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Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
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Wednesday, January 31, 2024Saint John Bosco’s mother Margherita had a deep faith in God and a charitable heart that inspired in John a belief that Christ’s love should inform every aspect of life. Ordained in 1841, John began ministering to boys and young men who lived on the streets in the city of Turin. After serving as chaplain in a hospice for working girls, Don Bosco opened the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales for boys. Thanks to contributions from several wealthy and powerful patrons, Don Bosco provided two workshops for the boys, shoemaking and tailoring. By 1856, the institution had grown to 150 boys, and Don Bosco had added a printing press to publish religious and catechetical pamphlets. With Pope Pius IX’s encouragement, in 1859, Don Bosco gathered 17 men and founded the Salesians, whose work centered on education and mission work. Later, he organized a group of Salesian Sisters to assist girls.
