Celebrating the Feast of St John Bosco

Today, Monday, 31st January, students in St John Bosco House in our school celebrate the feast day of their patron saint. To mark the special day, each student will be given a special prayer card to remind them of the significance of 'Don Bosco', the “Father and Teacher of Youth.”

Who was St John Bosco?

St John Bosco born in the year 1815. Despite being a poor, illiterate, farm boy, whose father died when he was two; John Bosco wanted to become a priest – which was an almost impossible dream at that time. Through perseverance, and the love and support from his family and friends he entered a seminary.

John’s lifelong service to young people was inspired by a meeting he had with a poor orphan in the city of Turin, Italy. John then spent his free time working with the young who were neglected and orphaned.

At the age of 26, John Bosco fulfilled his dream of becoming a priest. He continued his work with neglected children, and started a boarding school where they could live and learn the skills needed to make a living. He did not believe in harsh punishment; he treated all with kindness and respect.

In 1859, Don Bosco founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales, popularly known as the Salesians of Don Bosco. The schools that John Bosco began are still in evidence today, and have spread all over the world. John Bosco died on January 31, 1888. He was canonized in 1934 and called the “Father and Teacher of Youth”.

What can we learn from St John Bosco?

He had three simple principles for his schools.

Kindness: means a fundamental respect for the youngsters by which they feel they are loved;

Reason: means encouraging students to follow rules  not from fear or compulsion, but from persuasion. The rules must be reasonable and simple;

Religion: means the spiritual development of the students. Prayer, devotions and Sacraments are fundamental tools to be used in education.