DON BOSCO

Don Bosco was born in a tiny little village called Becchi in northern Italy, on August 16, 1815. From an early age, he was drawn toward helping poor children. At the age of 9 he had a dream in which it was revealed to him that his life’s mission would be to help poor and disadvantaged youngsters. In 1835 he entered the seminary and supported himself by working as a tailor, blacksmith, shoemaker, carpenter, violinist, acrobat, and magician. All these talents came in handy during his lifetime of working with youngsters. He was ordained a priest on June 5, 1841, and settled down in the city of Turin. On December 8, 1841, he met an orphan Bartolomew Garelli, who became his first pupil. From that day Don Bosco’s work grew rapidly and he set up several homes and schools for poor and disadvantaged boys in Italy as well as in other parts of the world. Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888, and was canonized in 1934 as the Apostle of Youth.