Don Bosco 1

1. 1. When the father of John Bosco died, we believed that God has prepared him for his future his apostolate with poor youngsters:

• Having lost a father, John Bosco felt the experience of the abandoned boys especially those who have no parents. He must look for loving people who will provide these boys love and care of parents. Thus, his mission is to care and guide them to a better life.

• 2. Having lost a father, John Bosco knew how heartbreaking and difficult the situation of the poor boys who have been abandoned. Thus, he vowed to himself that he would be their father who loves them and cares for them in their need.

• Having lost a father, John Bosco felt that the reason why these boys left home because their parents don’t care for them. He too felt how hard it is to have no father at a young age. His mission now to bring them back to the families they belong and help them find work.

1. 2. Don Bosco had a very special dream at nine years of age.

• He considered this dream as a sign of God of what his future life will be. He needs to win these boys with gentleness and love, and not with blows and punishments. Thus, he needs to be humble, strong and energetic to win these children.

• He considered this dream as a sign of God of what his future life will be. In this dream, he needs to study hard, acquire skills and develop talents in order to enrich every young person entrusted by God to his care.

• He considered this dream as a sign of God of what his future life will be. In this dream, he needs to gather them in the Oratory when he can organize games and fun for them, bring them to the sacraments and teach them catechism.

1. 3. Don Bosco met Bartholomew Garelli, the first boy in the Oratory, on December 8, 1841. This is one of the highlights of his life as priest because (more than 1 correct answer) …

• ...he considers his apostolate / ministry with poor and abandoned boys as answer to his dream at nine years old. He realized that any boy can change if someone shows him kindness and love, and the Blessed Mother brought this youngster to him.

• …he considers his apostolate / ministry with poor and abandoned boys as answer to his dream at nine years old. With Garelli around, boys came in numbers the following Sundays and it was the beginning of his wandering oratory.

• …he considers his apostolate / ministry with poor and abandoned boys as answer to his dream at nine years old. In his encounter with Garelli, he realized that a young person can become good as long as there is someone who shows them kindness and love.

1. Don Bosco’s first brush with reality is when he was exposed to prison ministry. In there he saw the sad reality of young inmates being herded with hardened criminals.

• In this situation, he realized that this is his main ministry with youngsters, those who were in conflict with the law. He needs to spend more time with them, listening to them their problems and becoming a father to these abandoned boys.

• In this situation, he realized he needs to provide them with skills program so that when they come out of prison, they will have source of livelihood and not to go back to those squalid places where young offenders were mixed with hardened criminals.

• In this situation, he realized he needs to bring them a place where they are far from sin, they are in good company, where they learn the Christian faith, receive the sacraments and being with someone who loved and cared for them.

1. We call John’s mother with endearment Mama Margaret. Although she was illiterate, she was able to impart to John good Christian values and the truths of the faith.

• John Bosco learned through her that God is everywhere and that he cares for all his created beings especially his children.

• John Bosco learned that God sees us, and he is everywhere and cares for all his children especially the poor and the abandoned.

• John Bosco learned that poverty is given by God so that we will learn how to spend our time here on earth with much diligence and love.

1. Luigi Comollo is his dear friend at school and at the seminary.

• He was his best friend because they are opposite with each other in character and in personality.

• He was his best friend because he considered Luigi a holy person and that he wanted to learn from him and imitate his meekness of spirit.

• He was his friend because he finds in him his own person who needs to control his temper.