Memoirs of the Oratory: Spirituality and narration
  • The Memoirs of the Oratory are one of the most personal and lively writings of Don Bosco
  • They have contributed significantly to constructing the image of Don Bosco which continues to circulate
  • They are an important tool for understanding Don Bosco: His mentality, spirituality, pedagogy and pastoral model.
  • The text of the MO was put together between 1873 and 1875.
  • It was then copied by G. Berto and corrected by DB on a number of occasions, up till 1879.
  • It was used by G. Bonetti for the History of the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales published in the BS (“Salesian Bulletin”) between 1879 and 1886.
  • It was taken up again by G.B. Lemoyne in Biographical Memoirs vol. I and vol. II, who combined it with other information.
  • First complete edition edited by E. Ceria (1946), at the request of P. Ricaldone to encourage a return to the charismatic origins of Salesian work
  • Various translations (fr: 1951; es: 1955 …)
  • Critical observations (Klein-Valentini 1955; Braido 1965; Stella 1968)
  • New interest and translations (fr: 1978; pt-br: 1982; it: 1985; en: 1989…)
  • DB wanted to describe his understanding of an overall educative experience and formulate an “action programme” (Braido)
  • He highlighted the purposes of the Oratory which God wanted: It is a religious and pedagogical poem; a re-reading of the past in theological terms (Stella)
  • The MO are DB’s richest book in terms of content and preventive directions; a handbook of pedagogy and spirituality in story form (Braido)
  • In the MO:
      • Don Bosco reviews his personal formational journey;
      • And at the same time his mental schemes emerge,
      • Spiritual traits of his interior world,
      • The model of educator and pastor dear to him,
      • The most original and distinguishing style of his Oratory.
  • By command from above [authority] (MO, Introduction)
  • Belief: The Oratory was willed by God for the salvation of the young, therefore a need to present its beginnings, purposes, method…
  • A critical moment for Don Bosco’s work:
      • For external reasons. Approval of the Congregation and tensions with Archbishop Gastaldi: Need for an historical reflection and basis
      • For internal reasons. The development of Salesian work: Spiritual and pedagogical formation of his disciples and to clarify charismatic identity