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Don Bosco Study Guide
March 2012
Special Lenten Edition
This   issue   of   the   Study   Guide   has   many   less  
pictures,   illustrations,   and   photographs.   Its  
intention   is   to   accompany   the   Salesian   with  
meditations   throughout   the   season   of   Lent.     May  
these   reflections   help   each   of   you   to   prepare   well  
for  the  Holy  Triduum  and  the  Feast  of  Resurrection.  
As  we  enter  into  Lent,  this  issue  of  the  Don  Bosco  Study  Guide  will  look  at  Don  Bosco’s  religiosity  and  his  pivotal  understanding  of  
the  last  things,  death,  evil,  and  sin.  
Don  Bosco  Study  Guide  
March  2012  Don  Bosco  Study  Guide  
2012  
Last  Things...  
Introduction:  Points  of  Arrival  
It  is  difficult  to  confine  a  study  of  Don  Bosco’s  
educational  system  to  a  few  topics.      The  approach  
to  this  subject  can  be  quite  varied,  from  a  historical  
analysis,  a  research  into  the  historical,  cultural,  and  
religious  influences  which  shaped  the  man  and  his  
pedagogy  to  applications  of  that  pedagogy  in  
many  contexts  of  the  world  of  education  in  our  
own  time.      
Every  one  of  these  approaches  has  their  value,  but  
this  study  will  focus  upon  the  study  of  Don  Bosco’s  
ultimate  purpose  for  his  educational  system,  its  
desired  “point  of  arrival,”  if  you  will.  
By  looking  carefully  at  those  endpoints  of  his  
method,  it  is  hoped  that  a  clearer  insight  might  be  
gained  in  his  overall  purpose.      
The  task  of  this  study  has  been  an  interesting  one  
uncovering  many  details  with  implications  for  
education  in  today’s  contexts.    Yet  it  is  curious  that  
these  same  goals  are  most  often  avoided,  if  not  
deliberately  shunned,  in  the  task  of  education.    
This  study  will  examine  Don  Bosco  as  an  educator  
of  “the  Last  Things.”    By  looking  at  what  Don  
Bosco  did  to  prepare  his  young  people  to  face  
death  and  by  addressing  the  dangers  of  moral  
and  other  kinds  of  evil  in  those  lives,  we  can  
discover  an  educator  with  a  very  clear  purpose  
suggesting  no  ambiguity  whatsoever.    How,  
then,  can  education  respond  with  any  level  of  
ambiguity  in  the  treatment  of  these  same  topics?  
This  question  is  one  that  would  probably  require  
a  library’s  worth  of  research.    There  are,  to  be  
sure,  so  many  factors  to  weigh  in  each  culture  
and  in  each  time  in  dealing  with  these  sensitive  
issues,  but  the  evidence  suggests  that  Don  
Bosco  would    wrestle  with  them,  no  matter  what  
the  cost.    Perhaps  we  as  Salesian  educators  must  
do  the  same.  
 
Part   I.     “A   Renowned   Genius  
of  Pedagogy…and  Holiness”  
 
1.     A   Complete   Education  
Includes  “Last  Things”  
In   the   tenth   chapter   of   Fr.   Pietro   Braido’s   book,  

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413  
 Don   Bosco’s   Pedagogical   Experience,”   the   Salesian  
scholar   turns   his   attention   to   many   “fundamental  
pedagogical   dimensions”   of   Don   Bosco’s   system  
of  education.    He  places  within  the  context  of  this  
focus   the   education   to   “the   last   things.”     It   is  
logical   that   Don   Bosco   would   offer   a   model   for  
embracing   this   difficult   dimension   of   education  
because   his   entire   system   was   rooted   in   the   ideal  
of  leading  the  young  to  become  “good  Christians”  
and  “honest  citizens.”    This  “concern  for  complete  
education,”  as  Fr.  Braido  phrases  it,  does  not  leave  
the   ultimate   goal   of   salvation   in   any   ambiguity.    
Beginning   with   the   spiritual   dimensions   of   his  
pedagogy,   Fr.   Braido   describes   Don   Bosco’s   aim  
“to  cultivate  the  religious  dimension,  to  infuse  the  
fear  of  God  into  the  boys,  to  educate  them  to  live  
habitually   in   Grace.”1  Fr.   Braido   insists   that   Don  
Bosco’s   pedagogy   was   a   synthesis   of   human   and  
divine   and   indicates   that   the   “principle   of  
sacramental   pedagogy…   was   a   general   directive  
for  the  whole  ‘system.’”1  
The   spiritual   and   religious   dimensions   of   the  
educational   system   of   Don   Bosco   was   not   an  
accident   at   all,   nor   merely   a   bi-­‐product.     It   was,   in  
fact,   the   underpinning   of   the   entire   system   and  
pointed   toward   its   ultimate   goal.     Therefore,   it   is  
essentially   important   to   uncover   the   roots   of  
those   elements   in   the   life   and   experience   of   Don  
Bosco,  himself.  
 
1.1.   Elements  Drawn  from  Life  
The   boy   and   the   man,   Saint   John   Bosco,   stirred  
many   areas   of   his   nineteenth   century   world  
before   he   was   ever   known   as   a   saint.     Devoted  
followers   of   Saint   John   Bosco’s   Preventive  
System  of  Education  and  scholars  and  students  
of   Salesian   Spirituality   offer   ample   historical  
and  spiritual  reflection.  
Under   the   scrutiny   of   Salesian   scholars,   strong  
themes  suggest  themselves  from  the  life,  work,  
and   legacy   of   Saint   John   Bosco.     In   his   lifetime,  
Saint   John   Bosco,   the   priest   and   youth   worker  
was   famous   for   his   vast   knowledge   and  
educational   outreach.     He   taught   by   word,   by  
example,  and  by  the  power  of  publishing.    But  it  
was   his   abilitNy u  tnoc   s  cpuerasku  sm  meaanginnagf  quullyis    t  o   such  
diverse  audiences  while,  simultaneously,  calling  
them   to   live   authentically,   which   registers   his  
historical  significance.      
 
Don Bosco is a landmark in Church
history. In fact, he has left behind him a
concept, a teaching, an experience and
method which have become part of our
heritage. In the words of my venerated
predecessor Paul VI, he was "a renowned
genius of modern pedagogy and catechesis
but, above all, a genius of holiness.”1
This   giant   figure   of   education   and   holiness  
began   humbly   and   it   is   precisely   these  
beginnings   which   highlight   his   significance.    
From   the   details   of   a   tangible,   though   difficult,  
life   history,   Saint   John   Bosco’s   recounting   and  
teaching   continue   to   be   relevant   for   diverse  
audiences.    This  study  will  mention  very  specific  
The Exercise for a Happy Death at the Oratory
(Fr. Arthur Lenti)
This article concludes on p. 20
The practice of the Exercise for a Happy Death
was firmly established at the Oratory from the start. It
was included in all editions of the Companion of Youth
(Giovane Provveduto), beginning with the first in 1847.
Indeed the practice acquired a key role in the spiritual
and devotional life of the boys, and it appears to have
been regarded as an indispensable educational tool for
fostering the moral and spiritual life in the community of
both students and artisans. The Biographer takes pains to
stress this very fact. A couple of examples will suffice.
 
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t   hemes   from   John’s   history   as   points   of   1.3.    Equipped  for  Addressing  
development  in  his  educating  young  people.      
 
Difficult  Realities:  
1.2.    Death   as   a   Defining   A  true  evaluation  of  Saint  John  Bosco’s  impact  as  a  
teacher,   a   story-­‐teller,   a   catechist,   and   a   friend   of  
Experience:  
the  young  would  encompass  a  study  too  vast  to  be  
Death   is,   perhaps,   the   most   significant   experience   contained  here.    According  to  Fr.  Lenti,  Saint  John  
of   Saint   John   Bosco’s   personal   history—the   Bosco   became   an   educator   because   of   the   call   of  
catalyst   making   sense   of   his   future   endeavors   and   life—“drawn  into  the  field  by  a  crying  need.”1    He,  
mission.    This  impact  will  be  developed  carefully.    It   himself,   was   the   educator   and   not   a   theorist.     He  
can  be  said  that  Saint  John  Bosco  would  spend  his   lived  the  realities  and  addressed  the  real  problems  
life  fighting  death—his  own  personal  mortality,  and   and  concerns  of  the  young  people  in  his  world.      
the  death  of  souls.    Every  mention  of  his  life,  every   One   of   the   real   problems   he   addressed   without  
event   seemed   to   be   suffused   with   the   reality   of   hesitation,   quite   significant   for   his   time   and   for  
death’s   appointment   for   himself   and   others   and   ours,   was   the   problem   of   death.     Death   seems   a  
the  uPrgreancey  stoe  sanvet  o  vnei’ts a soeul.   n        isl.  
distant   topic   in   the   educational   enterprise   today.    
Death,   is   always   linked   closely   with   human   frailty,   Though   the   reality   of   death   was   far   from  
sin  and  evil,  and  the  power  to  make  choices  in  the   unfamiliar   or   taboo   in   his   time   and   culture,   a  
stories  of  Saint  John  Bosco’s  life.    In  fact,  his  three   consideration   of   death   as   a   component   in  
student   biographies   (Dominic   Savio,   Michael   educating   the   young   would   draw   negative  
Magone,   and   Francis   Besucco)   were   built   around   attention   and   disbelief   today.     This   begs   the  
the   theme   of   moral   decision   making,   conversion,   question   as   to   the   significance   of   this   component  
and   conquering   evil   in   the   face   of   untimely   death.     in   Don   Bosco’s   system   (see   Chapter   X   “The  
These   works   are   considered   most   important   Fundamental   Pedagogical   Dimensions”   in   Fr.  
because   they   pull   from   Saint   John   Bosco’s   own   Braido’s   treatment:   Don   Bosco’s   Pedagogical  
personal   encounters   and   highlight   the   themes   of   Experience).     Is   it   something   we   can   easily   leave  
his  ministry.    Fr.  Arthur  Lenti  points  this  out:  
aside  as  simply  a  leftover  from  a  time  that  is  has  no  
 
connection   with   today’s   realities.     Just   below   the  
All of Don Bosco's writings contain surface   of   this   question   are   the   realities   we   know  
educational insights and suggestions, but the only   too   well.     In   the   United   States,   the   terrible  
following deserve special mention.
weapons   attacks   of   student-­‐on-­‐student   has  
The Biographies: Comollo, (1844...), dramatically  changed  that  equation  from  a  blissful  
Savio (1859...), Magone (1861), Besucco ignorance  of  death  to  a  horrific  vision  of  violence.    
(1864). The biographies have a specifically
educational and spiritual aim. In this respect,
the Savio, Magone, and Besucco biographies
are especially important since, taken together,
they give us a compendium of Don Bosco’s
style of education and spiritual direction of
boys in the student community in the ’fifties
and ’sixties. The different types (Savio, from a
good Christian family; Magone, from a
“broken” home, though not a juvenile
delinquent in any way; Besucco, an unspoiled
mountain shepherd lad) give us three aspects
of Don Bosco’s approach.1
But   outside   of   this   extreme   context,   many  
educators   would   vehemently   oppose   even   the  
mention   of   death,   let   alone   constructing   an  
educational  approach  to  that  reality.  
Connected   to   the   question   of   the   relevance   of  
addressing   death   are   a   series   of   related   themes:  
How  did  Don  Bosco  choose  to  present  evil,  sin,  and  
moral   choice?     Why   did   he   choose   to   depict   these  
at   all?     How   are   these   themes   relevant   for   today’s  
educator?     And   finally,   what   is   “preventive”   about  
dealing  in  these  subjects?  
 
 
 
 
 
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  1.4.        Specific  Themes  and  
Their  Relevance  in  Relation  to  
Death    
Having  already  opened  a  view  of  Death,  this  study  
will  look  more  closely  at  its  treatment  in  different  
studies   of   Don   Bosco’s   work.     After   examining  
death,   a   glance   at   the   concepts   and   experiences  
of   evil   follows   logically.     These   examinations   lend  
themselves   to   the   theme   of   making   moral  
choices.      
An   examination   of   Don   Bosco’s   treatment   of   evil  
and   sin   must   lead   to   a   conclusion   regarding   his  
ultimate  purpose  of  saving  souls.    But  it  must  also  
rescue   Don   Bosco   from   the   notion   of   many   that  
religious   faith,   Catholicism,   and   the  
responsibilities  of  making  moral  choices  makes  of  
life   a   tortuous   journey.     There   is   nothing   more  
distant  from  Don  Bosco  than  this.    His  purpose,  as  
we   will   see,   especially   in   the   details   he   has  
highlighted  in  his  life  and  the  lives  of  his  students,  
was   always   connected   to   an   optimism   and   faith.    
His   vision   of   the   future   went   beyond   political   or  
global   realities,   though   they   included   these   as  
well.     Ultimately,   as   we   will   see,   his   vision—
therefore   his   insistence   upon   the   “last   things”—
was   an   eschatological   vision.     A   full   participation  
in  life  and  its  responsibilities  was  fully  immersed  in  
the  reality  of  eternal  life  and  its  promises.      
 
Part  II:  Death,  Evil,  and  
Human  Choice  in  Saint  John  
Bosco    
2.   The  Lasting  Impact  of  
Death  on  Saint  John  Bosco  
In   his   Memoirs   of   the   Oratory,   Saint   John   Bosco  
recounts   what   he   names   as   his   earliest   memory:  
the  death  of  his  father,  Francis  Bosco.    It  becomes  
obvious   throughout   the   story   of   his   early   life,   his  
formation  as  a  young  man,  well  into  the  history  of  
his  foundational  work  for  youth  that  death  plays  a  
significant   role.     It   is   not   unusual   nor   unexpected  
to   uncover   this   influence   in   his   or   any   person’s  
life,  but  for  Saint  John  Bosco,  his  encounters  with  
 
death   have   shaped   the   mission   and   the  
message  of  the  man.  
 
2.1.   “You   have   a   father   no  
more…”  
From   the   vantage   point   of   the   present  
moment,   looking   back   on   the   figure   of   Saint  
John   Bosco   as   saint   and   educator,   he   is   now  
known   as   both   “Father”   and   “teacher”   of  
youth   all   over   the   world.     The   absence   of   a  
father  in  his  own  life  became  a  recurring  theme  
for   his   own   discernment.     To   be   sure,   the  
continual   loss   of   fatherly   figures   certainly  
formed   the   great   champion   of   the   poor,   the  
abandoned,   and   the   orphaned   youth   of   the  
world.      
It   seems   that   the   earliest   recollection   of   his  
father’s   death,   and   the   words   of   his   mother,  
Margaret,   “You   have   a   father   no   more,”   set   in  
motion   for   Saint   John   Bosco   the   search   for  
mentors,   guides,   and   direction   in   his   life.     The  
next  significant  father-­‐figure  to  impact  the  boy  
would   be   Fr.   Calosso.     Taking   John   under   his  
wing,   he   inspires   him   to   look   beyond   his  
circumstances   and   discover   a   life-­‐long   calling.    
He   gives   John   the   first   means   toward   a   future  
of   promise   by   personally   tutoring   him   and  
promising   him   the   necessary   resources   for   his  
future.      
 
No one can imagine how supremely
happy I was. I idolised Fr Calosso, loved
him as if he were my father, prayed for
him, and tried to help him in every way I
could. My greatest pleasure was to work
for him. I would have died for him. I
made more progress in one day with the
good priest than I would have made in a
week at home. That man of God lavished
affection on me, and he would often say,
"Don't worry about the future. As long as
I'm alive I'll see that you want for nothing.
And I'll make provision for you after my
death."1
 
But,   as   Saint   John   Bosco   recalls,   this   joy   and  
security   would   come   to   a   sudden   and   crushing  
end  with  Fr.  Calosso’s  death  which  would  occur  

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  not  long  after  making  this  promise.    The  death  of  
this  man  impacted  John  perhaps  more  profoundly  
than  even  his  own  father’s  death  and  set  John  on  
a   course   he   will   not   abandon,   no   matter   the  
personal  cost.  
The   absence   of   Fr.   Calosso   was   more   than   the  
absence   of   a   benefactor,   for   now   John   had   to  
face  his  older  step-­‐brother’s  opposition  without  a  
defender.     Anthony   despised   his   younger  
brother’s  aspirations  for  education  and  prevented  
him   from   studying   at   every   turn.     Eventually,  
John’s  mother  Margaret  would  decide  that  John’s  
best  hope  would  be  to  leave  home  and  seek  work,  
shelter,   and   education   outside.     The   lingering  
absence   of   his   father   must   have   pressed   heavily  
on   this   young   boy   as   he   walked   the   lonely   roads  
into  his  future.  
2.2.      Continuing   Encounters  
with  Death  
Saint   John   Bosco’s   next   encounter   with   death  
would   come   as   a   teenager   in   the   seminary.     His  
best   friend,   Louis   Comollo,   became   the   model   of  
sanctity   that   John   aspired   to   emulate.     It   is   also  
obvious   that   John   became   for   Louis,   the   human  
balance  this  zealous  young  man  needed  in  his  life.    
The   descriptions   of   this   friendship   are   intimate  
and   strong   even   though   Saint   John   Bosco   never  
strays  from  the  language  of  edifying  example  and  
virtue.     Reading   between   the   lines,   however,   it   is  
not  difficult  to  see  the  human  dimension  to  these  
affections   especially   when   Louis   dies   an   untimely  
death.    So  distraught  is  John  after  the  death  of  his  
friend   that   he,   himself,   becomes   quite   ill.     But  
there   is   another   interesting   formative   element   in  
this   encounter   with   death.     We   see   the  
development  of  a  conscious  need  to  prepare  well  
for  death  and  to  live  with  meaning  and  purpose  in  
every  moment  as  if  it  might  be  the  last.      
John   struck   a   pact   with   his   friend   Louis   that  
whoever   would   die   first   would   return   to  
communicate   if   and   when   they   had   reached  
salvation.     John   already   admired   the   piety   and  
faith   of   his   friend,   but   the   lessons   of   a   life   lived  
well  and  consciously  prepared  for  death  would  be  
seared   into   his   memory   with   the   remarkable  
fulfillment   of   that   pact.     John   related   that   not  
long   after   the   death   of   his   friend,   he   found  
 
5  
himself   inconsolable   as   he   knelt   praying   at   his  
own   bedside.     Suddenly,   with   loud   rumblings  
and   shaking,   which   awakened   all   the   other  
seminarians,   a   light   came   to   hover   over   John  
and   he   heard   his   friend’s   voice   announce   three  
times,  “Bosco,  I  am  saved!”      
This  event  pressed  itself  deeply  on  the  mind  and  
heart  of  Saint  John  Bosco  and  it  would  develop  
in  him  a  lasting  respect  for  the  mystery  of  death  
and   the   necessity   to   teach   others   how   to   live  
well  and  prepare  for  that  moment.      
The   other   deaths   Saint   John   Bosco   would  
encounter   would   be   no   less   important,   but   a  
detailed   investigation   of   these   moments   and  
their   impact   would   be,   in   themselves,   the  
content  of  a  thorough  study.    We  know  from  his  
own   writings   that   there   are   at   least   four   more  
significant   deaths   to   mention:   the   death   of   his  
dear   mother,   Mama   Margaret,   and   the   deaths  
of   three   students   he   would   immortalize   in  
writing:   Dominic   Savio,   Michael   Magone,   and  
Francis   Besucco.     These   are   mentioned   here   to  
introduce   the   elements   of   death   in   Saint   John  
Bosco’s  teaching,  catechesis,  and  piety.    Writing  
about   these   significant   persons   in   his   life,   long  
after   his   mission   is   fully   engaged,   shows   us   the  
focus  of  his  teaching  about  death.  
 
2.3.    Teaching  Others  to  
Prepare  for  Death:  
Catechesis  in  the  Love  of  
God  
Fr.   Lenti   gives   a   detailed   description   of   Saint  
John   Bosco’s   catecheses   regarding   death   and  
the   last   things.     His   survey   is   insightful   and  
worth   mentioning   to   highlight   various  
elements.     Often,   Saint   John   Bosco   would  
predict   the   deaths   of   others,   especially   boys   at  
his   Oratory.     He   offered   these   predictions   by  
way   of   premonitions   and   dreams.     He   admitted  
that  often  times  the  details  were  not  clear  until  
the   events   unfolded,   but   he   clung   to   the   belief  
that   it   was   beneficial   for   the   boys   to   know   the  
reality  and  prepare  for  it.    “He  certainly  believed  
that   confronting   the   youngsters   with   the  

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  thought   of   death   was   both   educational   and  
spiritually  helpful.”1  
What   is   useful   in   this   study,   however,   is  
uncovering  exactly  what  Saint  John  Bosco  wanted  
to   teach   his   young   charges   with   these   warnings.    
The   biography   Saint   John   Bosco   penned   for   his  
friend  Comollo  was  primarily  a  catechetical  tool  to  
teach  his  students  the  value  of  “the  Last  Things.”    
He  developed  a  pious  tradition  of  conducting  “an  
exercise  for  a  happy  death”  once  every  month  for  
this   purpose   beginning   in   1847.     Fr.   Lenti,   in   his  
review   of   Fr.   Stella’s   examination   of   Saint   John  
Bosco   on   the   topic   of   death   predictions,   points  
out  that  these  practices  were  not  meant  to  terrify  
the   students.     They   were   intended   to   teach  
important   lessons.   Fr.   Lenti   quotes   Fr.   Lemoyne  
from   The   Biographical   Memoirs   of   Saint   John  
Bosco:  
 
The   Exercise   for   a   Happy   Death   was  
another   powerful   factor   in   his   educational  
system.   When   boys   began   boarding   at   the  
Oratory,   they   made   the   exercise   for   a  
Happy   Death   with   the   day   pupils;   later   on  
he   scheduled   it   on   the   last   Sunday   of   the  
month   for   the   former,   and   on   the   first  
Sunday   for   the   latter.   To   make   it   truly  
effective,  he  exhorted  them  to  put  all  their  
spiritual   and   temporal   things   in   order   as  
though   they   were   to   appear   before   God's  
tribunal  on  that  day  and  to  be  mindful  that  
they  could  be  suddenly  called  into  eternity.  
[...]   The   worldly-­‐minded   might   think   that  
mentioning  death  to  young  boys  would  fill  
their   minds   with   gloomy   thoughts,   but  
that   was   not   so   at   all.   On   the   contrary,   it  
filled   their   hearts   with   peace   and   joy.  
Spiritual   unrest   comes   from   not   being   in  
God's  grace.1  
 
An  important  part  of  the  catechesis  of  Saint  John  
Bosco,   then,   centered   around   death   and   its  
inevitability.     However,   the   focus   had   its   context  
and  points  to  important  components  in  Saint  John  
Bosco’s   ministry   of   education.     The   most   obvious  
context   was,   of   course,   the   mortality   rate   in   that  
part   of   the   world   in   the   mid   nineteenth   century.    
In   an   age   before   anti-­‐biotics   and   treatments   for  
 
6  
common   recurring   illnesses,   sickness   and  
disease   often   claimed   many   young   lives.     The  
cholera   epidemics   of   1831   and   1854   were  
experiences   close   to   Saint   John   Bosco.     In   the  
first,   he   had   been   a   seminarian   and   witnessed  
the   exodus   of   many   students   under   the  
direction  of  the  protective  Jesuits.    In  the  latter,  
the   students   of   Saint   John   Bosco’s   Oratory  
would   bravely   assist   the   sick   and   dying   in   the  
ravaged   city   of   Turin,   winning   for   the   boys   and  
for   Saint   John   Bosco   the   reputation   of   holiness  
and   courage.     The   possibility   of   a   sudden   and  
unexpected   death,   at   any   age,   then,   was   not  
far-­‐fetched.     This   had   considerable   bearing   on  
the  piety  of  the  times.  
There   was   a   sense   of   urgency   in   living   life.    
Fidelity   to   one’s   duty   and   faithfulness   to   God  
was  not  something  to  postpone.    At  first  glance,  
especially   with   twenty-­‐first   century   filters,   this  
focus   upon   death   may   seem   morbid   or   suggest  
a  catechesis  reduced  to  scare-­‐tactics.    And  while  
fear   was   not   an   uncommon   tool   for  
evangelization   in   Saint   John   Bosco’s   era,   the  
evidence   suggests   that   the   predictions,   the  
dreams,   and   the   practices   of   preparation   for  
death   had   positive   consequences   for   the  
students   in   Saint   John   Bosco’s   care.     Fr.   Lenti’s  
survey   of   such   death   predictions   and   the  
practice   of   the   Exercise   for   a   Happy   Death  
comes  with  a  caution;  he  is  well  aware  that  fear  
by  itself  could  be  psychologically  damaging.    He  
concludes  this  survey,  with  appeals  for  caution,  
but  concludes  that  Saint  John  Bosco’s  approach  
had  to  be  much  more  than  fear  to  produce  such  
peaceful  and  positive  results  in  his  students.    In  
fact,  he  mentions  that  many  of  the  students  lost  
their   fear   of   death   and   strove   to   live   in  
readiness   to   meet   God—considering   the  
moment   of   death   to   be   a   great   and   wonderful  
moment  deserving  of  one’s  best  preparation.  
Perhaps   the   first   most   important   component  
revealed  in  this  approach  is  an  authentic  love  of  
God   based   on   a   personal   trust   and   the  
conscious   development   of   a   deep   relationship;  
such   a   relationship   created   a   longing   for   union  
with  God.    Certainly,  the  flip  side  of  this  coin  is  a  
fear   of   hell   and   damnation,   and   this   was   not   a  
catechetical   tactic   left   aside.     But   the   emphasis  

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  does   not   seem   to   be   left   in   that   dark   place.     The  
student   biographies   mentioned   earlier   are   Saint  
John   Bosco’s   greatest   testimony   to   the   positive.    
With   this   longing   for   union   with   God   came  
abhorrence  for  evil  in  all  of  its  forms.    This,  too,  has  
a  flip  side  with  a  focus  upon  the  power  of  the  devil  
prowling   to   devour   a   soul.       This   particular   focus  
upon   the   presence   of   evil   and   its   dangerous  
consequences   often   rises   to   the   surface   of   Saint  
John   Bosco’s   catechesis   and   not   infrequently  
without  great  drama  and  flare,  but  this  will  be  the  
next  subject  of  comparison.  
2.4.    Death  and  Its  
Connections  with  Evil  
Death  predictions  were  not  the  only  extra-­‐ordinary  
signs   in   Saint   John   Bosco’s   life.     He   also   had   vivid  
encounters   with   evil   and   seemed   to   be   able   to  
read   the   presence   of   evil   among   the   students.    
These   dimensions   of   Saint   John   Bosco   will   be  
analyzed  more  carefully  in  the  third  section  of  this  
study,  but  for  our  purposes  here,  a  link  needs  to  be  
made.      
For   Saint   John   Bosco,   death   was   not   a   neutral  
reality.     He   advocated   a   healthy   fear   of   death   as  
the  final  consequence  of  sin  and  evil  and  the  most  
dramatic   affirmation   of   its   power.     For   Saint   John  
Bosco,   physical   death   was   always   an   impending  
possibility,   but   it   was   spiritual   death   which  
preoccupied   him   more   than   anything   else.     “Give  
me   souls,   take   all   else   away!”   This   was   his   life’s  
project  as  inspired  by  Saint  Francis  de  Sales.  Saving  
and   protecting   the   souls   of   his   students   became  
the   highest   motivation   for   everything   he   did.     But  
his   vision   of   evil   did   not   confine   itself   to   moral  
ambiguity   or   mistaken   choices;   evil   was   a   force   to  
avoid  and  to  be  prepared  to  combat  with  all  one’s  
resources.     Details   of   his   own   resolutions   at  
various   points   in   his   own   personal   journey   of  
spiritual  growth  reveal  this  abhorrence  for  sin  and  
evil  and  this  readiness  to  fight  against  them.      
It  is  this  abhorrence  which  is  evident  in  the  lives  of  
the   young   men   Saint   John   Bosco   examined   in   his  
writings.     He   offered   their   examples   as   young  
people   whose   love   for   God   took   primary   place   in  
all  their  actions  and  goals.    Like  their  mentor,  they,  
too,   made   resolutions   to   turn   away   from   evil   at  
every   possible   encounter.     In   so   doing,   these  
 
7  
young   lads   met   death,   ready   to   meet   God,  
victorious   over   sin   and   evil.     They   were   the  
models,  not  only  of  how  to  die,  but  also  how  
to   live.     They   were   models   of   combating   evil  
in   all   of   its   manifestations,   internally   and  
externally.      
Evil   in   all   its   forms   was   to   be   avoided.     For  
Saint   John   Bosco,   the   devil   could   manifest  
itself   in   his   dreams   and   premonitions   in  
terrifying  detail.    Yet,  just  as  terrifying  was  his  
presentation   of   moral   decay.     For   him,   the  
external   and   the   internal   evils   were   all   the  
same.      
 
One   of   us   will   not   be   able   to   make   it  
again.   Who?   It   may   be   myself,   or   it  
may  be  one  of  you!  [...]  I  could  tell  you,  
but   I   won’t   just   now.   [...]   When   that  
happens,  you  will  say,  ‘I  never  thought  
he   would   be   the   one   to   die!”   [...]   I  
gave   you   something   to   think   about.  
Really   we   should   meditate   [on   death]  
all  the  time.  [...]  We  have  but  one  soul.  
[...]   If   we   lose   it,   it   would   be   lost  
forever.   [...]   I   know   that   boys   [...]   do  
wrong   with   inconceivable   light-­‐
mindedness   and   then   sleep   for   a   long  
time   with   a   horrible   monster   that  
could   tear   them   to   pieces   at   any  
moment.   Is   there   anything   to   alert   us  
to   this   danger?   Yes,   the   thought   of  
death!   I   shall   have   to   die   one   day.   [...]  
Will  it  be  a  slow  death  or  a  quick  one?  
Will   it   be   this   year,   this   month,   today,  
tonight?    What  will  happen  to  my  soul  
in   that   fatal   hour?   If   we   lose   it,   it   will  
be  lost  forever."1  
2.5.  Death  and  Evil  in  the  
Biographies  of  
Dominic  Savio  and                                  
Michael  Magone  
What   approach   does   Don   Bosco   offer   to   the  
subjects   of   evil   and   death   in   the   biographies  
of   Dominic   Savio   and   Michael   Magone?     This  
is  an  important  question  because  it  is  already  
evident   that   the   main   purpose   for   sharing  

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  details  about  the  lives  of  these  students  had  very  
clear   educational   and   catechetical   ends   in   Don  
Bosco’s   purpose.     Some   themes   may   be  
extracted  from  these  two  lives  to  highlight  these  
objectives  of  Don  Bosco.    We  do  not  find  in  these  
biographical   works   scientific   treatises   but  
evidence   of   Don   Bosco’s   practical   methods   for  
teaching   about   holiness,   the   last   things,   and   the  
sacramental  life.  
 
Don Bosco had no intention of offering his
readers learned or scientific works; with his
simple style, whether edifying or apologetic,
his aim was to touch the hearts of the people
and of his boys, both those he encountered
in the streets and those who were educated
within his institutions.
Although these writings are often
schematic or written for some special
occasion without any firm theoretical
underpinning, they tell us quite a lot about
Don Bosco’s doctrinal ideas and, at times,
about his practical method in educating
others about the sacraments. His doctrinal
ideas are, essentially, drawn from the widely
held theology of the official counter-
reformation and from the catechesis that
was produced in the climate of the
Restoration. It was the theology which had
coloured Giovanni Bosco’s entire
formation, at home, at school, in the
seminary and in the Ecclesiastical College.1
2.5.1.     Evil   and   Death   in   the  
Experience  of  Dominic  Savio  
Don   Bosco   credits   his   young   student   Dominic  
Savio   with   a   hunger   for   the   sacraments   already  
burning  within  him  before  coming  to  the  Oratory.    
Dominic   took   to   heart   the   council   of   a   priest   in  
his   own   parish   that   there   were   three   things   a  
young  person  would  need  do  to  prepare  well  for  
the   path   to   heaven:     “frequent   the   sacrament   of  
confession  often,  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist,  and  
open   your   heart   to   a   confessor…”1     And   Don  
Bosco   noted   that   Dominic   immediately   sought  
out  a  confessor  upon  coming  to  the  Oratory.    It  is  
interesting  to  note  Don  Bosco  also  mentions  that  
there  was  an  unusual  scrupulosity  at  the  time.      
 
8  
Fu qualche tempo dominato dagli scru-
poli; perciò voleva confessarsi ogni
quattro giorni ed anche più spesso; ma il
suo direttore spirituale nol permise e lo
tenne all’obbedienza, della confessione
settimanale.1 (It was a time dominated
by scrupulosity; therefore one was
encouraged to go to confession at least
four days in the week; but if the
confessor did not permit this, one must
obey with only a weekly confession).
Don   Bosco   describes   Dominic’s   desire   not   in  
morbid   or   unbalanced   terms,   but   coming  
from   a   deep   joy.     In   fact,   it   would   be   Don  
Bosco   who   would   urge   him   to   not   look   for  
other   penances   to   combat   sin,   but   merely  
maintain   a   good   example,   put   up   with   the  
cold   and   hunger   of   each   day,   and   do   one’s  
duties  with  joyful  diligence.1    This  became  the  
primary  project  of  the  young  Savio.    
Dominic  gladly  took  this  advice  and  became  a  
model   of   obedience   and   diligence   to   his  
companions   and   he   translated   that   into  
proactive   steps   to   align   others   in   holiness.    
This  was  his  weapon  against  evil.    With  a  band  
of   companions,   he   pledged   many   virtuous  
practices  to  the  Immaculate  Mother  of  God  in  
December  of  1854.  
As   time   went   on,   however,   it   was   clear   that  
his   health   was   not   improving.     Dominic   is  
never   shown   to   reveal   any   fear   of   dying   in  
these  accounts  of  Don  Bosco.    The  opposite  is  
true.   In   fact,   when   Don   Bosco   sends   Dominic  
home   in   March   of   1857,   Don   Bosco   tells   him  
he  will  get  well  and  will  return  to  the  Oratory.    
Dominic’s   response   is   clear   and   decisive   that  
he  will  not  return  and  projects  what  great  joy  
would  be  his  upon  entering  paradise.1  
Dominic   was   conscientious   about  
mortification  of  the  senses,  about  daily  prayer  
and   devotions,   and   about   being   the   most  
cheerful  and  diligent  example  he  could  be  for  
his   companions.     Don   Bosco   describes   a  
moment   when   Dominic   fled   from   a   man  
peddling   pornography   and   another   time  
when   he   confiscated   his   materials   and   tore  
them  to  bits.    He  had  no  room  for  evil  and  told  

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  his  companions  that  God  had  given  them  eyes  to  
contemplate   the   beauty   he   had   created,   not   to  
give   into   these   vile   interests.     His   actions  
matched  his  words.1  
Two  things  are  very  obvious  in  the  mere  mention  
of   these   few   details.     Dominic,   before   the  
direction   of   Don   Bosco,   and   especially   after,  
hungered   for   sanctity.     But   this   hunger   did   not  
remove  him  from  life  or  his  companions.    In  fact,  
he   very   much   struggled   as   Don   Bosco   and  
Dominic’s  father  discussed  what  course  of  action  
to  take  as  his  health  worsened.    He  was  obedient  
in  returning  home,  but  he  had  tried  once,  only  to  
insist   upon   returning   to   the   Oratory   to   continue  
his  studies.    The  last  time,  he  was  aware  he  would  
not  return.    But  he  accepted  this  with  more  than  
resignation;   he   was   anxious   to   return   to   God.    
This   hunger   for   holiness   expressed   itself   in  
practical  ways  as  he  threw  himself  into  his  duties.    
But   his   activity   was   always   predisposed   to  
combat   evil   in   every   form—within   himself   and  
those   around   him.     The   second   feature   of   this  
quick  glance  is  the  readiness  for  “the  last  things”  
that   marks   Dominic’s   experience   of   declining  
health.    Don  Bosco  mentions  many  conversations  
in   which   Dominic   shows   no   concern   for   his  
“carcass”   but   only   for   his   soul.     Dominic   told   a  
companion   that   his   “carcass”   was   not   meant   to  
last   forever   but,   with   the   help   of   our   Lady,   he  
would   be   led   to   paradise   where   his   impatient  
soul   would   “melt”   away   from   his   body   and   fly  
readily   to   God.1     Obviously,   then,   Don   Bosco’s  
system   of   education   had   achieved   its   purpose   in  
this   young   life.     Dominic   had   become   an  
outstanding   citizen   of   both   this   world   and  
heaven.  
 
2.5.2.       Evil   and   Death   in   the  
Experience   of   Michael  
Magone  
In   Don   Bosco’s   examination   of   Michael   Magone,  
we  have  another  figure  of  youthful  holiness.    But  
unlike   Dominic,   who   seemed   predisposed   for  
holiness,   Don   Bosco   dedicates   the   second  
chapter   of   his   biography   of   Magone   to   outline  
 
9  
the   boys   resistance   to   moral   reform   and   the  
restlessness   leading   to   a   change   within   him.    
Don   Bosco   identifies   this   restlessness  
specifically,   and   this   is   key   to   his  
understanding   of   Grace,   sin,   and   salvation.    
He   identifies   this   unhappiness   precisely   as   a  
response   to   a   lack   of   confession   or   the  
making   of   a   bad   confession.     Don   Bosco  
shares   a   dialogue   that   he   had   with   Magone.    
In   that   dialogue,   the   young   man   admits   to  
being   filled   with   remorse.     As   Don   Bosco  
questions   him,   trying   to   lead   him   to   his  
conclusions,   Magone   surmises   that   his  
restlessness   has   something   to   do   with   not  
being   able   to   share   in   the   joy   and   piety   of   his  
companions.     At   one   point,   Don   Bosco   asks  
him   what   is   holding   him   back   from   joining  
them,   and   it   is   clear   in   this   exchange   that   he  
already   has   the   answer,   though   he   is   coaxing  
Magone   to   see   the   reality   of   his   own  
sinfulness.1    
During   this   conversation,   Don   Bosco   does  
something   which   has   marked   him   out   as   a  
man   of   God-­‐-­‐and   we   will   look   at   this   gift   in  
greater   detail   in   the   next   section;   he   names  
Magone’s  sins.    He  promises  not  to  intrude  on  
his   conscience,   but   he   invites   him   to  
acknowledge  the  list.    The  dramatic  point  Don  
Bosco   makes   is   that   Magone   does   eventually  
confess   and   begins   a   new   life,   close   to   the  
Sacraments.  
He  makes  a  study  of  the  growth  of  Magone’s  
virtue   and   recounts   episode   after   episode.    
But,   it   will   be   in   the   face   of   death   that  
Magone’s   true   conversion   rings   clearly.     It   is  
interesting   the   Fr.   Jacques   Schepens  
highlights   a   tension   between   two   sides   of  
Don   Bosco   in   this   kind   of   work.     He   sees   a  
tension   between   the   “anxious,   vigilant   Don  
Bosco”   and   the   “gentle,   kindly   Don   Bosco  
who   appealed   to   the   moral   sense   of   the  
young   and   the   personal   bond   between   the  
educator”1  and  the  youth.  
 
Where the eternal salvation of souls was
concerned, Don Bosco did not want to
take any risks, and he was prepared to
apply a certain amount of pressure on

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the consciences of his boys in a way that is
today less acceptable. This is the Don
Bosco who insisted on the need for
confession because of the natural
“weakness” of the young which leads them
more easily into sin and can cause them to
make bad confessions. In his opinion these
boys needed to be convinced by their
educators that the sacraments of confession
and communion are their best safeguards, or
that frequent confession is a “support during
the unstable period of youth.”1
Fr.   Schepens   is   careful   to   point   out   the  
observation   made   by   Fr.   Pietro   Stella   that   this  
“rigid”   Don   Bosco   did   not   distance   him   from   the  
young.    In  fact,  as  in  other  areas  of  their  lives,  he  
inspired   fatherly   affection   and   trust   in   the  
confessional.     In   this   life   of   Magone,   as   in   the  
biographical   reports   of   Savio   and   Besucco,   Don  
Bosco   gradually   introduced   the   idea   of   a  
permanent  confessor  to  Magone.1  
Underlying   this   process   of   education,   this  
insistence  upon  confession,  the  right  relationship  
with   God,   etc,   is   Don   Bosco’s   anthropology.     For  
him,   man   is   “existing   for   God”1  and   for   no   other  
purpose.    In  view  of  this,  any  small  event,  idea,  or  
influence   that   could   veer   any   person   off   of   this  
path   toward   identification   in   God   is   an   evil   unto  
itself.     As   we   will   see,   Don   Bosco   had   a   flare   for  
the   dramatic   and   visual   when   dealing   with   evil  
hoping   such   illustration   could   attract   the  
attention  of  the  young.      
Unlike   Dominic   Savio,   Magone   was   small   in  
stature,   but   “sturdy”   as   Don   Bosco   put   it.     He  
described  him  as  lively  and  Don  Bosco  admits  his  
own   wish   that   Magone   had   lived   to   become   a  
priest.     This   was   not   to   be.     Perhaps   this  
surprising   death   became   an   even   more   valuable  
witness  to  Don  Bosco  for  his  young  people  since  
any  one  of  them  could  relate  to  the  possibility  of  
a  sudden  change  in  their  health.    There  is,  then,  a  
bit   of   distance   and   a   particular   nuance   that  
seems   a   trusting   sadness   and   resignation   as   Don  
Bosco   recounts   the   death   of   Magone.     Here  
again,   his   message   about   the   “last   things”   is  
emphasized  with  simplicity  and  directness.  
Magone’s   sickness,   surfacing   in   January   of   1859,  
 
10  
appeared  a  mere  flu  but  progressed  rapidly  to  
an   internal   bleeding   that   confined   the   boy   to  
bed.    He  seemed  very  aware  that  this  was  his  
last   moment   in   life.     Don   Bosco   reports  
evidence   of   this   awareness   in   Magone   even  
before   the   onset   of   the   illness.     Magone  
would  die  at  the  Oratory  and  Don  Bosco  could  
record  his  last  words.    When  Don  Bosco  asked  
the  boy  if  he  would  rather  be  healed  or  go  to  
eternity,  his  first  response  was  not  surprising,  
“Whatever   the   Lord   wills.”     Pressed   further,  
Magone   said   he   was   ready   to   meet   God   and  
anxious   to   do   so.     His   parting   words,   left  
consciously   to   his   companions   and   his   own  
dear   Mother,   was   to   prepare   themselves   for  
death   by   making   good   and   frequent  
confessions   that   the   Mother   of   God   may  
accompany   them   at   the   last   hours   and   that  
those  hours  may  be  filled  with  peace.1  
 
2.5.3.      Setting   in   Motion  
the  Prevention  of  Evil  
We   can   see,   then,   that   Don   Bosco’s   main  
preoccupation   was   preparedness   for   death  
and   the   resistance   to   evil.     His   method   of  
education   reflected   this   on   every   level.     He  
wanted   to   set   in   motion   a   movement   to  
prevent  evil  from  threatening  the  young  from  
their   promise   of   eternal   life.     This   was   not   a  
consequence   of   his   mission—it   was   his  
mission  entirely.      
The   discussion   of   moral   evil,   choice,   and  
holiness   cannot   go   without   mentioning   Don  
Bosco’s   extra-­‐ordinary   encounters   with   evil.    
It   may   have   been   his   way   of   driving   a   point  
home   to   his   young   people,   but   it   was  
effective.     To   combat   evil,   one   must   name   it  
clearly.    To  this  task  we  now  turn.  
 
Part   III:     Preventing   and  
Combating  Evil  
3.        Preparing  for  Battle  
We   have   seen   his   intentional   and   educational  
focus   upon   death.     We   have   touched   lightly  
upon  his  ability  to  read  the  presence  of  death  

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  and   predict   its   movements.     To   re-­‐iterate:   death  
was   not   a   neutral   reality   for   Saint   John   Bosco.    
This  conviction  went  beyond  mere  physical  death  
to   the   reality   of   spiritual   death.     Both   realities  
were   the   results   of   the   presence   of   evil   from  
within   and   without.     Both   were   effects   of   man’s  
fall   from   Grace.     For   Saint   John   Bosco,   death,   to  
be   overcome   effectively,   called   upon   the   person  
of  faith  to  live  a  life  worthy  of  the  next  life.    Such  
a  mission  was  the  focus  of  his  whole  life.      
He   was   convinced   that   any   effort   to   take   on   this  
mission   of   preparation   would   be   met   by  
opposition.     This   opposition   would   come,   as  
death   and   evil   themselves,   from   within   and  
without.     To   be   armed   for   battle   against   this  
opposition,   one   would   have   to   know   the   enemy  
well.     Saint   John   Bosco   knew   the   enemy   well  
from   his   own   life   and   set   about   the   business   of  
preparing  his  young  people  to  do  battle.      
3.1.   Beyond   Death   to   New  
Life  
It   can   be   said   that   Saint   John   Bosco   certainly  
knew   the   enemy   and   spent   his   life   preparing  
others   to   know,   meet,   and   overcome   that   same  
enemy.     The   enemy   for   Saint   John   Bosco,  
ultimately,   was   the   loss   of   one’s   soul.     To   die   in  
the   state   of   sin—the   place   of   separation   from  
God—was   the   greatest   enemy   and   evil   to  
confront  in  any  person’s  life.      
Death   is   the   first   face   of   evil   encountered   by  
Saint   John   Bosco.     Death   robbed   him   of   his  
father,   Fr.   Calosso,   his   dear   mother,   many   of   his  
friends,   and   many   of   his   own   students.     Death  
was   an   enemy   that   knocked   forcefully   upon   his  
door   more   than   once,   nearly   robbing   him   of   his  
own   life   and   energy.     Because   of   the   devotion  
and   prayers   of   his   own   students   early   in   his  
priestly   life,   Saint   John   Bosco   was   convinced   he  
was  spared  from  a  terrible  sickness  to  live  out  his  
mission   for   their   sakes.     But   it   would   be  
inaccurate   to   leave   this   first   face   of   evil   with   the  
impression   that   it   was   supreme   and  
unchangeable.     With   proper   attention   to   one’s  
choices,   by   making   good   moral   choices,   this   first  
face  of  evil  could  be  destroyed.    In  fact,  what  we  
fear   most   could   actually   transform   into   a  
 
11  
beautiful  invitation  to  new  and  complete  life  if  
one   lived   with   the   proper   focus   and  
motivation.     For   Saint   John   Bosco,   there   was  
no   greater   motivation   than   to   serve   and   love  
God.    For  him,  this  translated  best  into  service  
of  the  young.    And  this  service,  both  temporal  
and   spiritual,   was   best   described   as   guiding  
souls   to   salvation.     We   have   seen   there   were  
many   lives   Saint   John   Bosco   could   not   save.      
He   had   little   power   over   the   reality   of   death  
when   it   came   for   his   boys.     But   he   had  
tremendous   power   to   lead   them   in   hope   to  
the   promise   of   new   life.     They   embraced   this  
promise   with   lives   of   good   moral   choices,   as  
positive   examples   among   their   peers,   and   as  
an  ultimate  victory  over  death  by  returning  to  
a  loving  and  forgiving  God.      
3.2.   The   Mask   of   Sin—
Barrier  to  New  Life  
At   the   risk   of   moving   backwards   in   this  
assessment,   however,   there   is   the   other   face  
of   evil   to   mention   here.     Saint   John   Bosco  
believed   the   more   terrifying   face   of   evil   was  
that   of   sinfulness.     To   choose   sin   was   to  
choose   eternal   death,   to   become   separated  
from   a   loving   God.     To   combat   this   particular  
face   of   evil,   Saint   John   Bosco   worked   to  
uncover   its   every   disguise.     He   spent   himself  
totally   in   the   daily   task   of   revealing   evil’s  
appearance  in  every  part  of  life.  Here,  too,  evil  
came  from  within  and  without.      
On  the  surface,  this  mask  of  sin  can  be  said  to  
have   come   to   the   boys   from   within   their  
hearts   and   in   the   environments   in   which   they  
were   situated.     Like   death,   they   often   could  
not   escape   from   or   strategize   against   the  
losses   of   being   born   into   poverty,   becoming  
imprisoned   by   slave   labor,   or   hopelessly   set  
upon   some   path   to   nowhere   without  
education   or   practical   direction.     Too   often  
they   had   no   resource   to   lead   them   out   of   so  
much     disadvantage.     Saint   John   Bosco  
believed,   however,   that   he   could   help   the  
boys   overcome   these   circumstances   imposed  
from  without  and  give  them  the  roadmap  for  
finding  holiness.      
Because   the   enemy   was   formidable   in   their  

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  lives,  more  formidable  than  their  own  poverty,  he  
made   use   of   dreams,   stories,   and   rich  
imagination   to   grab   the   attention   of   the   young  
and   to   make   them   aware   of-­‐-­‐   without   a   doubt-­‐-­‐  
the  most  grievous  threat  of  sin.      
 
3.2.   The  Mask  of  
Abandonment  and  
Alienation—Barrier  to  Daily  
Life  
Saint   John   Bosco   never   set   out   to   create   a  
spiritual   reality   for   getting   through   life.     Instead,  
he  nurtured  the  spirit  to  change  the  conditions  of  
life.     He   was   busy   about   transforming   souls   so  
that   he   could   transform   the   world   one   good  
citizen  at  a  time.    His  heart  was  moved  by  the  evil  
of   exploitation.     He   spoke   the   language   a   poor  
and   orphaned   child   would   understand   and  
offered   them   a   chance   to   rise   out   of   their  
circumstances.     This   face   of   evil,   abandonment  
and   alienation,   came   from   many   different  
directions.     The   most   obvious   face   appeared   in  
the   orphaned   youth   on   the   streets   of   Turin.     But  
he   found   this   same   face   in   the   young   prisoners  
he   visited   regularly.     In   fact,   it   was   this   face   in  
prison   that   moved   him   to   work   to   prevent   this  
further  alienation  in  the  lives  of  young  people  by  
offering   them   education   and   protection   before  
ending  up  in  prison.  
While   he   dedicated   himself   to   giving   each   young  
person   the   tools   to   rise   out   of   poverty   and  
ignorance,   he   was   more   concerned   about  
offering   other   kinds   of   tools   to   the   young:   tools  
for  holiness.  
 
3.   3.       Symbols   of   Evil   and  
Sin—Pervasive  Barriers  
When   it   came   to   the   topic   of   sin,   Saint   John  
Bosco  never  minced  his  words  nor  watered  down  
his  message.    Sin  was  evil  and  to  be  avoided  at  all  
costs.     To   illustrate   its   power   and   sway   in   young  
lives,   Saint   John   Bosco   often   employed   horrific  
and   classical   images   of   evil   and   the   devil   itself.    
 
12  
We   have   already   briefly   examined   his  
predictions  of  death.    Let  us  turn  again  to  the  
Salesian   scholars   to   examine   the   faces   of   sin  
and   evil   he   used   to   drive   home   the   necessity  
for  holiness.  
Fr.  Lenti  examines  the  work  of  Fr.  Stella  in  his  
examination   of   the   Biographical   Memoirs   and  
The  Memoirs  of  the  Oratory.    He  makes  a  quick  
survey   of   the   premonitions   of   Saint   John  
Bosco  and  their  mention  of  evil.      
He   categorizes   the   dreams   and   premonitions  
in   this   manner:     There   are   predictive   dreams  
warning   the   young   people   about   deaths   in  
their  community  and  the  necessity  to  prepare  
their  hearts  and  souls  to  meet  God.    There  are  
also   moralistic   dreams   with   symbols   pointing  
out   good   and   evil   choices   and   their  
consequences.    Fr.  Lenti  also  classifies  certain  
dreams   as   clairvoyant   and   others   as   visionary  
experiences.     Sometimes   Saint   John   Bosco  
presented   composite   “dreams”   employing  
actual   historical   figures   and   their   realities  
while   blending   these   with   symbolic   images  
and  actions.    There  are  woven  between  these  
teaching   tools   “extra-­‐ordinary   occurrences”  
as   well,   such   as   multiplications,   healings,   and  
encounters   with   the   dead.     The   element  
common   in   all   of   these   communications   and  
experiences   is   the   powerful   images   of   evil  
used  to  illustrate  the  danger  of  sin.  
To   exhaust   this   list   would   take   another  
lengthy   study.     Some   recurring   images   of   evil  
in   these   communications   made   especially  
during  the  1860’s  are  these  representations  of  
evil:       An   elephant   who   destroys   many   of   the  
students  after  luring  them  by  their  curiosity;  a  
snake   that   trips   the   boys   and   squeezes   the  
life   out   of   many;   the   flesh   of   a   serpent   that  
makes  the  boys  deathly  ill;  hardly  visible  traps  
of   thin   wires   pulling   many   youth   over   cliffs  
and   into   the   abyss;   hearts   eaten   by   worms;   a  
serpent  destroyed  by  a  rope  (the  rosary);  four  
wolves   prowling   through   the   Oratory;   and  
more.1  
In   these   same   years,   especially   during   the  
final   stages   of   the   building   of   the   Basilica   of  
Mary,   Help   of   Christians,   Saint   John   Bosco  
shared   stories   of   encounters   with   demons  

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  appearing   as   toads   and   other   awful   beasts.     He  
described   a   huge   beast   at   the   center   of   a   cave  
where   he   had   followed   the   lines   of   traps   pulling  
his   boys   away.     In   his   dream   of   hell,   his  
descriptions   of   the   various   levels   of   hell   and   its  
inhabitants   are   terrifying.     From   beasts   to  
monsters   to   desperate   states   of   suffering   and  
pain,  Saint  John  Bosco  left  no  ambiguity  as  to  the  
horror   one   must   have   of   moral   evil   and   the  
danger  of  losing  one’s  soul.    
Into  this  list  might  be  added  the  belief  that  Saint  
John   Bosco,   like   many   saints   before   him,   had  
personal   encounters   with   the   devil   itself.     He  
spoke  of  touching  the  outermost  wall  of  hell  and  
the   blistering   and   peeling   of   his   palm   which  
followed.     He   spoke   of   demons   pinning   him   in  
bed,   fires   set   spontaneously,   and   ink   strewn  
across  his  writing.    Obviously,  such  details  would  
have   fascinated   and   frightened   his   listeners.     It  
seems  that  no  matter  the  device,  be  it  a  dream,  a  
vision,   a   prediction,   a   personal   encounter   with  
evil,   or   the   incidence   of   sudden   and   unexpected  
death,   Saint   John   Bosco   wanted   to   display   the  
faces   of   evil   in   all   its   terror   to   encourage   in   his  
students   a   healthy   fear   of   evil   and   its  
consequences.      
 
Part   IV:     Extraordinary  
Manifestations  of  Evil  
4.   Prevention—Fighting   Sin  
at  its  Roots  
There   is   never   any   mention   of   a   physical   mark  
that   stands   out   in   Saint   John   Bosco’s   story—at  
least   not   a   literal   or   physical   mark   on   his   person.    
We  have  already  looked  at  the  scar  left  in  his  life  
by   death   and   abandonment   and   the   power   that  
impression   made   to   propel   him   into   ministry   for  
poor   and   abandoned   youth.     We   have   looked   at  
the   mark   of   evil   as   he   found   it   threatening   the  
souls  of  his  students  and  its  many  manifestations.    
We   can   also   suggest   that   the   saint   was   bent   on  
leaving   a   mark   of   holiness   in   the   hearts   of   his  
young  charges  so  that  they  might  make  the  right  
decision  when  the  choice  between  good  and  evil  
 
13  
would   inevitably   present   itself   time   and   time  
again  in  their  lives.  
With   Cain,   who   murdered   his   brother   in   the  
book  of  Genesis,  sin  left  its  mark  on  the  story  
of   humanity   in   the   symbolic   figure   of   this  
brother  cursed  to  wander  the  earth  a  marked  
man.     Saint   John   Bosco   spent   his   life  
protecting   his   students   from   wandering  
through   the   wastelands   of   sin—the   empty  
promises   which   lure   all   of   us   to   pursuits  
selfish   and   deadly—figuratively,   spiritually,  
and  literally.      
 
4.1.   The   Mark   of   Sin   at   the  
Oratory  
A   remarkable   detail   in   the   life   of   Saint   John  
Bosco   was   his   ability   to   read   the   sins   of   his  
students.    He  often  commented  that  he  could  
see  the  sins  of  the  boys  on  their  foreheads  in  
various   dreams   and   premonitions.     But   this  
was   not   the   only   place   where   he  
demonstrated   this   ability.     There   are  
numerous   accounts   of   boys   who   were  
approached  by  the  saint  who  asked  them  why  
they   had   left   this   or   that   sin   out   of   their   last  
confession.     There   were   others   he   urged   to  
make   confession   and   could   reveal   their   most  
disturbing   fault.     One   of   his   own   students,  
who   would   become   one   of   the   first   Salesians  
and  his  first  successor  as  the  Superior  General  
of   the   Salesian   Society,   Fr.   Michael   Rua,  
offered  these  words:  
 
“Someone may think that, in manifesting
his pupils’ conduct and personal secrets,
Don Bosco was availing himself of
information he had received from the
boys themselves or from the young
seminarians supervising them. I can state
with absolute certainty that [this was not
the case]. [...] The belief that Don Bosco
could read our sins on our foreheads was
so common that, when anyone
committed a sin, he shied away from
Don Bosco until he had gone to
confession. [...] Besides showing them
their state of conscience as he had seen it
in his dreams, Don Bosco used to

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announce things one could not humanly
know, such as future deaths and other
events. The more I consider these facts and
revelations [...] the more deeply am I
convinced that God had endowed him with
the gift of prophecy.” [Ibid. 482f.] Father
Bonetti's chronicle is quoted with regard to
the good effects of this dream. [Ibid. 484f.]1
We   have   already   seen   that   the   motivation   for  
Saint   John   Bosco’s   every   action   was     the  
salvation   of   the   young.     We   can   conclude,   then,  
that   this   reading   of   the   mark   of   sin   on   the  
foreheads   of   the   young   people   did   not   make  
these   young   people   bad   in   themselves,   but  
alerted   Saint   John   Bosco,   and   therefore   the  
students,   to   deal   with   whatever   force   of   sin   was  
polluting  their  lives.    He  never  used  this  ability  to  
label   any   student   but   to   warn   the   young   man   to  
set   things   straight   with   God.     There   is   no  
evidence   that   he   ever   used   this   to   shun   any  
student   or   to   make   a   public   embarrassment   of  
any  of  them.    Saint  John  Bosco  saw  the  effect  of  
evil  on  their  young  lives.    He,  in  effect,  felt  its  pain  
for  them  and  alerted  them  to  make  a  change.  
 
4.2.   The  Mark  of  Holiness  in  
St.  John  Bosco:  Sacramental  
Life  
.     Don   Bosco’s   own   words   tell   us   that   his   first  
encounter   with   the   power   of   reconciliation   over  
sin  left  and  indelible  mark  in  his  life.    This  mark  is  
the  mark  of  grace  impressed  upon  a  boy  of  six  or  
seven  receiving  the  first  sacraments.    Very  often,  
when  referring  to  the  lessons  of  his  dear  mother,  
John   Bosco   described   her   messages   as   written  
on   his   heart.     Let   us   venture   to   say,   then,   that  
John   Bosco’s   mother,   Mama   Margaret,   gave   her  
whole   life   to   her   sons.     In   so   doing,   she   left   a  
mark   of   selfless   love   that   kept   her   boys   on   the  
path  of  holiness.    Fr.  Daniel  Lyons  and  Fr.  Michael  
Mendl   offer   these   words   of   Pius   XII   in   their   1989  
translation  of  The  Memoirs  of  the  Oratory:    
 
John would have been six or seven when he
first received the sacrament of penance, by
 
14  
which Christ acts through his priestly
minister to forgive sins committed since
baptism. Pope Pius XII (1939-1958),
speaking to Christian families on the
feast of Saint John Bosco, January 30,
1940, referred to the little house at
Becchi:
Imagine the 'young widow with
her three sons kneeling for morning and
evening prayer. See the children, in their
best clothes, going to the nearby village
of Morialdo for holy Mass. See them
gathered around her in the afternoon
after a frugal meal in which there would
only be a little bread on which she had
invoked the Lord's blessing. She reminds
her sons of the commandments of God
and the Church, of the important lessons
from the catechism, of the various means
of salvation. She then goes on to speak
in simple but forceful country terms of
the tragic story of Cain and Abel, or of
the painful death of her dear Jesus,
nailed to the cross on Calvary for all of
us.
Who can possibly measure the
lasting influence of the first lessons
given by a good mother to her children?
It was to such lessons that Don Bosco
the priest used to attribute his loving
devotion to Mary and to Jesus in the
Blessed Sacrament.1
Fr.   Juan   Maria   Laboa   suggests   that   St.   John  
Bosco’s  vision  of  holiness  was,  in  its  time,  very  
utilitarian.     We   know   the   significance   of   his  
Mother’s   influence.     We   have   seen   his   own  
spirituality   and   piety   surviving   rigorism   in   his  
on  training.    And  it  is  obvious  that  his  vision  of  
the  “last  things”  was  nuanced  by  the  realities  
of  his  day:  immanent  death,  moral  ambiguity,  
and   anti-­‐religious   sentiment.     For   Don   Bosco,  
holiness   consisted   chiefly   of   connection   to  
the   Church   and   a   defense   of   what   is   true.    
Don  Bosco  equated  holiness  with  morality:  
“Oh the Catholic religion, holy and
divine! What wonderful benefits you
bring to those who practice you, hope in
you and trust in you. How fortunate are

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90
 
those who live within your bosom and
observe your precepts!”1
Don Bosco was so sure of this that he
founded a Congregation designed to help
young people and others in general to
achieve these benefits.1
Part   V:     Transforming   the  
World   One   Good   Citizen   at   a  
Time  
5.1.     Moral   Choice:     Right   or  
Left,  Religious  or  Political?  
One   of   the   criticisms   of   the   Salesians   of   Don  
Bosco   since   the   time   of   their   founder,   John  
Bosco,   has   been   their   lack   of   involvement   in   the  
politics   of   their   settings.     Having   expanded  
throughout   the   world   in   unparalleled   missionary  
outreach   with   remarkable   speed,   certainly  
Salesians   have   found   themselves   in   various  
political  contexts  which  others  might  perceive  as  
demanding   political   response.     Saint   John   Bosco  
never  advocated  indifference,  but  he  also  did  not  
espouse   political   affiliation.     In   imitation   of   their  
founder,   Salesians   have   often   been   busy   about  
the   livelihood   and   well-­‐being   of   the   young,  
protecting   their   rights   by   education   and  
evangelization,   physically   moving   and   hiding  
them   if   needed   (as   happened   in   Liberia     and  
Sierra   Leone   in   West   Africa   not   long   ago,   and   as  
continues   in   China   and   Vietnam   at   the   writing   of  
this   article)   but   never   becoming   politically   active  
in   such   a   way   that   would   draw   them   away   from  
their   daily   efforts   nor   put   their   young   people  
within  the  target  of  political  violence.      
Saint   John   Bosco   walked   another   kind   of  
tightrope  as  an  adult,  the  tightrope  of  diplomacy.    
At  a  time  when  the  government  in  Piedmont  was  
anti-­‐clerical,   closing   seminaries,   and   restricting  
properties,   Saint   John   Bosco   was   opening  
schools  and  educating  the  displaced  seminarians.    
At   a   time   when   the   nasty   vines   of   heretical  
theology   wound   their   way   into   the   pieties   and  
scrupulosities   of   seminaries,   theologates,   and  
liturgical   practice,   Saint   John   Bosco   was  
 
15  
advocating   joyful   friendship   with   God,   daily  
communion,   and   other   unheard   of   practices  
for  his  time.      
 
5.2.   Eschatological  Hope  or  
Conservative  Icon?    
Anyone   who   has   worked   with   young   people  
and   turned   to   the   stories   of   St.   John   Bosco’s  
life   will   remember   the   power   those   stories  
have   had   over   their   young   audiences.     But  
why  is  this?    Often  times  the  stories  are  scary,  
laced   with   images   of   demons   or   assassins.    
Other   stories   recount   horrifying   dreams.    
Another   side   of   the   stories   would   seem   too  
distant   in   time   and   culture   to   speak   to   young  
people  of  today  with  their  themes  of  religious  
discipline,   guidelines   for   virtuous   living  
(suggesting   that   games,   card-­‐playing,   and  
even   playing   the   violin   could   be   dangerous  
and   sinful!).     What   about   messages   of  
moderation   can   speak   to   young   people  
today?    How  can  the  story  of  a  peasant  boy  in  
the  nineteenth  century  speak  with  power  and  
appeal?     Is   his   story   ever   rescued   from   the  
rigorism  of  his  training?  
Some   religious   groups   have   adopted   Saint  
John   Bosco   as   their   patron   for   this   or   that  
cause   or   movement.     Unfortunately,   many   of  
these   groups   demonstrate   a   judgmental   and  
conservative   brand   of   faith   that   would   be  
surprising   to   Saint   John   Bosco.     Taking   his  
words   and   images   out   of   context,   many   of  
these   associations   paint   a   dismal   picture   of  
this   great   friend   of   youth   as   anything   but  
friendly.     They   use   his   teaching   to   prop   up  
their   claims   to   moral   certainty   and   to  
denounce  much  of  what  is  in  our  world  today.    
Ironically,   John   Bosco   would   probably   be  
found  on  their  suspect  lists  today  as  he  would  
mingle  among  the  young  to  know  their  world  
and  to  present  to  them  and  attainable  ideal  of  
holiness.      
It   is   important   to   stress   that   Don   Bosco’s  
attention    to  “the  last  things”  was  based  on  a  
tremendous   optimism   rooted   in   an  
eschatological   vision   of   reality.     This   is  
contrary   to   many   conservative   groups   of  

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12
  Catholics   enlisting   members   today   for   their  
various  causes.      
 
Don Bosco’s vision of the future, with his
all-conquering optimism was very different
from that of the doom and gloom prevailing
in the apocalyptic model of many Catholics.
It was also different from the model set up
by the Catholic Movement after 1870.
Doubtless, this was due to the interior
choice that he had been forced to make
between the rigorism of his own
ecclesiastical formation and the spirit of St.
Francis de Sales to which he felt personally
called.1
Putting  John  Bosco’s  stories  and  teachings  in  the  
right   context,   this   eschatological   hope,     allows  
them   to   breathe   new   life   and   new   insights   into  
any  outreach  for  the  young.    The  proper  context  
has   been   set   down   clearly   by   Saint   John   Bosco  
and   it   is   evasive   because   it   is   so   obvious.     The  
proper   context   to   teach   and   share   with   the  
young   is   in   their   world   and   in   their   terms.     That  
demands   getting   messy.     That   demands   leaving  
the   comfort   zone   and   protection   of   this   or   that  
affiliation   or   the   certainty   of   any   self-­‐righteous  
position.     So   obvious   and   tangible   is   this   context  
that  it  is  often  distrusted  as  too  simple  or  too  old-­‐
fashioned.    How  difficult  it  can  be  to  actually  hear  
what   the   young   are   saying   and   to   see   what   they  
are   experiencing.     But   it   is   here   that   Saint   John  
Bosco   has   always   assured   anyone   interested   in  
touching  their  lives  that  God  can  be  found  as  real  
and   alive.     Eschatological   hope   does   not   move  
out  of  fashion.  
5.3.   Transformations:   Victory  
Over   Sin,   Evil,   and   Death   for  
Today  
 What  can  this  focus  upon  “the  last  things”  say  to  
the   educators   of   our   time?     Perhaps   the   most  
obvious   response   to   that   question   is   simply   to  
recognize,   once   again,   the   existence   of   sin,   evil,  
and  death  in  a  culture  which  has  grown  numb  to  
those   realities.     The   numbness   is   from   too   much  
 
information   and   permits   the   viewer   to   be  
merely   a   spectator.     In   recent   years,   the  
internet   has   provided,   sadly,   an   intimacy   with  
death   that   has   made   it   more   a   commodity   for  
entertainment   than   something   that   demands  
our   personal   reflection.     Curiosity,   even   morbid  
curiosity,   has   the   power   to   hold   death—and  
sin,   and   evil—at   a   distance.     We   can   watch   the  
gruesome   beheading   of   a   journalist   on   the  
internet,   see   bombing   in   Iraq   through   night  
vision   technology,   and   absorb   endless   images  
and  sounds  of  war,  anger,  despair,  hunger,  and  
genocide   without   any   of   the   profound   impact  
such   events   would   have   had   at   any   other   time  
in   history.     How   can   this   pedagogy   of   Don  
Bosco  speak  to  such  an  age?    Is  there  any  thing  
at   all   that   can   strike   balance   and   reflection   in  
our  lives  and  the  lives  of  the  young?      
The  best  answers  usually  come  from  the  young  
people  themselves.    Are  they  looking  for  victory  
over   sin,   evil,   and   death?     Is   this   a   useless  
ministry   or   one   that   is   vital   and   pertinent   for  
today.  
Craig   Kielburger   began   a   movement   from   his  
home  in  Toronto,  Canada  when  he  was  11  years  
old.    This  young  Catholic  boy  read  a  story  about  
the  death  of  a  Pakistani  boy  who  dared  to  show  
the   world   the   slavery   of   children.     He   was   so  
moved   by   this   story   that   he   began   a   program  
which   has   now   grown   all   over   the   globe.     This  
program,   staffed   mainly   by   children,   is   entitled  
Kids   Can   Free   the   Children.     It   is   an   organized  
effort   to   motivate   the   children   of   the   world   to  
demand   education   and   resources   to   combat  
war,  evil,  slavery,  and  every  malady  dramatically  
affecting   the   lives   of   countless   children   in   the  
world   today.     Craig   is   removed   over   a   century  
from   Don   Bosco   and   his   efforts   never   once  
mention   the   sacraments.     But   his   global  
encounter   with   the   realities   of   death,   evil,   and  
choice  put  him  on  the  same  playing  field  with  a  
Don   Bosco.     And   it   is   his   strong   faith   that   has  
put  him  there.      
What   is   important   about   the   efforts   of   this  
young   man   is   his   ability   to   hold   a   mirror   of  
reality  to  the  faces  of  the  countries  and  leaders  
of   the   world   and   show   them   with   unstinting  
frankness   and   courage   the   brutal   reality   so  
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12
 
When we were up in these incredibly
isolated communities that haven't changed in
the past hundreds of years, they had never
heard of the attack on America . They had
never heard of the war in Afghanistan . But I
am sure that they would share with us a
message that whether a child be born in New
York City or Kabul , whether a child be born
in Santa Barbara or Quito , they are the
children of the world, and it is our future
which we all share. Every child is a treasure.
Every child has the potential to be the next
Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela. Every
child has the potential to be the next
Desmond Tutu or Martin Luther King, Jr.
I want to leave you with a final thought, a
quote from one of my heroes, Mahatma
Gandhi. He said, "If we are to achieve true
peace in this world, it must begin with the
children."1
Don   Bosco   had   the   same   instinct   to   look   to   the  
insight  and  strength  of  the  young.    He  too  looked  
into   the   dismal   face   of   their   realities,   but  
responded   with   hope.     If   we   are   to   do   the   same,  
perhaps   we   need   a   bit   of   Don   Bosco   and   Craig  
Kielburger:   a   good   mix   of   eschatological   hope  
with   its   burning   desire   to   bring   that   same   hope  
and   salvation   to   the   young,   and   an   undying  
determination   to   seek   freedom   and   justice   for  
these  same  young  lives.    Both  of  these  leaders  of  
the   young   and   founders   of   movements   on   their  
behalf   can   lay   claim   to   the   same   source   of   their  
strength  and  vision:  the  Gospels.    Let  us  conclude  
with  the  power  of  that  Word.  
 
Conclusion:  The  Pulsing  Word  
of  God  
Dealing   with   death,   evil,   sin,   and   the   decisions   of  
life   are   never   easy   topics   for   anyone.     For  
children,   these   topics   are   especially   sensitive   and  
demand   the   care   and   attention   of   a   safe   and  
reliable  teacher.      
Saint  John  Bosco’s  message  was  direct,  clear,  and  
attainable.    It  also  reached  a  vast  audience  of  the  
young   and   has   done   so   for   more   than   one  
hundred  years.    
 It   has   been   the   hope   of   this   study   to   illustrate  
some   important   themes   of   Don   Bosco   as    
  educator  of  the  young.  It  has  also  been  the  hope  
17  
of   this   work   to   recognize   “that   the   Word   of  
God   is   pulsing   through   life.”     These   are   the  
words  of  Dr.  John  Buchanan,  the  present  pastor  
of   the   Fourth   Presbyterian   Church   of   Chicago.  
He  has  taught  homiletics  in  both  New  York  and  
Ohio   and   is   currently   writing,   preaching,   and  
teaching  in  Chicago.    In  Ohio,  Dr.  Buchanan  had  
a   weekly   radio   broadcast   and   was   featured   in  
U.S.   News   and   World   Report     as   the   pastor   of  
one   of   five   model   communities   in   the   United  
States.     In   his   teaching   about   the   process   of  
preaching   on   the   Word   of   God,   taught   at  
Catholic   seminaries   as   well   as   Protestant,   he  
outlined   a   six   day   process   for   studying   with,  
praying  with,  reflecting  upon,  and  writing  about  
the   Word   of   God   for   a   given   Sunday.     Dr.  
Buchanan   insisted   that   the   Word   of   God   is   a  
living  reality  pulsing  through  life  and  that  every  
week,   the   homilist   must   “go   in   search   of   the  
Word.”     It   was   his   conviction   that   the   very  
readings   for   a   given   Sunday   would   be   found   in  
life.     He   urged   his   students   to   go   into   life   with  
their   eyes,   minds,   and   hearts   open   for   that  
living  Word.      
In   short,   this   is   the   magic   of   Saint   John   Bosco.  
He   had   found   the   pulsing   Word   of   God   in   life  
and   invited   his   readers   and   listeners   to   join   in  
the   search.     No   journey   into   the   Word   is   ever   a  
journey   leading   away   from   the   hard   questions  
of   life.     In   fact,   it   is   in   the   Word,   however   it   is  
conveyed,   that   hope   in   the   face   of   death   is  
found.     It   is   in   that   living   Word   that   the   power  
of   Love   becomes   real.     It   is   that   living   Word  
which   directs   the   human   heart   to   make   the  
right   choices   along   the   way.     Ultimately,   the  
real   secret   to   life’s   mysteries   is   found   only   in  
this  living  Word.    How  fortunate  we  are  to  have  
such   a   monumental   and   attainable   figure   as  
Don  Bosco,  educator  and  saint.  
Resources  –  Bibliography  
 
Primary  Sources  
 
The  New  Jerusalem  Bible:  Study  Edition,  London:  
Darton,Longman  &  Todd,  Ltd.,  1994.  

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43
   
Saint John Bosco
BOSCO   Giovanni,   Santo,   Cenno   biografico   del  
giovanetto   Magone   Michele   allievo  
dell’Oratorio   di   S.   Francesco   di   Sales,   Torino,  
Tip.   Dell’Oratorio   di   S.   Francesco   di   Sales,  
21866.  
 
BOSCO   Giovanni,   Santo,     Memorie.  
Transcrizione   di   Teresio   Bosco.     Leumann:  
Elledici,   1985   [Memorie   dell’Oratorio   di   S.  
Francesco   di   Sales.   Introduzione,   note   ed  
edizione   critica   del   testo   a   cura   di   Antonio   da  
Silva   Ferreira.     Colanna:   Istituto   Storico  
Salesiano:   Fonti   –   Serie   prima   5.   Roma:   LAS,  
1991.     Memoirs   of   the   Oratory   of   Saint   Francis  
de   Sales   from   1815   to   1855:   The   Autobiography  
of   Saint   John   Bosco.   Translated   by   Daniel  
Lyons.     With   notes   by   Eugenio   Ceria,  
Lawrence   Castelvecchi,   and   Michael   Mendl.    
New  Rochelle:  Don  Bosco  Publications,  1989].  
 
BOSCO   Giovanni,   Santo,     Vita   del   giovatetto  
Savio   Domenico   allievo   dell’Oratorio   di   S.  
Francis   di   Sales,   (6°   edizione)   (cura   del   Sac.  
Giovanni   Bosco),   Torino,   Tipografia   e   Libreria  
Salesiana,  1880.    
 
GIOVANNI   PAOLO   II,     Atti   del   Consiglio  
Generate   LXX   (I989),   no.   329,   pp.   24-­‐27   at   25;  
cf.  Acts  of  the  General  Council,  no.  329,  p.  26.    
 
LEMOYNE   Giovanni   Battista,   AMADIE   A.,  
CERIA,   E.   Memorie   Biografiche   di   Don   Bosco,  
various   volumes   as   cited   by   Fr.   Lenti   and   Fr.  
Stella,  San  Benigno  Canavese,  Torino.  
 
 
Studies  
St. John Bosco
BRAIDO   Pietro,   Don   Bosco’s   Pedagogical  
Experience,  Rome,  LAS:  1989.  
 
EGAN  Patrick  and  MIDALI  Mario,  (editors)  Don  
 
Bosco’s  Place  in  History,  Rome,  LAS:  1989.  
LABOA   Juan   Maria,   “Don   Bosco’s   Experience   and  
Sense  of  the  Church,”  in  EGAN  Patrick  and  MIDALI  
Mario,   (editors)   Don   Bosco’s   Place   in   History,  
Rome,  LAS:  1989,  111-­‐137.  
 
 
LENTI   Arthur,     Don   Bosco:   Founder,   Educator,   and  
Spiritual   Master,   Berkeley:   Salesian   Studies,  
(unpublished)  2006.  
 
POULAT  Emile,  “Don  Bosco  and  the  Church  in  the  
World   of   the   Nineteenth   Century,”   in   EGAN  
Patrick   and   MIDALI   Mario,   (editors)   Don   Bosco’s  
Place  in  History,  Rome,  LAS:  1989,  95-­‐109.    
 
SCHEPENS  Jacques,  “Don  Bosco  and  education  to  
the  Sacraments  of  Penance  and  of  the  Eucharist,”  
in   EGAN   Patrick   and   MIDALI   Mario,   (editors)   Don  
Bosco’s  Place  in  History,  Rome,  LAS:  1989,  383.  
 
 
STELLA  Pietro,    Sickness  and  Deaths  at  the  Oratory,  
in   Don   Bosco,in   Economic   and   Social   History   (1815-­‐
1817),  New  Rochelle,  1989.  
Other
BUCHANAN  Dr.  John:  his  method  of  preparing  for  
homiletics   is   mentioned   in   the   Conclusion   of   this  
paper.     Here   is   some   information   about   Dr.  
Buchanan:   Currently   serving   as   Pastor   of   Forth  
Presbyterian   Church,   Chicago,   and  
Editor/Publisher   of   Christian Century  
magazine,   Dr.   Buchanan   has   also   served   the  
Presbyterian   Church   (USA)   as   Moderator   of   the  
208th   General   Assembly   and   on   the   General  
Assembly   Council.   Dr.   Buchanan’s   weekly   column  
in  The Christian Century  is  read  by  thousands  
of   Christian   leaders   around   the   United   States.   He  
is   the   former   Board   of   Directors   Chair   for   the  
Greater   Chicago   Broadcast   Ministries   and   former  
member   of   the   Board   of   Trustees   of   the  
Northwestern  Memorial  Hospital.  He  has  received  
seven   Honorary   Doctor   of   Divinity   degrees   and  
three   Doctor   of   Humane   Letters.    
www.christiancentury.org/,  or  www.ncccusa.org/.  
18  

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65
   
KEILBURGER   Craig,   as   cited   on  
www.wagingpeace.org,   the   website   for   the  
Nuclear  Age  Peace  Foundation.    Keilburger  is  also  
author  of  many  books,  especially  the  story  of  his  
efforts  to  begin  Kids  Can  Free  the  Children.      
 
KIELBURGER  Craig  and  Tim,     Free   the   Children:   A  
Young   Man   Fights   Against   Child   Labor   and   Proves  
that   Children   Can   Change   the   World,   New   York,  
Harper  Collins:2001.  
 
KIELBURGER   Craig,   Free   the   Children:   A   Young  
Man’s   Personal   Crusade   Against   Child   Labor.   New  
York,  Harper  Collins:  1999.  
 
Endnotes  
 
1 Pietro BRAIDO, Don Bosco’s
Pedagogical Esperience, Rome, LAS, 1989, 130.
2 BRAIDO, 130.
3 John Paul II: Address to the Rector Major and
General Council of the Salesian Society, February 4, 1989, in
Atti del Consiglio Generate LXX (I989), no. 329, pp. 24-27 at
25; cf. Acts of the General Council, no. 329, p. 26.
4 Arthur LENTI, Don Bosco: Father,
Educator, and Spiritual Master, in Chapter 29:
“Don Bosco Educator of the Young: Development
of a ‘Method,’” Institute of Salesian Studies,
Berkely, 2006, p. 659.
5 LENTI, p. 659.
6 Giovanni BOSCO,
Memoirs of the
Oratory, translated by Daniel Lyons, edited by
Michael Mendl, New York: Salesiana Publishers,
1989 p.
7 Lenti, p. 693.
8 BM III, p. 251
9 BM VII, pp. 405-406 as cited by Fr. Lenti,
p. 696.
10 Jacques SCHEPENS, “Don Bosco and
education to the Sacraments of Penance and of the
Eucharist,” in EGAN Patrick and MIDALI Mario,
(editors) Don Bosco’s Place in History, Rome,
LAS: 1989, 383.
11 Giovanni BOSCO, Vita del giovatetto
Savio Domenico allievo dell’Oratorio di S. Francis
di Sales, (6° edizione) (cura del Sac. Giovanni
Bosco), Torino, Tipografia e Libreria Salesiana,
1880, 59.
 
12 BOSCO, 59.
13 BOSCO, 65. Don Bosco mentions his
dialogue with Dominic Savio about not taking on
more penances. This was important to Don Bosco
because he notes that Dominic’s health was
already delicate.
14 BOSCO, 104.
15 BOSCO, 68.
16 BOSCO, 102.
17 Giovanni BOSCO, “Cenno biografico
del giovanetto Magone Michele allievo
dell’Oratorio di S. Francesco di Sales, Torino,
Tip. Dell’Oratorio di S. Francesco di Sales, 21866,
Cap. III, 5.
18 SCHEPENS, 392.
19 SCHEPENS, 392-393. Fr. Schepens
quotes these words from Don Bosco in his later
edition of the life of Comollo in Comollo [1854]
4.
20 SCHEPENS, 394-395.
21 SCHEPENS, 400.
22 BOSCO, Magone, Cap. XV, 25-26.
23 LENTI, p. 694. Fr. Lenti refers also to a
study done by Fr. Pietro Stella entitled, Sickness
and Deaths at the Oratory, in Don Bosco,in
Economic and Social History (1815-1817), p.
213-230. Volume IX of the Biographical
Memoirs of Saint John Bosco (1867-1869) offers
many similar dreams and messages of Saint John
Bosco regarding evil Of particular note are three
dreams he had in succession. The first dream
begins with a vison of the vine plant extending
from his window. The vine bears enormous
clusters of grapes but the Don Bosco is suspicious
of these unusual grapes. Some of the boys burst a
few grapes and discover that their insides are
rotten and foul. The second dream also deals with
the vine, but this time it is barren. He notices
boys falling and being dragged away. Finally, on
a third night, Don Bosco is led by a guide into the
very chambers of hell. All of these dreams were
an answer to his request to receive messages to
help him convince his students of the urgency to
turn away from sin.
24 LENTI, p. 690.
25 MO, p. 13.
1  Pietro  STELLA,  Don  Bosco  II  as  cited  by  Juan  
Maria  LABOA  in  “Don  Bosco’s  Experience  amd  
Semse    the  Church,”  in  EGAN  Patrick  and  
MIDALI  Mario,  (editors)  Don  Bosco’s  Place  in  
History,  Rome,  LAS:  1989,  133.      
19  

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                           26    LABOA,  133.  
27 Emile POULAT, “Don Bosco and the
Church in the world of the Nineteenth Century,” in
EGAN Patrick and MIDALI Mario, (editors) Don
Bosco’s Place in History, Rome, LAS: 1989, 109.
28 Craig KIELBURGER, copyright by
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 2001-2006 as cited
on their website, www.wagingpeace.org.
 
Continued  from  page  2  –  Fr.  Arthur  Lenti  
[Don Bosco] offered [the boys] another spiritual prop, [...] the Exercise for a Happy Death.
"Remember," he wrote, "that at the hour of death we shall reap what we have sown in life. If we have
done good works we will be happy. [...] Otherwise, woe to us! Remorse of conscience and the open
jaws of hell will await us [...]." In 1847 Don Bosco began to set aside the first Sunday of each month
for this salutary exercise, inviting all the boys to make a confession as if it were each one's very last,
and to receive Holy Communion. [...] He heard the confessions of crowds of boys for hours and hours.
After Mass and removing his vestments, he would kneel at the foot of the altar and recite the prayers
of the Exercise for a Happy Death. [...] He would read aloud with great feeling the brief descriptions
of the various stages of approaching death, and to each of them the boys would respond: "Merciful
Jesus, have mercy on me!"1
The Exercise for a Happy Death was another powerful factor in his educational system. When
boys began boarding at the Oratory, they made the exercise for a Happy Death with the day pupils;
later on he scheduled it on the last Sunday of the month for the former, and on the first Sunday for the
latter. To make it truly effective, he exhorted them to put all their spiritual and temporal things in order
as though they were to appear before God's tribunal on that day and to be mindful that they could be
suddenly called into eternity. [...] The worldly-minded might think that mentioning death to young
boys would fill their minds with gloomy thoughts, but that was not so at all. On the contrary, it filled
their hearts with peace and joy. Spiritual unrest comes from not being in God's grace.2
On the day of the Exercise for a Happy Death, the boys not only faithfully carried out the
customary practices of piety, but they also truly acted as though that day might be their last on earth.
When they went to bed they even laid themselves out in the manner of a corpse. They longed to fall
asleep clasping the crucifix; indeed many of them truly wished that God would call them to Himself
that very night when they were so well prepared for the awesome step into eternity. One day Don
Bosco remarked to Father [Giovanni] Giacomelli: "If everything is going so well in the Oratory, it is
mainly because of the Exercise for a Happy Death."3
1 EBM III, p. 14f.
2 EBM III, p. 251.
3 EBM IV, p. 477-478.
 
This  is  a  publication  of    
The  Institute  for  Salesian  Spirituality  
At    
Don  Bosco  Hall  in  Berkeley,  CA  
 
John  Roche,  SDB      Arthur  Lenti,  SDB          Joe  Boenzi,  SDB  
 
Send  questions  and  inquiries  to  donboscohallca@gmail  
 
 
 
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