John Bosco the father and
friend of youth was born on August 16, 1815, in a peasant family in the
little hamlet of Becchi, some 20 kilometers from Turin, Italy. When John
was only two years old his father, Francis Bosco passed away. His grief
stricken mother, Margaret Occiena Bosco, had a harrowing time to bring
him up.
To complete his education John had to do his share of work on the family farm and study during his spare time. Working as a servant, teaching, assisting a tailor, doing chores for a black smith and keeping score at a billiard table were some of the things he did in order to pay for his food, lodging and tuition while ate school. In due course John entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on June 5, 1841. From then on he was known as Don Bosco (Father Bosco).
Don Bosco’s work for boys started with one boy, a mason’s apprentice. Soon this boy brought others and the number of “Don Bosco’s friends” multiplied. He gave them facilities for games and taught them their religion.
Don Bosco called his method of education the ‘Preventive System”, based on REASON, RELIGION and KINDNESS. He told his disciples that education was to be based on love, on selfless service for the mental, emotional, moral and spiritual growth of the pupils.
Don Bosco also founded a Congregation of religious nuns known as the “Daughters of May Help of Christians” to educate girls with the same method as the Salesian used to educate the boys.Emblem of Don Bosco School
Don Bosco founded the 'Salesian Co-Operators' a Society of by collaborators, imbued with his spirit, to assist him in his various works.
Today, a hundred and twenty years after Don Bosc’s death, 36000 Priests, Bothers and Sisters carry out his work in 131 counties around the world. They are engaged in a wide variety of developmental works directed to the welfare of the young academic, agricultural and technical school, youth centers, hostels and parishes, catechetics, mass media and social communications, youth counseling and rehabilitation centers and a host of special services for the delinquents and the marginalized youth.
Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888 at the age of seventy three. He was declared a saint on April 1, 1934. His feast day is celebrated on January 31 every year.
To complete his education John had to do his share of work on the family farm and study during his spare time. Working as a servant, teaching, assisting a tailor, doing chores for a black smith and keeping score at a billiard table were some of the things he did in order to pay for his food, lodging and tuition while ate school. In due course John entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on June 5, 1841. From then on he was known as Don Bosco (Father Bosco).
Don Bosco’s work for boys started with one boy, a mason’s apprentice. Soon this boy brought others and the number of “Don Bosco’s friends” multiplied. He gave them facilities for games and taught them their religion.
Don Bosco called his method of education the ‘Preventive System”, based on REASON, RELIGION and KINDNESS. He told his disciples that education was to be based on love, on selfless service for the mental, emotional, moral and spiritual growth of the pupils.
Don Bosco also founded a Congregation of religious nuns known as the “Daughters of May Help of Christians” to educate girls with the same method as the Salesian used to educate the boys.Emblem of Don Bosco School
Don Bosco founded the 'Salesian Co-Operators' a Society of by collaborators, imbued with his spirit, to assist him in his various works.
Today, a hundred and twenty years after Don Bosc’s death, 36000 Priests, Bothers and Sisters carry out his work in 131 counties around the world. They are engaged in a wide variety of developmental works directed to the welfare of the young academic, agricultural and technical school, youth centers, hostels and parishes, catechetics, mass media and social communications, youth counseling and rehabilitation centers and a host of special services for the delinquents and the marginalized youth.
Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888 at the age of seventy three. He was declared a saint on April 1, 1934. His feast day is celebrated on January 31 every year.
