To the Bishop of Biella, Pietro Losana

E I, 112

He expresses his gratitude for the donation of 1,000 lire collected in the diocese as a contribution to the assistance provided by Don Bosco to young people from Biella.

Turin, 4 May 1852

Your Excellency,

Filled with feelings of the deepest gratitude towards Divine Providence which deigned to inspire in your person, Your Excellency, a distinguished benefactor of the Oratory of St Francis de Sales, I humbly thank you, Your Excellency, for having so zealously recommended my church to the charity of your diocesan faithful in your special circular letter of 13 September last year.

The donations amounting to the handsome sum of one thousand lire, which I declare to have received from you, are clear proof that everyone recognised the need to preserve the morality of young people and promote their Christian education, and therefore willingly responded to the pious expectations of their Pastor. Therefore, Your Excellency, be happy that you have done this good deed for the youth of Turin, and rejoice because it also benefits many young people in your diocese who, because they need to spend a considerable part of the year in the capital for work reasons, attend this Oratory in large numbers to relax, learn and sanctify the days dedicated to the Lord.

You know, Your Excellency, that despite the generous donations of pious and charitable people, I lacked the means to continue the sacred edifice, but Divine Providence kindly lent me a hand and procured new means for me through a lottery of items. This announcement was favourably received by public charity, and many distinguished persons and meritorious women, with truly Catholic zeal, took part in it and promoted it so much that, thanks to them, the gifts exceeded all my expectations, both in value and in number, so that today they amount to over three thousand one hundred; I now hope that the favour of pious and wealthy people will continue in the purchase of tickets, on which alone depends the completion of this holy work.

Thus comforted and helped, I am delighted to announce that construction work is continuing with all possible vigour, and I have faith in the Lord that on 20 June, Our Lady of Consolation, a day sacred to us, we will be able to satisfy our urgent need by going to the new church to bless it and celebrate Holy Mass there.

Imagine, Your Excellency, the joy and consolation that fill me at the mere thought of the solemnity that will take place on that long-awaited day! Unable, as I would like, to show my gratitude to Your Excellency and to your diocese, both for the donations and for having effectively protected the lottery, it will be my pleasure to welcome with the utmost affection all those young people from Biella who will attend the Oratory, and I will spare no effort for those who wish to take advantage of the schools and religious education.

What I can and will do is join the young people who have been entrusted to me in a certain way by Divine Providence, and pray with them constantly to the Lord God to reward you, Your Excellency, and all those who in their charity have contributed and continue to contribute in any way to this charitable work with his blessings.

Allow me, Your Excellency, to ask you once again to continue your effective protection of the Oratory and to bless the new church, the lottery, and all the children of the Oratory, and with them also myself, who feels the greatest need for your protection.

In the meantime, please accept my sincere gratitude and the deepest and most respectful veneration with which I have the honour of declaring myself

Your Excellency’s

most humble, devout and obedient servant

Fr John Bosco