I killed her for a piece of bread
Fr Bruno FERRERO A man who had not entered a church for twenty years hesitantly approached a confessional....
councils
Third missionary dream: air travel (1885)
St John Bosco Don Bosco’s dream on the eve of the missionaries’ departure for America is an event...
The path of roses
P. Stefano MARTOGLIO “‘Oh, how Don Bosco always walks on roses! He goes forward calmly; all things go...
Halloween: a holiday to celebrate?
BSOL Editor Wise men tell us that to understand an event, one must know what its origin...
St Francis de Sales at the service of education
P. Wirth MORAND Francis de Sales was convinced that ‘on the good or bad education of the...
Remember the sermon
One Sunday, around noon, a young woman was washing salad in the kitchen, when she...
What is the ordinary activity of the devil and how to counter it
The devil’s temptation does not produce its devastating consequences if our human will, with God’s...
One million children pray the Rosary
‘If one million children pray the Rosary, the world will change’ (St Pio of Pietrelcina...
The Snake nd the Rosary (1862)
Part I At the “Good Night” on August 20, 1862, Don Bosco, after giving some...
Our annual gift
Traditionally, as Salesian Family we receive the Strenna every year; a gift at the beginning...
St Francis de Sales catechises the children
Formed in Christian doctrine from childhood, in his family environment, then in schools, and...
First missionary dream: Patagonia (1872)
Here is the dream that saw Don Bosco decide to start the missionary apostolate...
A truly blind man
An ancient Persian fable tells of a man who had only one thought: to possess...
An interesting court case at Valdocco
Fr Francesco MOTTO A letter to the magistrate of the City of Turin dated 18 April 1865 opens...
Spreading Don Bosco’s missionary spirit
We are approaching the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition...
Young people making the novena to the Nativity of Mary well (1868)
Don Bosco’s dream of 2 September 1868 This is how Don Bosco spoke in...
The Dream of the Elephant (1863)
Unable to give the strenna to his pupils on the last day of the year,...
A smile at dawn
A touching testimony by Raoul Follereau. He was in a leper colony on a Pacific...
St Francis de Sales forms his collaborators
Francis de Sales did not wish to become a bishop. “I was not born...
The Flood and the Life-saving Raft (1886)
No one can save themselves from the fury of the waters in great floods. Everyone...
Correcting “rebellious children” with St Francis de Sales
In September 1594, Francis de Sales, provost of the cathedral, arrived, accompanied by his...
How to find the resources to build a church
A secret to be foundIt is well known that Don Bosco’s reputation for getting things...
The rose
The German poet Rilke lived for a time in Paris. To go to university, he...
The letter from Rome (1884)
In 1884, while in Rome, a few days before returning to Turin, Don Bosco had...
Salesian holiness
Fr Pierluigi CAMERONI The Holy Spirit unceasingly continues the hidden work in souls, leading them to holiness. Not...
The hands of God
A master was travelling with a disciple in charge of looking after the camel. One...
The dream of the two columns
Among Don Bosco’s dreams, one of the best known is the one known as the...
When an educator touches the hearts of his children
Ángel Card. FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME The art of being like Don Bosco: “Remember that education is a matter of the...
St Francis de Sales university student in Padua (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) Francis went to Padua, a city belonging to the Venetian...
St Francis de Sales university student in Padua (1/2)
Francis went to Padua, a city belonging to the Venetian Republic, in October 1588,...
Dream of the Ten Diamonds
One of Don Bosco’s most famous dreams was the one called the “Dream of the...
St Joseph – a Father’s Heart (video)
St Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, is a not a well known saint, Little has...
What are the requirements for entering the Salesian Society
In various parts of the world the time is approaching when some young people, attracted...
Prayers and invocations attracting indulgences
We sometimes here the question, what is the most powerful prayer?The wording is certainly wrong,...
The pleasure of loving God like St Francis de Sales
In his famous Treatise on the Love of God, St Francis de Sales wanted...
Being lovable like Don Bosco (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) 5) Being authenticIn the digital age, authentic people are very important....
The prophecies of Don Bosco and the kings of Italy
“The family of those who steal from God does not reach the fourth generation.” The...
Being lovable like Don Bosco (1/2)
Being lovable is a human quality that is cultivated, accepting the effort that it so...
Message at the end of the 42nd Salesian Spirituality Days
To my dearest Family My dearest sons and daughters, The dream that makes you dream....
The “misunderstood” God of St Francis de Sales
A curious episode In the life of Francis de Sales, a young student in Paris,...
Giuseppe Buzzetti, from migrant to first Salesian brother
Teresio BOSCO He was one of the many young migrants in 19th century Turin. He had the...
Don Bosco’s last will and testament
P. Natale CERRATO With a will, as we know, someone disposes of their belongings for the time...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (10/10)
(continuation from previous article) 10. Shall we plan?As a young student, Francis de Sales (he...
The Exercise for a Happy Death in Don Bosco’s educational experience (5/5)
P. Aldo GIRAUDO (continuation from previous article) 4. Conclusion In the epilogue of Francis Besucco’s life, Don Bosco...
The Exercise for a Happy Death in Don Bosco’s educational experience (4/5)
(continuation from previous article) 3. Death as a moment of joyful encounter with God Like...
Mamma Margaret’s basket
At the end of a year, we all have a memory basket in our soul....
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (9/10)
(continuation from previous article) 9. Let us come to the pointDear young people,if we look...
The boat
One evening, two tourists who were at a campsite on the shores of a lake...
The Exercise for a Happy Death in Don Bosco’s educational experience (3/5)
(continuation from previous article) 2. The litany for a happy death in the context of...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (8/10)
(continuation from previous article) 8. Prayer or serviceDear young people,charity and prayer always go together....
The Exercise for a Happy Death in Don Bosco’s educational experience (2/5)
(continuation from previous article) 1. The exercise for a happy death in Salesian institutions and...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (7/10)
(continuation from previous article) 7. Who finds a friend…?Dear young people,the gift and responsibility of...
The Exercise for a Happy Death in Don Bosco’s educational experience (1/5)
The annual All Souls Day commemoration presents us with reality that no one can deny:...
The train timetable
I knew a man who knew the railway timetable by heart, because the only thing...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (6/10)
(continuation from previous article) 6. All is well at homeDear young people,“I think that, in...
Don Bosco’s wandering books
In a circular letter Don Bosco wrote in July 1885: “The good book even enters...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (5/10)
(continuation from previous article) 5. After all, can I do it alone?Dear young people,I have...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (4/10)
(continuation from previous article) 4. Where is your heartDear young people,you have written to me...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (3/10)
(continuation from previous article) 3. If I do not know myself, can I be free...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (2/10)
(continuation from previous article) 2. What to do tomorrowDear young people,you are certainly asking yourselves:...
Have you thought about your vocation? St Francis de Sales could help you (1/10)
“It is not by the greatness of our deeds that we will please God, but...
Don Bosco. A Hail Mary at the end of Holy Mass
St John Bosco’s devotion to Our Lady is well known. The graces received from Mary...
Letter from the Rector Major after his appointment as cardinal
To my Salesian Brothers (sdb) To the Salesian FamilyMy dear brothers and sisters: receive my...
Second Congress of Coadjutors of Africa
The Second Regional Congress of Salesian Coadjutors of the Africa-Madagascar Region was held from 24...
Towards a renewed missionary outlook
P. Alfred MARAVILLA Salesian missions abroad, one of the characteristics of the Congregation founded by St John Bosco,...
The stork and its duties
The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large bird, unmistakable for its tapering red beak,...
In memoriam. Don Sergio DALL’ANTONIA, sdb
Fr Sergio Dall’Antonia, Salesian missionary and founder of the Salesian presence in Romania, ended his...
Who doesn’t pray?
A farmer, on a market day, stopped to eat in a crowded restaurant where even...
Connecting with the Millennial and ‘Gen Z’ mindsets
Communication involves several components that we need to seriously consider: first of all, the sender...