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TGHeEttiLnOg RtoEKMnoIPwSDUoMnSBosco: His Place in History
life-long relationship with God, a relationship
sustaining many attacks from within and
without.
In Don Bosco’s own biographical
memoirs, The Memoirs of the Oratory of St. Francis
de Sales, he begins a reminiscence of his mother
with the occasion of his first communion made
at the age of eleven years. It was Giovanni’s
mother who was his primary catechist and he
would go on to pass his exam in catecheses and
obtain admission to the sacrament. His
recollection is telling as he describes the
teaching he received from his mother nuanced
by the capturing of his heart:
Amongst the many things that my
mother repeated to me many times was this:
‘My dear son, this is a great day for you. I am
convinced that God has really taken
possession of your heart. Now promise him to
be good as long as you live. Go to communion
frequently in the future, but beware of
sacrilege. Always be frank in confession, be
obedient always, go willingly to catechism and
sermons. But for the love of God, avoid like
the plague those who indulge in bad talk.’
I treasured my mother's advice and
tried to carry it out. I think that from that day
on there was some improvement in my life,
especially in matters of obedience and submis-
sion to others. It was not easy for me to be
submissive because I liked to do things my
way and follow my own childish whims rather
than listen to those who gave me advice or told
me what to do.vii
Though Mamma Margherita could
neither read nor write, she had a profound
knowledge of Bible stories and a grasp of a faith
that was rooted in the realities of life. For her,
God was a part of everyday life, as real as the
sun rising and setting, as close as each breath.
She had recognized something unique and
special in her youngest son; she believed his
heart to be possessed by God and sought to
nurture that holiness in every way possible.
That conviction would lead her to tough and
difficult decisions for Giovanni’s future as well
as lead to confrontation with her step-son
Antonio. Determined nonetheless, she was
OctFoAbeLrL,2021016
guided by what she believed was Giovanni’s
calling. Her first act of spiritual accompaniment
was to confirm the stirring Giovanni felt within
him and enable him to respond to that stirring
despite the obstacles. To this end, she not only
goaded him into hard work in the fields of the
farm, but also to take up reading and writing.
She urged him to do all that was appropriate for
his age and encouraged his recreations and his
fascinations with acrobatics. These were the
first seeds of a thirst for literature and culture
and a love for activities beyond the classroom
with their power to attract and entertain others.
Perhaps most important to the spiritual
formation of Giovanni Bosco was his mother’s
advice for and practice of frequent communion
and reconciliation. Her daily devotions to the
Mother of God and her immersion in prayer
deeply influenced the man who would make the
pillars of his own spirituality devotion to the
Blessed Sacrament and the Mother of God. He
would carry with him and bestow upon his own
students the desire for frequent communion and
sincere confession. These were the basic tools
for fine-tuning one’s soul and for living in the
presence of a loving God.
It must be mentioned that Mamma
Margherita worked, lived, and taught within a
particular social, political, and religious milieu.
This, too, has bearing on the formation of the
child, Giovanni Bosco. Much research has been
completed with this in mind and is found
particularly in the works of Pietro Stella and
Pietro Braido. Stella explains that Piedmont
had been spared much of the war and turmoil
that marked the century of reason, the 18th
century. The contemporaries of Mamma
Margherita stood solid in the belief that this era
had not, in fact, swept away the God of the ages
nor the fierce religiosity and faith of the
common man. As revolutions swept the regions
bordering Piedmont and raged in much of
Western Europe, Piedmont would feel their
effect in a growing indifference to faith and a
mockery of religious rites.viii Despite these
effects, the period of restoration gave the people
of Piedmont an assurance that God was indeed
a victorious and patient God.
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