January 31 - Saint John Bosco breski1
Son of Venerable Margaret Bosco. John’s father died when the boy was two years old; and as soon as he was old enough to do odd jobs, John did so to help support his family. Bosco would go to circuses, fairs and carnivals, practice the tricks that he saw magicians perform, and then put on one-boy shows. After his performance, while he still had an audience of boys, he would repeat the homily he had heard earlier that day in church.
He worked as a tailor, baker, shoemaker, and carpenter while attending college and seminary. Ordained in 1841. A teacher, he worked constantly with young people, finding places where they could meet, play and pray, teaching catechism to orphans and apprentices. Chaplain in a hospice for girls. Wrote short treatises aimed at explaining the faith to children, and then taught children how to print them. Friend of Saint Joseph Cafasso, whose biography he wrote, and confessor to Blessed Joseph Allamano. Founded the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) in 1859, priests who work with and educate boys, under the protection of Our Lady, Help of Chistians, and Saint Francis de Sales. Founded the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians in 1872, and Union of Cooperator Salesians in 1875.
Born
16 August 1815 at Becchi, Castelnuovo d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy as Giovanni Melchior Bosco
Died
31 January 1888 at Turin, Italy of natural causes
Venerated
24 July 1907 by Pope Pius X (decree of heroic virtues)
Beatified
2 June 1929 by Pope Pius XI
Canonized
1 April 1934 by Pope Pius XI
Patronage
apprentices
boys
editors
Mexican young people
laborers
magicians (performers, not black magic)
schoolchildren
schools, colleges, universities
students
young people
young workers
–
Institución Educadiva Juan Pablo I Paz y Futuro
World Youth Day 2019