Michael Rua Novena - Readings for each day:

Day 1

It had all started long before with a strange gesture. Eight years of age, and having lost his father, with a broad black band fixed to his jacket by his mother, Michele Rua stretched out his hand for a medal from Don Bosco. But instead of a medal, Don Bosco had given his left hand while making a sign, as though cutting it in half. And Don Bosco said: “Take it, little Michele, take it.” And before those wide-open eyes which gazed on him, transfixed, Don Bosco said six words which were to be the secret of Michael’s life: “We two will always go halves.” Slowly, the remarkable, shared process began between the holy master and the disciple who went halves in everything. Even in those early years, Don Bosco wanted Michael to stay with him, but every evening, for supper and sleep, Michael had to return to his mother. Whenever Michael was at the Oratory, Don Bosco wanted him at his side at table. In this way, Michael began to take in Don Bosco’s way of thinking and behaving. He was to say later: “Watching Don Bosco, even in his most menial actions, made a greater impression on me than reading and meditating any holy book”. Being with Don Bosco, Michael built up in that small physical frame enough resources to last him his life.

Day 2

On 29 July 1860, Michael Rua was ordained priest. John Francesia, testifies: “His preparation was extraordinary. He spent the night before in prayer and pious meditation”. On the evening of that festive and most important day, Don Rua went up into the attic which served as his bedroom and found, on the bedside table, a letter from Don Bosco. He read: “Better than me, you will see the Salesian work pass beyond the frontiers of Italy and become established in many parts of the world. You will have much work to do and much to suffer; but, as you know, only through the Red sea and the desert does one arrive at the Promised Land. Suffer with courage, and trust that consolations and the Lord’s help will not be lacking.”

Day 3

Don Bosco wrote: “Father Rua will be my vicar in everything, empowered to act with the full authority I myself possess as Rector Major. He is to take my place in everything and assume responsibility for the smooth running of the Congregation. I am sure that in handling the affairs of the Congregation he will of his own accord seek my advice and that of his confreres. Moreover, I trust that in accepting this office, his sole aim will be to seek the good of the Pious Salesian Society, so as to ensure its continued and orderly progress when I am dead. The vicar therefore must see to it that the traditions that we now hold will be maintained unaltered. This is also the Holy Father’s deeply felt concern. Traditions differ from the rules in as much as they serve as guidelines for understanding and practicing the latter. These traditions must be kept and continued by all those who will follow us in future years.”

Day 4

Father Rua was 48 years old at the time of the official announcement in 1885 that he was to succeed as Superior General. He had been “with Don Bosco” for nearly 40 years, and for some 30 years in close relationship with the founder. Completely loyal and dedicated, he more than any other of Don Bosco’s sons, had understood the founder’s mind and heart and acquired his spirit. This fact, combined with extraordinary personal holiness and high endowments for government and administration, set him apart as Don Bosco’s logical successor. Letters of congratulations, acceptance and support were received from many quarters. The loyalty and support of confreres never failed.

Day 5

When Don Rua was sent to Mirabello to found a new house, he summed up the advice received from Don Bosco in a single phrase: “In Mirabello I shall try to be Don Bosco”. How important it is that each one of us adopt the same attitude! In fact, this is also the project of life which we find expressed in our Constitutions: to be Don Bosco today, wherever we find ourselves living and working. Becoming Don Bosco, day after day, is precisely what the Constitutions set before us in practical terms. We know that after the approval of the Constitutions on 3 April 1874, on account of his exemplary way of life, Don Rua was called “the living rule”; he used to say: “Nothing can be considered small once it is in the Rule.” Moved by the special witness given by the first successor of Don Bosco, I invite you, during this year, especially on the occasion of the Retreat, to re-discover the importance and the spirit of our Salesian Constitutions and to look again at your personal Plan of Life. Encouraged by the example of Don Rua and following the guidelines of the GC26, we want to commit ourselves to the study and the practice of our Constitutions, with particular reference to Chapter four: that which deals with our mission and is entitled “sent to the young.” (Rector Major, Letter 2009)

Day 6

The office of Don Rua was a place of piety and prayer. Every morning he drafted a large number of letters with notes in the margins. Often they were checked by Don Bosco himself, who left to Don Rua’s judgement, the distribution of assignments, acceptance of non-fee paying boys, expressing thanks for donations, answering requests from aspirants. I studied him, and in him Don Bosco, for he seemed the faithful copy and living image of Don Bosco in everything he did. There were letters of consolation, of encouragement, of advice; with the promise of prayers, assurance of the boys’ prayers and of Don Bosco’s blessing. Often there was advice and suggestions about vocations, the conditions for being accepted as aspirants or Sons of Mary were pointed out.

Day 7

More than one Cardinal in Rome, on the death of Don Bosco, on 31 January 1888, was persuaded that the Salesian Congregation would rapidly disappear. Don Rua was scarcely 50 years of age. It would be best to send a Papal Commission to Turin to prepare the way for the Salesians to be joined to another Congregation with a proven tradition. “In great haste” Fr Barberis testified under oath, “Bishop Cagliero called together the Chapter with some of the older ones, and a letter to the Holy Father was drawn up in which all the Superiors, and the older confreres, declared that in total agreement they would accept Don Rua as Superior, and not only would they submit to him, but would receive him with great joy. I was among those who signed … On 11 February the Holy Father confirmed and declared Don Rua in office for twelve years according to the Constitutions”. Pope Leo XIII had known Don Rua personally and knew that the Salesians under his direction would continue their mission. And so it was. The Salesians and the Salesian works multiplied like the bread and fish in the hands of Jesus. In his life time Don Bosco had founded 64 works; Don Rua took these to 341. At the death of Don Bosco, there were 700 Salesians; Don Rua, in 22 years as Superior General, took this to 4,000. The Salesian missions, with which Don Bosco had struggled and started, during his life-time reached Patagonia and Tiera del Fuego; Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, China, India, Egypt, the Cape of Good Hope and Mozambique.

Day 8

We recall how Don Rua, moved by the passion of the Da mihi animas, gave a great impetus to the Salesian mission. It was the vitality of the mission that led him to initiate new forms of the apostolate, to raise up and to cultivate vocations to Salesian consecrated life, to launch out into other parts of the world. The mission called him to respond to the needs of the young and to find pastoral ways suited to reaching them with the proclamation of the gospel. Don Rua’s apostolic zeal, therefore, demands that we too during this year express in practical terms the commitment to evangelising the young. The second key issue in the GC26 requires it from us; the 2010 Strenna sets is before us as it invites us to let ourselves be caught up in the commitment to evangelisation as the Salesian Family of which Don Rua was a convinced promoter. The GC26 invites us to bring the gospel to the young, to be engaged, as evangelised and evangelising communities, in giving the central place to presenting Jesus Christ, in developing in an effective manner the link between evangelisation and education. (Rector Major, Letter 2009)

Day 9

Following the example of Don Rua, the faithful disciple of Jesus in the footsteps of Don Bosco, each confrere is being called to re-discover the ways in which to preserve fidelity to the vocation of consecration. Our vocation is a precious gift; however, it is a treasure in earthenware vessels. The greatness of the gift received is often put at risk by the fragility of our response. I believe that placing ourselves in the presence of the life of this great witness to fidelity, we need to ask ourselves: “Am I happy with God?” And even more importantly: “Is God happy with me?” In fact, embracing Salesian consecrated life we set ourselves to follow the Lord Jesus and we become genuine disciples of His and zealous apostles; all this demands from us a convinced fidelity to our vocation. Let us therefore draw deeply from the wells of the life of the disciple and of the apostle, from the fountains of fidelity to our vocation: Sacred Scripture, through “lectio divina” and the Eucharist. (Rector Major, Letter 2009)