Saint 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.

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 prematurely. As a boy, John lived on a farm with his family doing the only thing they knew how, farming. Poverty and a lack of formal education in the home did not stop the growth of John Bosco 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. 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 attain a sense of personal responsibility.

In a short time, other priests joined him in his work and by 1852 they were caring for over 600 boys. John dealt with them by using a minimum of restraint 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 powerful patrons allowed for expansion of his work. The need for dependable assistants led to the founding of the society of St. Francis de Sales in 1859, and it continues to work today.

To provide similar care for the poor and neglected girls, John Bosco founded, in 1872, the...