When was john bosco canonized

John was born in in Becchi, Italy. His father died when John was only 2. But his mother gave him lots of love. She also taught him to love God and others. He worked as a shepherd in his early years, but had such a love of learning that he was sent to study at the seminary. In he was ordained a priest. John was a priest, but he became a "father" to thousands of children. How did he do that? He started a school for poor boys, many of whom he met when he visited their parents in prison as part of his priestly work.

These boys lived in the prisons, too, or on the streets. With firm kindness and unbounded faith Margaret, wise educator that she was, made her family into a domestic church.

From the time he was small, John began to feel a desire to become a priest. I will be your teacher. In time, you will understand. The elderly Fr. He wanted John to work in the fields. In June , he was ordained priest. The story of the departure of the first Salesians for America in is based on the missionary ideal of Don Bosco.

After his ordination, he would have become a missionary had not his director, Joseph Cafasso , opposed the idea. He eagerly read the Italian edition of the Annals of the Propagation of the Faith and used this magazine to illustrate his Cattolico provveduto and his Month of May booklets When John Bosco founded the Salesian Society, the thought of the missions still obsessed him, though he completely lacked the financial means at that time. One night, he dreamt again.

Being on a vast plain, inhabited by primitive peoples, who spent their time hunting or fighting among themselves or against soldiers in European uniforms. Along came a band of missionaries, but they were all horribly massacred. A second group appeared, which Don Bosco at once recognized as Salesians.

Astonished, he witnessed an unexpected change when the fierce savages laid down their arms and listened to the missionaries. The dream made a great impression on Don Bosco, because he tried hard to identify the men and the country of the dream.

For three years, Bosco searched among documents, trying to get information about different countries, thus identifying the country from his dream. One day, a request came from Argentina , which turned him towards the Indians of Patagonia. To his surprise, a study of the people there convinced him that the country and its inhabitants were the ones he had seen in his dream.

He regarded it as a sign of providence and started preparing a missionary there. Adopting a way of evangelization that would not expose his missionaries suddenly to wild, uncivilized tribes, he proposed to set up bases in safe locations where their missionary efforts were to be launched.

The above request from Argentina came about as follows: Towards the end of , John Bosco received letters from that country requesting that he accept an Italian parish in Buenos Aires and a school for boys at San Nicolas de los Arroyos.

Gazzolo, the Argentine Consul at Savona, had sent the request, for he had taken a great interest in the Salesian work in Liguria and hoped to obtain the Salesians' help for the benefit of his country. Negotiations started after Archbishop Aneiros of Buenos Aires had indicated that he would be glad to receive the Salesians. They were successful mainly because of the good offices of the priest of San Nicolas, Pedro Ceccarelli, a friend of Gazzolo, who was in touch with and had the confidence of Don Bosco.

In a ceremony held on January 29, , Don Bosco was able to convey the great news to the oratory in the presence of Gazzolo. On February 5, he announced the fact in a circular letter to all Salesians asking volunteers to apply in writing. He proposed that the first missionary departure start in October.

Practically all the Salesians volunteered for the missions. By this time Italy was united under Piedmontese leadership. The poorly-governed Papal States were merged into the new kingdom. It was generally thought that Don Bosco supported the Pope. Don Bosco's capability to attract numerous boys and adult helpers was connected to his "Preventive System of Education.

He also pointed to three components of the Preventive System: reason , religion and kindness. Music and games also went into the mix. Don Bosco gained a reputation early on of being a saint and miracle worker. For this reason, Rua, Buzzetti, Cagliero and several others began to keep chronicles of his sayings and doings. Preserved in the Salesian archives , these remain resources for studying his life.