A young Italian immigrant, Angelo Petazzi, watched anxiously as the English steamship, the Werra, approached New York harbor. Clutched in his hand was a letter from the then Salesian superior general, Father Michael Rua, which informed him of the impending arrival of a group of four Salesians in New York. At their head was Father Raphael Piperni.
Turin’s EXPO ’84 was to become the bittersweet culmination of Don Bosco’s remarkable and varied career as publisher, author, and printer.
For almost 40 years he had been active in the cause of the Catholic press and as editor of educational publications.
The conflict between Archbishop Lawrence Gastaldi and Don Bosco may at first sight appear to have been, to put a facile contemporary label on it, a typical confrontation between institution and charism.
Continue reading “Arthur Lenti – The Bosco-Gastaldi Conflict (1872-82), Part I”
Don Bosco’s biographer, Father John Baptist Lemoyne, notes that most of the boys who attended Don Bosco’s evening classes were hard-working young apprentices or youths who worked wherever they could find a job.
Because of the vastness of the subject and of the amount of material involved, this essay will be presented in two installments.
Continue reading “Arthur Lenti – Don Bosco’s missionary dreams (Part I)”
Don Bosco then goes on to describe the nature and purpose of the Convitto. It was a kind of ‘ finishing school’ where (he says) “one learnt to be a priest.”
Continue reading “Arthur Lenti – The Convitto Ecclesiastico – “Where one learnt to be a priest””
One spring day in 1860 Don Bosco was startled by a newsvendor’s cry. “Read all about it! Don Bosco in jail!” He was both amused and bemused.
Continue reading “Michael Ribotta – Hero or villain: Don Bosco as seen in the press of his time”
Father Philip Rinaldi was my granduncle on myfather’s side. For us youngsters he was the tall, smiling priest who, when visiting our home, would dig into his pockets and invariably come up with all sorts of goodies.
Continue reading “Peter Rinaldi – Blessed Philip Rinaldi as I knew him”
During the years following the late nineteenth and early twentieth century the Italian immigrant made his way, educated his children, and contributed his many talents to the great melting pot, not only in New York City, but in the whole of the United States.
Continue reading “Philip J. Pascucci – Once upon a time in old New York”
In carrying out his humble apostolate on behalf of poor and abandoned boys, Saint John Bosco (1815-1888) came into frequent contact with the wealthy and the powerful of Piedmontese society.
Continue reading “Michael Mendl – St. John Bosco’s dealings with the Cavour family”
This paper will survey that period in Don Bosco’s life that saw him ordained a priest. It will not be a study of Don Bosco the priest.
When New Year’s Day dawned in Turin in 1854, the subscribers to Don Bosco’s Catholic Readings (Letture Cattoliche) were in for a pleasant andunexpected surprise.
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