVII 385.
68 ASC 295.

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- the front of the mantle: a weakening of the sense of the supernatural; the substitution of ideologies to
rationalize the change; and the acceptance of soft and easy living;
- the back of the mantle: instead of the supporting structure of asceticism there is individualism,
concupiscence, money, horizontalism and rejection of mortification.
Here indeed is a complete program for an impelling revision of life.
Appeal for formation and vocations in the years to come
Scene III of the dream presents a young man dressed in white who encourages and exhorts the
Salesians. He reminds us that we are not alone in our labors; we are servants and tools of the Lord: hence
even in the face of a distressing challenge we can really fight and conquer. He tells us to "be strong and
brave".
We know only too well that of ourselves we are weak and inconstant, (as we wrote in "Strengthen your
brothers").69 God alone is strong. He alone therefore can strengthen us. He alone will keep us firm to the
end, since he has set us on the solid foundation of Christ. He is faithful by his very nature and will protect
us from evil. His is the power and the glory forever.
So the young man's first word, to us is of courage and hope.
Then he speaks of certain indispensable means for our defense and growth - which are particularly
relevant after the recent publication of the Ratio.
The first means he suggests is to translate the many teachings of the dream into our ongoing formation.
The young man insists time and time again: "Pay attention. Understand well. Take heed of and preach.
Constantly practice what you preach so that your works shine before men. Love our traditions and pass
them on from generation to generation".
The second means recommended by the young' man is the care of vocations and the formation of the
new generations: "Be circumspect in accepting novices. Cultivate them with great care. Be prudent in
admitting them to vows. Test them well. Send away the frivolous and fickle".
The third means is daily and practical fidelity to the Founder by means of our knowledge, love and
practice of the Constitutions: this must be the food of morning and evening personal and community
reflection.
Will the Salesian of today, will the community of every house, heed these admonitions? This indeed is a
worrying question. On its answer will depend the future of the Congregation. Don Bosco himself was the
first to be exercised by this doubt. He had this dream in 1881, at the eve of his life; the temporal power of
the Papacy had been abolished; the Church was agonizing over new and serious difficulties; could a new
Institute survive in these troublous times after the death of its Founder? This was no rhetorical ques tion; we
know that after Don Bosco's death, during the reign of Leo XIII, it was proposed to join the Salesian
Society to the Scolopian Fathers.70
The dream was indeed a realistic presage of the future of the Congregation up to the end of the 19th century
and the beginning of the present one.
Rightly was the dream considered by the first generation of Salesians as a prophecy; the various dates
inserted into it helped in its interpretation and it came to be dubbed The Dream of the Future of the
Congregation. Such an attitude is interesting and could suggest that we today might also make a sounding
or two regarding the future of the Congregation. In . any vocation there is a vital link between fidelity,
distinctive identity and the future. Such a reflection could take a number of directions.
One direction could that of a holy super-optimism - somewhat after the manner of Pius IX and Don
Bosco from time to time. For example, Pius IX, sensitive man of God that he was, once spoke in prophetic
vein discussing the pastoral relevance and transcendence of the charisma of Don Bosco. "I predict", he said
to Don Bosco in 1877, "and you must put it in writing for your sons, that your Congregation will flourish,
will spread miraculously, and will last for centuries so long as it promotes the spirit of piety and religion,
69 ASC 295, p. 5.
70 E. Ceria: Annali dell a Società Salesiana, I, pp. 747.8.

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and especially morality and chastity".71
Don Bosco also spoke of the future, and "in centuries" (as Pius IX did) as well as "in decades". He was
inspired from on high, convinced he was predicting the development of a charisma created by God and of
great use to the new society. Speaking "in centuries", we have from him several super optimistic presages in
which our Founder makes statements that would seem quite incredible except that they came from his firm
conviction that he was dealing with a work set up by God himself One day he exclaimed, "Oh, if I could
only keep alive for five hundred years fifty of our present Salesians, they would see what an amazing
destiny Providence has reserved for us if we remain faithful. There might be a few crazy people who would
like to see us destroyed, but they would be isolated cases and without backing from others. It all depends on
whether the Salesians can resist the love of comfort and the temptation to idleness".72
Speaking "in decades", Don Bosco has bequeathed us many statements and various dreams with
concrete facts and details amazingly exact (an instance is the dream of the wheel).73 But it was the dream of
San Benigno that he favored as the Dream of the Future of the Congregation, and he appended certain dates
to various parts: the first part 1881, the second part 1909. Then he noted, "I can reveal that there are many
thorny problems, and also many great consolations: great fear in 1890; in 1895 great triumph".74
In fact the Congregation survived that decade safe and sound: it was not annexed to another
Congregation; and it grew so vigorously in all parts of the world that Paul VI exclaimed that in the last
century of Church history one had to admit to the appearance of "a Salesian happening".
As has been already stated, fifty years later Don Rinaldi, considering Don Bosco had gone to
extraordinary pains to pass on this dream to us "for our instruction and for the preservation of the Society in
the future", had it published in the 1930 Acts (omitting the dates already past). He wrote, "You will find
below the original first draft, without Don Bosco's personal observations (the limitations of dates would
only lessen its universal importance)".75
Thus presented, the dream has become a vital message for the future of the Congregation for all time. It
teaches, it warns, it is a singular vision for reflection, and a rich theme for study as a frame of reference for
Salesianity throughout the centuries.
The dream's exhortation to "pay attention and understand well" is just as valid for us in these times.
In practice, the only realistic way for us to reflect on the future of the Congregation is the way traced
out in the letter, Strengthen your brothers.76 There we have an examination of the crisis we are undergoing,
and an invitation to look at the positive symptoms and try to grasp the significance of the extraordinary
working of the Holy Spirit in the Church today; but we should also pay serious attention to the many
defections. Indeed we would do well to meditate on' the dream in relation to the critical situation of our
present times.
The contrast between Scene I and Scene II is frightening: corruptio optimi pessima. Each one of us,
unfortunately, has seen with his own eyes the debasement of the Salesian image in various places and in
flesh and blood. The risk for the Congregation is not imaginary. One wonders whether certain basic
principles (such as Work and Temperence, so cherished and practiced in the early days of the Congregation)
still carry the same weight with us today.
Can we say that our community atmosphere and our daily activities are genuinely inspired by the
supernatural and an authentic pastoral urge (which is none other than the Holy Spirit's gift of love to us)? At
the heart of all our work, is there a motive of religious obedience? Do we still believe in the indispensability
of a healthy discipline that inspires us daily to be true disciples of the chaste, poor and obedient Christ?
Indeed this century-old dream still poses a challenge for us. In a way, the inscription, "What the
Salesian is in danger of becoming", is more relevant today than ever.
71 ASC 23. p. 184.
72 MB XVII 645.
73 MB VI 897 et seq.
74 MB XV 187.
75 ASC 55, p, 923.
76 ASC 295.

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Let us meditate on this warning dream in private and in communities. Let us ponder well the appeal
from the harrowed heart of the young man in white. Especially let us enthuse over the profound values of
our special vocation; let us cultivate them with care and pass them on with fidelity. Let us always consider
the growth of the Salesian vocation as coming from on high, and let us sing with gratitude and sincerity,
"Not to us, 0 Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory".
Dear confreres, I offer you this letter as a humble spiritual heritage for reflection, meditation and
practical application. In the warning voice of Scene III of the dream let us hear the appeal of the young
people who need us. The Salesian vocation was created for the sake of the young. Don Bosco is God's gift
to young people; he is their friend, the sign and bearer of Christ's predilection for them. They have great
need of his friendship. To these youngsters around us God has given a kind of right to the Salesian vocation,
in the sense that Christ and his Mother have set apart this Salesian Vocation especially for them. (We are
reminded of the dream of the nine-year-old John Bosco).77 It is a matter of urgency that we put the Salesian
Charisma at the disposal of today's youth with all its genuine values, and our lives must be shining
examples of these same values.
The centenary of the dream is an occasion to re-examine it and fathom its riches. Let us treasure its
teachings and warnings.
May Mary be our inspiration and help. The dream took place following the feast of her Holy Name.
My sincere greetings to all. I pray for you in my daily Mass and rosary.
Affectionately yours,
Father EGIDIO VIGANÒ,
Rector Major.
1.2 THE TEXT OF THE DREAM OF THE TEN DIAMONDS
San Benigno Ganavese - night of 10 September 1881
The text printed below follows the fair copy made by Don Berta (with Don Bosco's personal
corrections) from the first draft in the Saint's own handwriting (v. Salesian Central Archives: 132 Sogni 5).
We have also used the critical edition of Sister Cecilia Romero (I sogni di Don Bosco - ed. crit., Turin, 1978
LDC). The following liberties have been taken:
- The Latin expressions have been translated (as in Father Ziggiotti's publication);
- Certain lapsed dates have been omitted (as in the second publication of Father Rinaldi).
- Titles and subtitles have been added where it seemed appropriate and helpful to do so.
May the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten us all. Amen.
For the instruction of the Salesian Society
On 10 September 1881, Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, the Salesians at San Benigno Canavese
were making their Retreat.
The model of the true Salesian
On the night of the 10 September I dreamed I was in a large and splendidly ornate hall. I seemed to be
walking up and down with the Rectors of our houses when there appeared among us a man of such majestic
mien that we could not take our eyes off him. He gazed at us, and without a word began to walk a few paces
ahead of us.
He wore an imposing long mantle with a stole-like collar tied at the neck with a ribbon that hung down
77 MB I 123 at seq.

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in front. On the stole was written in luminous characters, The Salesian Society, and on the ribbon, as it
should be.
The august personage wore ten huge and splendid diamonds, and it was almost impossible to look
away from him.
Three of the diamonds were on the breast of the mantle and were inscribed FAITH, HOPE and
CHARITY. THE DIAMOND OF CHARITY was positioned over the heart. On the right shoulder was a
fourth diamond: WORK; and a fifth, TEMPERANCE, was affixed to the left shoulder.
The other five diamonds adorned the back of the mantle and were arranged in a square, with the largest
and. brightest diamond of OBEDIENCE in the middle. The upper right diamond was the VOW OF
POVERTY, and under it, REWARD. On the upper left was the VOW OF CHASTITY, with a dazzling
splendor all its own that caught and held the attention as a magnet attracts metal; below it was the diamond
of FASTING. The bright rays from the square of diamonds were directed towards the central diamond of
OBEDIENCE.
Clarifying maxims
To avoid confusion it should be noted that each diamond had rays like small tongues of flame on which
various texts could be read. FAITH carried the maxims: Take up the buckler of faith and battle against the
snares of the devil. Another ray read, Faith without works is dead. Not he who hears but he who keeps the
law will possess the kingdom of God.
On the rays of HOPE there was written, Hope in the Lord and not in men. Let your hearts always be set
on the attainment of true joy.
The texts of CHARITY read, Bear one another's burdens if you wish to fulfill my law. Love and you
will be loved. Let your love be for your soul and the souls of others. Recite the Divine Office with devotion.
Celebrate Holy Mass with care. Make loving visits to the Holy of Holies.
The rays of WORK carried the inscription, Remedy for concupiscence; powerful weapon against all the
temptations of the devil.
TEMPERANCE had the text, Take away the fuel and the fire will die out. Make a pact with your eyes,
your appetite, your sleep, so that these enemies may not ravage your souls. Intemperance and chastity
cannot go together.
On the rays of OBEDIENCE: Obedience is the foundation and perfection of holiness.
On POVERTY: The kingdom of heaven is for the poor. Riches are thorns. Poverty is not practiced by
words but by love and deeds. Poverty opens the gates of heaven.
On the rays of CHASTITY: All virtues come together with it. The clean of heart see the secrets of God
and shall contemplate God himself.
On the rays of REWARD: If the rich reward attracts you, do not be afraid of the many hardships. He
who suffers with me rejoices with me. What we suffer on earth is momentary; the joys of my friends in
heaven are eternal.
On the rays of FASTING: The most powerful weapon against the snares of the devil. It keeps watch
over all the virtues. Fasting puts to flight all sorts of foes.
Authoritative warning
On the lower part of the garment there was a wide pink hem on which was written, Here is matter for
preaching morning, noon and evening: Treasure small acts of virtue and you will build solid holiness. Woe
to you if you neglect small things: little by little ruination will overtake you.
Some of the Rectors were standing, some kneeling; all were in silent amazement. Suddenly Don Rua
said excitedly, "We must write these things down lest we forget them". He looked for a pen but could not
find one. He took out his notebook and searched for a pencil. "I shall remember", said Don Durando. "I
must get it down in writing", Don Fagnano cried out, and began writing with the stem of a rose. We all
watched and could read his writing. When he stopped, Don Costamagna continued to dictate, "Charity

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understands all things, sustains all things, conquers all things; we must preach it in word and deed".
The debasement of the true Salesian
Whilst Don Fagnano was writing, the light failed and we found ourselves in profound darkness.
"Quiet"; said Don Ghivarello, "let us all kneel and pray and the light will return". Don Lasagna began the
Veni Creator, then the De Profundis, Mary Help of Christians, etc., and we all responded.
At the words, "Pray for us" a light appeared and lit up a placard on which was written, The Salesian
Society as it runs the risk of becoming. Then the light increased and we could see and recognize one
another.
In the brightness now we saw again the august personage, but distressed and seemingly on the verge of
tears. His mantle was faded, moth-eaten and in tatters. In place of the diamonds there were gaping holes.
"Look carefully", he told us, "and understand".
I saw that the ten diamonds had become so many grubs gnawing away at the garment. In place of the
diamond of FAITH was written Sleep and sloth; HOPE had become Indecent laughter and frivolity;
CHARITY: Neglect of the things of God. They love and seek their own desires and not the ideals of Jesus
Christ; TEMPERENCE was now Gluttony - their god is their belly; WORK: Sleep, dishonesty and
idleness; OBEDIENCE was replaced by a large hole with no message; CHASTITY carried the text,
Concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life; POVERTY: Bed, clothing, drink and money; REWARD: Our
heritage will be earthly goods; and FASTING was just a hole with no message.
We were all terrified. Don Lasagna fell in a faint. Don Cagliero was as white as a sheet, and leaning on
a chair called out, "Is it possible that things have already come to such a sorry pass?" Don Lazzero and Don
Guidazio were beside themselves and reached for support. Don Francesia, Count Cays, Don Barberis and
Don Leveratto were on their knees, rosaries in hand and praying.
Then we heard a somber voice that told us, "See how that splendid color is now faded".
The message of the young man
We were grouped together in the darkness when a remarkable thing happened.
We were plunged into pitch blackness, and suddenly there appeared a brilliant light in the form of a
human body. At first the light dazzled our eyes. Then we were able to make out a handsome young man of
imposing and charming mien, dressed in white garments delicately worked in gold and silver thread. He
approached us and spoke these words:
"Servants and instruments of the omnipotent God, hark and take heed; be strong and courageous.
"What you have seen and heard is a message from heaven for you and your brethren. Pay attention to it
and understand it well.
"Forewarned is forearmed, and the faults you have witnessed can be avoided.
"All the texts you have read must form the themes of your preaching. Speak of them unceasingly in
season and out of season. But be careful to practice what you preach so that your works will shine forth and
build up a strong and healthy tradition for your present brethren and future generations of your sons.
"Listen carefully and heed these words.
"Be circumspect in accepting novices. Cultivate them with great care. Be prudent in admitting them to
vows. Test them well and keep only the good. Send away the frivolous and the fickle.
"Listen carefully and heed these words.
"Meditate morning and evening on the observance of the Constitutions. If you do this the help of God
will never fail you. You will be a revelation before men and angels, and your glory will be God's glory. It
will be said of you: This is the Lord's work and it is marvelous in our eyes. Then all, your brethren and your
sons will sing with one voice: Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name give glory".
These last words were sung, and to the speaker's voice there joined a multitude of other voices so
melodious and resonant that we were left benumbed and bemused, and to prevent ourselves from swooning
we joined in the singing.

2.8 Page 18

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When the music ended there was darkness. I awoke and saw that it was already daylight.
Don Bosco's footnote
This dream lasted most of the night and in the morning I was exhausted. Still, for fear of forgetting it I
rose quickly and made a few notes that have helped me recall what I have written here on the Feast of the
Presentation of Mary in the Temple.
I was not able to recall everything.
One of the many things I have learned with certainty is this: immense is the Lord's mercy in our regard.
Our Society is blessed by heaven. But the good Lord expects us to do our part.
We can forestall the evils that threaten us if we preach on the virtues and vices noted in the dream; if
we practice what we preach and pass on to our brethren the authentic tradition of our past and future good
works.
Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.