* FAITH AND RELIGION *
"SAINT JOHN BOSCO AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF TURIN"
By: Bob and Penny Lord
January 17, 2011
At the time of Saint John Bosco’s ordination, Italy was very anti-clerical. A lot of this stemmed from the clerics’ Jansenist behavior, which caused them to remove themselves physically and emotionally from their flock. Don Cafasso fought to end the grip Jansenism held on northern Italy. One way was to have the students in the Theological Institute walk among the people, in an effort to become more aware and involved in what was going on. For Don Bosco, this was a revelation. He knew, his apostolate was children, but he really had no conception of their plight, until he began to walk the streets of Turin.
The charming city with the beautiful boulevards had become a hell-hole, a giant ghetto for the working class. Two and three families lived together in a single room, under the most unsanitary conditions. He could walk anywhere in the slum section of the city and see the horrors of the young who were left on their own. One time, during an evening walk, he came upon a field. Hoardes of children were running around, filthy, half-clothed, screaming, cursing and generally acting offensive. For a moment, his mind flashed to the dreams he’d had, first at nine years old and then again in the seminary. It was as if he were standing in the middle of his dream. He tried to reach out to them, but they ignored him. This was not the way the dream ended; they had all turned into little lambs. What was happening here? They were not working with the script. Then he realized that he was not approaching them with a kindness and love they had never known before. He was on the brink of jumping into his life’s work, but he was not ready yet.
His real beginning came, as it should, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th. He was waiting to begin Mass, when he noticed a sacristan chasing a dirty young boy in rags out of the church. Don Bosco made him bring the boy back. He tried to put the nervous youth at his ease. He asked him many questions; could he read or write, were his parents alive or dead. The boy stiffly tried to answer. Then Saint John Bosco, with a straight face, asked him could he sing or whistle? The boy let out a big smile. John Bosco had broken the ice.
He began to teach this boy catechism. At the end of an hour, he asked if he would like to return the next week? The boy answered yes. John Bosco told him not to come alone; bring a friend. That was how it started. The next week, he had nine, and then twelve. Pretty soon, he was the pied piper of Turin. He had over a hundred children coming to him every week. Where was he going to put them? This became his battle cry for the rest of his life. He had too little room, and too little help. This is also the cry of our ministry. We have so much work to do and so few to do it. And we are quickly running out of room. We always wondered what it was that drew us to John Bosco so strongly. We have so much in common.
Saint John Bosco brought these young people together each Sunday, for Mass and Catechism. But in addition, there was much fun, playing, picnics, a version of the acrobatics and juggling that the younger John Bosco had become famous for. It was relationship. It was someone caring about these young people, in a world where they were barely tolerated. They had street smarts. They could tell very quickly who was sincere, as opposed to who wanted to exploit them. And they reacted accordingly. They could see love in this young priest. He genuinely wanted to make their lives better. It was their souls he was after, but he was not beyond helping with their physical necessities in any way he could. He called the meetings Oratories6. To John Bosco’s way of thinking, an Oratory was an actual building or complex, with a playing field, classrooms and a chapel. But for many years, the Oratory only existed in his mind. However, Don Bosco was a man of vision, and great faith. He knew what he was being called to do, and the Lord would provide the means to do it. It was just that simple!
SUMMARY:
The article made by Bob and Penn Lord entitled, "Saint John Bosco and the Young people of Turin", clearly embodies the revelation of Don Bosco through his mission to guide the young people of Turin in Italy about awareness and moral values to a good way of life for the boys. The picture shows the portrait of Saint John Bosco, and another picture shows the boys and their love for him for Don Bosco cared for them ever since, he pushed them into goodness through his goal of teaching the young about catechism and theology, and leaving the bad influences, vices and street life behind and make a big change for the children physically, mentally and spiritually, to be more close to God. Don Bosco grew in Turin himself, and he has done no priest nor political leader has done, which is saving the souls of the young by bringing them together through his oratory where there was more fun through games and activities, more learning through workshops and classrooms and more peace and order though chapels and churches of guiding the young to a Holy life. As seen in the motivational picture, Don Bosco revealed the secret of being a saint to his boys, by confessions and confidence which were the keys to heaven's gate. Lastly in the video, Don Bosco showed his mission to love by letting the boys come with him and away from their labor for they love him so much and Don Bosco cared for the boys with a promise that God will be guiding them through his goal of teaching, serving and leading the young to a better and spiritual life.
REFLECTION:
The message was created by Bob and Penny Lord. The creative technique used to attract my attention was through citing the history of the saint and listing his contributions to the young. About the media, personally, I felt so happy that I reflected back on the life and works of Saint John Bosco, that is why I chose him to be my topic for this media and for a reason that I was loyal to him for I studied in Don Bosco Makati since my preparatory days and growing as a Bosconian with values of a true servant, it feels so heart-warming and more inspiring and proud to bring back and share his life through this media. Different people may not know him personally because they did not grew under his guidance and knowledge, but Don Bosco really showed the young how important they are to the nation. He really is the saint for the young for he is globally known as the father and teacher of youth. The point of view by the media is to reveal a life of a saint and his holy deeds and works especially to the young while he was still living and how the world respond to his actions of goodness by blessing him as saint after his death. The value learned from the media is believing in one's dream and never stop achieving for Don Bosco himself, dreamed of all these at his childhood and he had finally done it, building an oratory, serving the young and living a holy life with guidance from Mary and Jesus. All in all, the message of the media to the public especially the young ones, to stay faithful and live a young life free, without vices and bad influence, and remain under the guidance of our God for the young ones will be the hope for the progress of the nation in the future.
References
Lord, B., & Lord, P. (2011, January 17). Saint John Bosco and the Young People of Turin | Bob and Penny Lord's Blog. Retrieved July 2, 2013, from http://bobandpennylord.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/saint-john-bosco-and-the-young-people-of-turin/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsvRA2gqM_U
Media Log by: SHANON CHRISTOPHER A. GAERLAN
