To Countess Carlotta Callori, Vignale Monferrato

E IV, 1868

Providential sending of a donation immediately used for the legal redemption of a cleric from military service – further information

Sampierdarena, 26 November 1873

My good mother,

You are right to scold me [for my poor handwriting], so I am employing a talented secretary to follow your advice.

Your valuable letter reached me in Varazze, and as I read it and considered the charity you were showing our clerics, at that very moment I received a dispatch from Alessandria announcing that one of our clerics had been placed in the first category.

Blessed be the Lord, I said with Fr Francesia, he sends the thorn and the rose at the same time: let us give thanks to him for everything. I believe that by now Fr Rua has received your charity and has already sent it to its destination.

I am not unaware of the sacrifice you are making in these times of general hardship. But God will know how to compensate you.

The clergy, the Church, and all of us will be grateful to you and will join the cleric who has benefited in constantly invoking God’s blessings upon you and your entire family.

Saturday, God willing, I shall be in Turin.

With deepest gratitude, and with the compliments of Fr Albera, secretary, I have the honour of professing that I am

Your Distinguished Countess’s

Humble servant and naughty son

Fr J. Bosco