To Pope Pius IX

E I, 410

Solidarity with the Pope during the revolt in Romagna – his commitment and that of other priests to defending young people from irreligion – news about the oratories – pessimistic predictions about the future of the Papal States

Turin, 9 November 18595

Most Holy Father,

With the utmost anxiety, I awaited a safe means of reaching Your Holiness in order to respectfully ask for your blessing in the midst of our present tribulations, and also to assure you of my Catholic and filial attachment to your sacred person as successor of Saint Peter, Vicar of Jesus Christ, supreme pastor of the Church, to whom those who are not united cannot hope for salvation.

Now I can fulfil this wish through the Marquis Scarampi, a zealous confrere of the Society of St Vincent de Paul and a regular collaborator of our oratories, who is spending the winter in Rome.

First of all, Holy Father, we strongly disapprove of what our Government has done or caused to be done in Romagna; and while it was not possible to prevent the evil, we have always disapproved of what was done there, both verbally and in writing.¹ Most of the clergy, and almost all parish priests, and I might even say most lay people, are of the same opinion, although they do not dare to express it publicly.

But the perverse press, the threats, and the promises of those in power have unfortunately seduced many, many people who were either hesitant or hidden, to the point that the number of courageous Catholics has diminished terribly.

Amidst these religious disasters, the good people gathered around their bishops and followed their lead. But we in Turin were and are exposed to the greatest danger. Our archbishop in exile; the vicar general threatened if he so much as opens his mouth; Protestants protected by the authorities spare neither money nor effort to spread their errors; freedom of the press and of teaching: these are things that combine to form a deadly gangrene in morals and religion.

Nevertheless, we have done and continue to do everything possible to mitigate the consequences of these evils. We have joined together in a kind of society, mainly made up of clergy: we do everything we can to spread good books and good newspapers; we preach; we give exercises [retreats], triduums and novenas and catechism classes, always with the aim of instilling the foundations of our Catholic religion and respect for the supreme hierarch of Christianity. In this way, we have managed to preserve sound religious principles in many young people to date. I can count more than three thousand who attend Sunday or evening or day schools, and they all have good feelings, attend the holy sacraments of confession and communion, and regularly hear the word of God.

There are about five hundred young people attending our schools. There are three hundred who are resident, eighteen of whom have donned the cassock this year; two have entered the Order of Preachers. Two have just entered the priesthood; three, with God’s help, hope to do so this year.

Divine Providence has arranged in a truly wonderful way that we are at peace in our schools, where we are allowed to teach all classes without harassment of any kind.

But, Holy Father, I must not hide from you that the storm has not yet passed. I fear a Government based on revolution; I fear the daily decline in the number of good Catholics; I fear the large number of enemies of order who take refuge among us or swell the ranks of the rebels in Romagna; I fear, may God keep such a scourge away, that Your Holiness will be even more harassed and perhaps persecuted in who knows what ways.

I say this as a devoted son who always fears harm for his beloved Father; therefore, I pray to the Holy Virgin Mary to obtain from God better times among peoples and peace for the Church.

As consolation to Your Holiness, I will tell you that since the troubles broke out in the States of the Holy See, my young people have decided to say special prayers for you every day, and a dozen of them take Holy Communion every day in turn to implore God for health, grace and the preservation of Your Holiness.

I have told you these few things, perhaps without using the proper respect in my feelings and words: Please grant me your kind understanding.

Meanwhile, I prostrate myself at your feet together with many clergy who work with me in the sacred ministry, about fifty clerics who aspire to the clerical state, and two hundred young men who are studying to enter the sacred militia [clerical state]; all my young people in my care, and all those who attend these oratories; all prostrate at your feet, we invoke the apostolic blessing as if it came from Jesus Christ himself. It is a blessing that keeps us steadfast in the holy Catholic religion and makes us strong and ready to give our lives rather than say or do anything that is contrary to its precepts. Amen.

I am Your Holiness’

most affectionate, most obliged and attached son,

Fr John Bosco