In his 1877 booklet on pedagogy, Don Bosco highlights the advantages of the Preventive System and other reasons for which it should be preferred. At the same time he recognises that the “practical application” of the educational approach he is proposing implies “certain difficulties” for educators.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Reminders to practise the Preventive System (1884-1885)”
The “document that properly begins the representation of Don Bosco’s real experience as an educator is The Sway of a Good Upbringing. Here we find the Director of the Oratory of St Francis de Sales as catechist, counsellor and confidant of young Peter”, even if he “is in the shade and not fully defined.”
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Educational experiences in the school and family setting (1855)”
As we have just said, for the financial resources needed to supply the everincreasing costs of his work, Don Bosco appealed to institutions: the Royal family, Government authorities, public officials (local council, provincial, state …), existing charitable organisations locally, the National Bank, parishes, dioceses, the Holy See itself through his best supporters, including the Pope.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Recourse to public charity”
The financial contributions asked for and obtained from public authorities and institutions were certainly not enough to help him confront the huge expenses of the Salesian Work. It was necessary to appeal to private charity. Logically, Don Bosco turned especially to families and individuals who had financial possibilities, meaning those belonging to the nobility, mostly large property owners, and the upper and middle class of the time who were notably ready to dispense charity. Some of these, albeit modest in their private savings, could actually find an outlet in educational and charitable works such as those of Don Bosco.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Appeals to private charity”
Relationships between Don Bosco and Archbishop Gastaldi went through two different stages, one of great understanding and cooperation, and another of notable difficulties and conflicts. The watershed could be considered to be Gastaldi’s transferral from the Episcopal See of Saluzzo to being Archbishop of Turin in 1871.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Difficult relationships with the Archbishop of Turin”
One of the most difficult conflicts to resolve in relationships between the Holy
See and the new Kingdom of Italy was that of the dozens of Episcopal sees left vacant
for political reasons. Both parties were aware of the seriousness of the situation, but
attempts to exit from the situation were shipwrecked by the persistent serious friction
brought about by proclaiming a Kingdom which comprised territories taken from
the Papal States (1861). Only in 1865-1867 did a process of détente coming
into place, where, having overcome mutual resistance, the Holy See succeeded in
appointing many bishops with the agreement of authorities of the Kingdom.
The Law of Guarantees on 13 May 1871 and decrees applying to this required that for newly appointed bishops to enter into possession – the so-called temporalities – they had to present the Minister with the original decree of appointment and formally ask for the exequatur to be granted. This act, in the Holy See’s judgement, implied recognising the Kingdom of Italy which came into being in 1861, and included part of the Papal States ‘illegally’ taken from the Pontiff.
In the early 1870s, when the Salesian Society was going through a happy time of expansion beyond the borders of Piedmont, thanks also to the many vocations flowing in, Don Bosco, with a group of Daughters of Mary Immaculate at Mornese who were gathered around Mary Domenica Mazzarello (1837-1881), gave life to the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. In a very short time it was approved by the Diocesan Ordinary and aggregated to the Salesian society, then spread throughout Italy and overseas. We publish here five documents on this women’s foundation.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – The Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of christians”
In the years immediately preceding and following Italian Unity (1858-1866), Don Bosco kept constantly in touch with Pius IX by letter. He did this not only for interests directly relating to his work, but also in reference to the worrying situation the Church was going through in Piedmont, to encourage him in his defence of the faith against the enemies of religion, and to pass on to him any likely reserved information in his possession. As already indicated, Don Bosco was with Pius IX and his Secretary of State, Card. Antonelli, on the Roman question. Slowly however, he became convinced that a too vigorous resistance to the “revolution” was becoming ever more pointless, even risked worsening the situation, so after the capture of Rome he chose, also politically, the principle of doing whatever good could be done.
On April 3, 1874, Pope Pius IX definitively approved the Constitutions of the Society of St Francis de Sales and on the following April 13 the competent Congregation of Bishops and Regulars promulgated the relevant decree.
Continue reading “Giovanni Bosco – Society of St Francis de Sales”
Don Bosco, at the advice of his spiritual director, St Joseph Cafasso from autumn 1844 to summer 1846 lived at the Barolo Refuge as chaplain of the Little Hospital of St Philomena, opened in August 1845. In the same place and in other temporary places not far from Valdocco, he carried out his early priestly ministry on behalf of boys, mostly immigrant lads who had no parish of reference. On the vigil of his move to the Pinardi house, he drew up for the civil authorities of the city of Turin, who were responsible for and concerned about public order, a very brief account of his three years of catechetical activity, indicating the aims and results he had achieved that were positive both for civil society and the Church (no. 1).
Queste pagine, ravvivate dalla non rara citazione di autori dei primi del Novecento, come Turati, Treves, e della rivista Critica sociale, di storici ben noti, come Jemolo e Menozzi, dalla conoscenza di studi anche “laici”, ci presentano queste Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice nel loro insieme: attive, coraggiose, vivaci, fedeli al proprio carisma salesiano, e insieme sensibili alle esigenze del momento. I terribili ispettori governativi del Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione (nelle scuole), e del Ministero degli Interni (nei convitti per operaie) lentamente superano la loro diffidenza, anche se parlano ancora di suore “furbe”. Quei liberali e quei socialisti sbagliavano. Non si trattava di furbizia, ma di adattamento ai tempi, di autentica ansia apostolica, che negli ospedali militari evitava qualunque pressione per la frequenza ai sacramenti, e si limitava a cenni accetti ed efficaci, e nelle scuole, negli oratori, nei convitti mostrava un sincero amor patrio, ma unito sempre alla piena fedeltà al papa, evitava troppe devozioni, ed insisteva sull’essenziale, correttezza, sacrificio, letture sane, confessione e comunione. Le Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice non erano furbe nel senso deteriore, e forse non mancava in esse ogni tanto una certa ingenuità. Certo non erano per nulla politicanti, erano solo fedeli alla classica massima di don Bosco: “Dammi le anime, prendi il resto”.
Periodo di riferimento: 1900 – 1922
Loparco Grazia, Le Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice nella società italiana (1900-1922). Percorsi e problemi di ricerca, Roma, LAS 2000.
Istituzione di riferimento:
Pontificia Facoltà di Scienze dell’Educazione “Auxilium”
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.
