To the pupils at the college in Villa Colón (Uruguay)

E V, 2564

‘For my part, dear boys, I am burning with desire to visit you. Pray that I may soon fulfil this desire of mine; otherwise, come and see me here in Turin, where the house has already been prepared for you.’

Marseilles, 16 July 1877

My dearest sons,

My beloved boys, you cannot imagine the great consolation your letter brought me on my name day. On that day, the young people in Montevideo, Buenos Ayres, and San Nicolás were of one heart and one soul with those in France, Rome, Piedmont, Switzerland, and Trento, and all expressed their affection for a father who blessed them and prayed to God for all of them, that he might keep them steadfast on the path to heaven.

Therefore, let me thank you for the great kindness you have shown me, and to demonstrate my paternal consolation I presented myself to the Supreme Pontiff Pius IX; I spoke to him about Villa Colón, which he very well recalls having seen. I asked him for a special apostolic blessing upon you and upon all your relatives up to the third degree with a plenary indulgence at the point of death.

With all my heart, replied the loving Pontiff, may God bless the young students of Villa Colón, bless their families and make them all fervent Catholics. May parents and children become very rich, very rich, but with the true riches which are virtue and the holy fear of God.

He then turned to me and said, ‘Write to them and tell them to inform their respective parents about this.’

For my part, dear boys, I am burning with desire to visit you.

Pray that I may soon fulfil this desire of mine; otherwise, come and see me here in Turin, where the house has already been prepared for you.

In the meantime, please write to me at your convenience:

1. Are you good?

2. Will you write me more long letters?

3. Will you all become missionaries?

4. Will you all become saints? Answer these questions and you will be giving me a gift.

On St Rose’s Day, I will celebrate Holy Mass for you, and you should receive Holy Communion for my intentions. Those who have not yet been promoted, please do me the favour of saying an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Blessed Sacrament.

May the grace of O. L. J. C. be always with us. Amen.

Your most affectionate friend

Fr John Bosco