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SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. JOHN BOSCO

 
- St. John Bosco or more popularly known as Don Bosco (Don Bosco means Father Bosco in Italian) was born Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco on August 16, 1815 at Bechhi, Castelnuovo, Italy.

- He was the youngest of three children of Francis Louis Bosco and Margaret Occhiena.

- He had his first communion in 1826, and had his Elementary studies in Castelnuovo in 1830.

- He entered the Seminary of Chieri in 1835 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1841 in Turin.  In December of that same year, he began his work for the young when he met a 16-year old orphan, Batholomew Garelli.

- He instituted the Salesian Order on December 18, 1859 with eighteen members.

- He built a church in honor of Mary Help of Christians which is now the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin.  The churh was consecrated on June 9, 1868.

- The Salesian Society was approved by Rome on February 19, 1869.

- In 1872, Don Bosco and Sr. Maria Domenica Mazzarello instituted the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco or the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.

- On April 3, 1874, Rome approved the Salesian Constitutions.

- In 1876, he instituted the Salesian Cooperators which is a movement of the laity.

- St. John Bosco died on January 31, 1888, and was proclaimed "Venerable" by Pope Pius X on July 24, 1907.

- He was beatified on June 2, 1929, and canonized on April 1, 1934,  by Pope Pius XI.

- On May 24, 1946, he was declared patron saint of Catholic editors, and on January 24, 1989, Pope John Paul II officially proclaimed St. John Bosco as father and teacher of the youth. 

One of Don Bosco's famous teachings is the Preventive System, a method of education that he developed and practiced.  This system is based on reason, religion and kindness.  He believed that the youth should be disciplined with kindness and respect rather than with embarassing and violent punishments.

Don Bosco is also well-known for his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  With regards to our Blessed Mother, Don Bosco said:  "Invoke Mary and you will see what miracles are."

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