To the Bishop of Mondovì, Giovanni Ghilardi

E I, 501

For now, he cannot find a place for the cleric Anfossi, but he has two young men who are asking for the clerical habit — misconduct on the part of his nephew Ferraro.

Turin, 7 April 1861

Your Excellency,

I am truly willing to find a position for the good cleric Anfossi, but I cannot succeed as I would like; I have several promises; I hope that one of them will come to fruition.

I am preparing clerics for you; two are requesting the clerical habit for next year, namely Gioanni Nasi ffrom Deversi and Luigi Bertolotti from Garessio; both are highly commendable for their piety and intelligence. I have about ten that will be ready in the coming years.

Now I must touch upon a very delicate matter, and in writing to you in confidence, I will tell you how things stand with regard to your nephew Ferraro.

Before coming here, this good young man had acquired certain habits that it would be non expedit [inappropriate] to mention. Having arrived here and being constantly looked after, he could not indulge his whims; moreover, some of his companions were sent away from the house and he found himself without those who would to lead him on. Then he started saying that he didn’t like the place for one reason or another.

He is currently in good health, but he says he is a little ill. However, he only says this to others, because I am sitting next to him at the table and I can see that he is eating normally. The breathing difficulty he complains of, if it is true (he does not want to see a doctor), I attribute to the habit I mentioned.

I received serious complaints about this from his assistants, and some of his companions came to complain to me that he had harassed them about this matter. If you ever feel, without mentioning that I have written to you, that you would like to address the root cause of his physical or moral ailments, I would consider it appropriate. Of course, we will always do what we can for him.

Rest assured that it will always be my pleasure to do anything you ask of me, and I commend you to the protection of the Letture Cattoliche with my deepest esteem and gratitude. I remain in the Lord,

Your Excellency’s

most obliged servant,

Fr John Bosco