In Don Bosco’s educational system preaching has special importance, both that which is bound up with the liturgical or catechetical context, and that of the informal, familiar kind. The saint often addressed the community of young people with brief and fervent talks aimed at stirring up their emotions, nurturing their minds, encouraging good resolutions and devout sentiments, and looking ahead to stimulating horizons.
Christian education of youth in popular works with a markedly missionary character like the Oratories on the outskirts of Turin, frequented by boys who were mostly abandoned and uneducated, required processes that were gradual and geared to each one’s possibilities. The Companion of Youth offered a complete but essential proposal adapted to everyone. Starting with this, Don Bosco used the sacrament of penance, personal chats, suggestions of optional and practical devotions and offered books to read and meditate on. He set up personalised processes which were more adapted to youngsters who were more capable of greater moral and ascetic effort. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Sodalities and spiritual friendships” in “Salesian Sources 1. Don Bosco and his work. Collected works””
As we have just said, for the financial resources needed to supply the everincreasing costs of his work, Don Bosco appealed to institutions: the Royal family, Government authorities, public officials (local council, provincial, state …), existing charitable organisations locally, the National Bank, parishes, dioceses, the Holy See itself through his best supporters, including the Pope.
Relationships between Don Bosco and Archbishop Gastaldi went through two different stages, one of great understanding and cooperation, and another of notable difficulties and conflicts. The watershed could be considered to be Gastaldi’s transferral from the Episcopal See of Saluzzo to being Archbishop of Turin in 1871.
The Law of Guarantees on 13 May 1871 and decrees applying to this required that for newly appointed bishops to enter into possession – the so-called temporalities – they had to present the Minister with the original decree of appointment and formally ask for the exequatur to be granted. This act, in the Holy See’s judgement, implied recognising the Kingdom of Italy which came into being in 1861, and included part of the Papal States ‘illegally’ taken from the Pontiff.
One of the most difficult conflicts to resolve in relationships between the Holy
See and the new Kingdom of Italy was that of the dozens of Episcopal sees left vacant
for political reasons. Both parties were aware of the seriousness of the situation, but
attempts to exit from the situation were shipwrecked by the persistent serious friction
brought about by proclaiming a Kingdom which comprised territories taken from
the Papal States (1861). Only in 1865-1867 did a process of détente coming
into place, where, having overcome mutual resistance, the Holy See succeeded in
appointing many bishops with the agreement of authorities of the Kingdom.
In the early 1870s, when the Salesian Society was going through a happy time of expansion beyond the borders of Piedmont, thanks also to the many vocations flowing in, Don Bosco, with a group of Daughters of Mary Immaculate at Mornese who were gathered around Mary Domenica Mazzarello (1837-1881), gave life to the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. In a very short time it was approved by the Diocesan Ordinary and aggregated to the Salesian society, then spread throughout Italy and overseas. We publish here five documents on this women’s foundation.
On April 3, 1874, Pope Pius IX definitively approved the Constitutions of the Society of St Francis de Sales and on the following April 13 the competent Congregation of Bishops and Regulars promulgated the relevant decree.
Don Bosco, at the advice of his spiritual director, St Joseph Cafasso from autumn 1844 to summer 1846 lived at the Barolo Refuge as chaplain of the Little Hospital of St Philomena, opened in August 1845. In the same place and in other temporary places not far from Valdocco, he carried out his early priestly ministry on behalf of boys, mostly immigrant lads who had no parish of reference. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Beginning, extension and charismatic and institutional consolidation of the work at Valdocco” in “Salesian Sources 1. Don Bosco and his work. Collected works””
Nella diocesi di Torino, dopo il declino dell’impero napoleonico, si fecero numerosi sforzi per riformare la società cristiana. Questi sforzi includevano la ripresa della catechesi parrocchiale, l’organizzazione di missioni popolari e esercizi spirituali per tutte le classi sociali, ma si concentravano principalmente sulla riforma del clero. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Sezione quinta. Lo zelo per la salvezza delle anime. I modelli di Don Bosco” in “Fonti Salesiane 1. Don Bosco e la sua opera. Raccolta ontologica””
La prima sezione della Parte terza, offre una panoramica delle risorse che riflettono la pedagogia spirituale di don Bosco e la sua capacità di guidare i giovani verso una vita cristiana autentica e gioiosa. Sottolinea la necessità di utilizzare una varietà di materiali come sussidi stampati, testimonianze biografiche e interventi formativi, che sono importanti per individuare una visione chiara della vita cristiana e specifiche tematiche ricorrenti. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Sezione prima. Orientamenti di vita spirituale per i giovani” in “Fonti Salesiane 1. Don Bosco e la sua opera. Raccolta ontologica””
La Sezione terza descrive la posizione di Don Bosco durante il Risorgimento italiano. Don Bosco scelse di mantenere una posizione neutrale rispetto alle correnti politiche del suo tempo, non schierandosi né a favore delle innovazioni politiche né in opposizione a esse. Pur opponendosi alla politica ecclesiastica del Regno di Sardegna degli anni ’50 e ’60, si astenne da polemiche per preservare la sua azione di educatore e fondatore. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Sezione terza. Don Bosco fra la Santa Sede, il Regno d’Italia e l’arcivescovo di Torino” in “Fonti Salesiane 1. Don Bosco e la sua opera. Raccolta ontologica””
L’esperienza originaria di Valdocco e dei primi oratori torinesi aveva il potenziale per crescere in ampiezza e profondità, espandendosi oltre i confini cittadini, ma ciò richiedeva due condizioni fondamentali: un progetto operativo e risorse umane ed economiche adeguate. Don Bosco comprese presto che la continuità della sua Opera richiedeva un’organizzazione stabile delle forze disponibili, preparate sul piano educativo e spirituale. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Sezione seconda. Don Bosco Fondatore” in “Fonti Salesiane 1. Don Bosco e la sua opera. Raccolta ontologica””
Questa sezione costituisce una raccolta cronologica di 29 scritti di Don Bosco e documenti relativi all’Opera Salesiana nel periodo che va dal 1846 al 1888. Questi testi sono stati selezionati per il loro valore intrinseco, le informazioni cruciali che contengono e il ruolo significativo che hanno nella storia biografica di Don Bosco e nello sviluppo dell’Opera Salesiana. Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – “Sezione prima. Da casa Pinardi alla Patagonia” in “Fonti Salesiane 1. Don Bosco e la sua opera. Raccolta ontologica””
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