St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco
A man with a vision, with an awareness of the good that lives in people, with an ability of dreaming dreams of beauty for those he met along his way, this is John Bosco. (www.catholic.org) St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was born to poor parents in Recchi, Italy, the Piedmont area of northern Italy. When John was two, his father died. As a boy, John lived on a farm with his family doing the only thing they knew how, farming. He worked hard everyday to get food on the table for his family. Poverty and a lack of formal education in the home did not stop John Bosco from growing as a person. His mother was for real, realizing the importance of God in life. This friendship with God became powerful and slowly John prepared for the priesthood. John had a connection with God through his dreams, he would write all of his dreams down and express them and pray and that is how him and God talked to one another. John would pray with his mother and he had a connection with God as a little boy all the way until and through, when he was ordained as a priest.
In 1841 at the age of 26, John was ordained priest at Turin, and immediately gave himself to that work, finding shelter for neglected youth and instructing them in religion. He was now ready to make his contribution toward the poor and homeless. He rented an old barn in a field, which he called "The Oratory." This was the first of many oratories John Bosco founded for helping poor boys who needed a home. He believed that prayer and Holy Mass and Communion and confession are the best ways for children to reach a sense of personal responsibility. Other priests joined him in his work in a very short time and by 1852; they were caring for over 600 boys. John dealt with them by using a minimum of limitation and discipline, lots of love, keeping careful watch over their development and encouraging them personally and through religion. John 's preaching and writing, as well as the charitable support of wealthy and
A man with a vision, with an awareness of the good that lives in people, with an ability of dreaming dreams of beauty for those he met along his way, this is John Bosco. (www.catholic.org) St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was born to poor parents in Recchi, Italy, the Piedmont area of northern Italy. When John was two, his father died. As a boy, John lived on a farm with his family doing the only thing they knew how, farming. He worked hard everyday to get food on the table for his family. Poverty and a lack of formal education in the home did not stop John Bosco from growing as a person. His mother was for real, realizing the importance of God in life. This friendship with God became powerful and slowly John prepared for the priesthood. John had a connection with God through his dreams, he would write all of his dreams down and express them and pray and that is how him and God talked to one another. John would pray with his mother and he had a connection with God as a little boy all the way until and through, when he was ordained as a priest.
In 1841 at the age of 26, John was ordained priest at Turin, and immediately gave himself to that work, finding shelter for neglected youth and instructing them in religion. He was now ready to make his contribution toward the poor and homeless. He rented an old barn in a field, which he called "The Oratory." This was the first of many oratories John Bosco founded for helping poor boys who needed a home. He believed that prayer and Holy Mass and Communion and confession are the best ways for children to reach a sense of personal responsibility. Other priests joined him in his work in a very short time and by 1852; they were caring for over 600 boys. John dealt with them by using a minimum of limitation and discipline, lots of love, keeping careful watch over their development and encouraging them personally and through religion. John 's preaching and writing, as well as the charitable support of wealthy and
Cited: No author. Youth Ministry. 15 Sept 2010. Web. No date. http://oyyam-youthministry.blogspot.com. Matthew. The Life of Don Bosco. 12 March 2009. Web. No date. www.acatholiclife.blogspot.com. No author. St. John Bosco. No date. Web. 2007-2013. http://www.instituteforchristianformation.org. No author. St. John Bosco and his life. 5 October 2012. Web. No date. www.catholic.org.