To bishops and capitular vicars

E I 628

Request for dissemination of the Letture Cattoliche

Turin, 20 January 1863

Your Excellency,

The need that is felt increasingly more acutely every day for the spread of good books is what encourages me to write to Your Excellency to seek support.. I believe you are well aware that for ten years now, a series of monthly booklets entitled Letture Cattoliche [Catholic Readings] have been published in this city. The modest price, popularity and choice of topics, the recommendation of the Bishops and, even more so, the blessing and recommendation of the Supreme Pontiff himself, the reigning Pius IX, meant that numerous associations were formed and readers were very satisfied.

Now I ardently desire that they be spread more widely in the diocese entrusted to your charitable care by Divine Providence; therefore, if in your high prudence and wisdom you deem it opportune to say a word in favour of these Readings, I believe that you would be doing something useful for the glory of God, helping to counteract the immoral and irreligious publications that are spreading in so many ways, and at the same time providing considerable encouragement to those who are involved in printing or distributing them.

What I am telling you here is a simple plea which I make on behalf of the Management; and I am always happy with whatever you decide to do.

For my part, I respectfully ask you to accept my heartfelt wishes for good health and abundant blessings from Heaven. As I entrust myself to the charity of your devout prayers, I consider it the highest honour to be able to express that with the deepest esteem, I am

Your Excellency’s

most obliged servant,

Fr John Bosco