Arthur Lenti – Don Bosco’s Boswell: John Baptist Lemoyne-the man and his work

Part I will present a biographical sketch of the man; Part II will deal with the sources and the editorial history of the Biographical Memoirs; and Part III will inquire into the historical criteria and into the method with which the author worked, for an evaluation (by way of conclusion) of the historical character of the Biographical Memoirs.

Contents:

• INTRODUCTION
• I. Fr. John Baptist Lemoyne (1839-1916)-A Biographical Sketch

1. 1. Early Years
   2. Seminary Formation and Priestly Ordination
   3. Meeting with Don Bosco
   4. One Year with Don Bosco and Perpetual Profession
   5. Director of the Salesian School at Lanzo (1865-1877)
   6. Local Spiritual Director of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians at Momese and Nizza (1877-1883)
   7. Secretary to Don Bosco and to the Superior Chapter (1883-1916)

• II. Father Lemoyne and the Biographical Memoirs

1. 1. The Origin of a Biography and the Choice of Lemoyne for the Work
   2. Lemoyne’s Systematic Search for and Collection of Biographical Documentation
   3. Lemoyne’s Document
   4. The Biographical Memoirs
   5. Schematic View of the Publication History of the Biographical Memoirs in the Original Italian Edition

• III. Lemoyne as Historian – His Method in Editing the Biographical Memoirs

1. 1. Lemoyne’s Compilation Method
   2. Lemoyne’s Interpretation of Documents
   3. Lemoyne’s Use of Documentation
   4. Lemoyne’s Charismatic Portrayal of Don Bosco

• CONCLUSION

Reference time period: 1839 – 1916

Reference institution:
Institute of Salesian Studies