Fifth missionary dream: Peking (1886)
St John Bosco During the night of April 9th, Don Bosco had a new missionary dream, which he...
saints
Andrew Beltrami virtuous profile (2/2)
Fr Pierluigi CAMERONI (continuation from previous article) 3. Story of a soul3.1. Loving and suffering Fr Barberis sketches...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (13/13)
(continuation from previous article) Graces obtained through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians. I....
Blessed Maria Troncatti, a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, will be canonised
On November 25th, 2024, Pope Francis authorised the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to...
St Francis de Sales, personal companion
P. Wirth MORAND ‘My spirit always accompanies yours,’ wrote Francis de Sales one day to Jeanne de...
Andrew Beltrami virtuous profile (1/2)
The Venerable Fr Andrea Beltrami (1870-1897) is an emblematic expression of a constitutive dimension...
Fr Rinaldi at the Becchi
P. Natale CERRATO Blessed Don Filippo Rinaldi, the third successor of Don Bosco, is remembered as an extraordinary...
Fourth Missionary Dream in Africa and China (1885)
From time to time, Divine Providence would reveal the future before the very eyes of...
Life according to the Spirit in Mamma Margaret (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) 4. Exodus to her son’s priesthood From the dream at the...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (12/13)
(continuation from previous article) A memento of the ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone...
Saint Francis, promoter of culture
As the pastor of a diocese the vast majority of which was made up of...
Don Bosco and music
For the education of his youngsters Don Bosco made much use of music. Even...
Life according to the Spirit in Mamma Margaret (1/2)
Fr Lemoyne leaves us a truly outstanding portrait in his preface to the life...
Great saint, great manager
Fr Francesco MOTTO It is not easy to choose, from the hundreds of unpublished letters of Don...
Third missionary dream: air travel (1885)
Don Bosco’s dream on the eve of the missionaries’ departure for America is an event...
The Servant of God Andrej Majcen: a Salesian completely dedicated to the young
Prof. Lodovica Maria ZANET This year marks the 25th anniversary of the passing into eternity of the Servant of...
The safe tradition of Blessed Michael Rua (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) 2. Some traits of the theological virtues in Fr Rua2.1. Fr...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (11/13)
(continuation from previous article) Appendix I. Ancient custom of consecrating churches Once a church has...
St Francis de Sales at the service of education
Francis de Sales was convinced that ‘on the good or bad education of the...
The second missionary dream: across America (1883)
Don Bosco told this dream on September 4, at the morning session of the...
The safe tradition of Blessed Michael Rua (1/2)
“Be good, trust in God and paradise will be yours” (Blessed Michael RUA) Blessed...
The new rooms of the Salesian General Postulation
On 4 June 2024, the new rooms of the Salesian General Postulation located at the...
The Snake nd the Rosary (1862)
Part I At the “Good Night” on August 20, 1862, Don Bosco, after giving some...
Blessed Alberto Marvelli: a beacon of faith and social commitment in the 20th century
BSOL Editor In the panorama of the great witnesses of faith of the 20th century, the name...
The Good Shepherd gives his life: Father Elia Comini on the 80th anniversary of his sacrifice
Monte Sole is a hill in the Apennines near Bologna that until the Second...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (10/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter XIX. Funds by which this Church was built. Those who...
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 Blessed in Chambéry. Camille Costa de Beauregard, Founder of “Le Bocage”
Camille Costa de Beauregard (1841-1910), a Savoyard priest born in Chambéry, could have taken advantage...
The Dream of the Elephant (1863)
Unable to give the strenna to his pupils on the last day of the year,...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (9/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter XVII. Continuation and completion of the building. It seems that...
St Francis de Sales forms his collaborators
Francis de Sales did not wish to become a bishop. “I was not born...
Where was Don Bosco born?
On the first anniversary of Don Bosco’s death his Past Pupils wanted to continue...
A pergola of roses (1847)
Don Bosco’s dreams are gifts from on high to guide, warn, correct, encourage. Some of...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (8/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter XV. Devotion and plans for a church to Mary Help...
Correcting “rebellious children” with St Francis de Sales
In September 1594, Francis de Sales, provost of the cathedral, arrived, accompanied by his...
Exhibition for the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s dream
Dialogue between past, present and future: temporary exhibition for the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s...
The turning point in the life of St Francis de Sales (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) Beginning of a new stage From this moment on, everything would...
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 turning point in the life of St Francis de Sales (1/2)
After ten years of study in Paris and three years at the University...
The letter from Rome (1884)
In 1884, while in Rome, a few days before returning to Turin, Don Bosco had...
The dream at 9 years of age
The series of Don Bosco’s ‘dreams’ begins with the one he had at the age...
Salesian holiness
The Holy Spirit unceasingly continues the hidden work in souls, leading them to holiness. Not...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (7/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter XIII. Institution of the Feast of Mary Help of Christians. ...
Don Bosco and the Consolata
The oldest pillar in the Becchi area appears to date back to 1700. It...
Edmond Obrecht. I had lunch with a saint
In the biography of a famous abbot, the emotion of meeting Don Bosco. Today it...
Don Bosco and Italian
Piedmont in the early 19th century was still a peripheral area compared to 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,...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (6/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter 9. Battle of Lepanto. Having thus expounded some of the...
Nino, a young man like so many… meets the purpose of life in his Lord
Nino Baglieri was born in Modica Alta on 1 May 1951 to his mother...
Meeting Vera Grita of Jesus, Servant of God
Vera Grita, together with Alexandrina Maria da Costa (from Balazar), both Salesian Cooperators, were two...
The Venerable Simon Srugi, salesian lay brother
Simon Srugi was born on 15 April 1877 and grew up in a Greek-Melkite family...
St Francis de Sales as a young student in Paris
In 1578 Francis de Sales was 11 years old. His father, wishing to make...
1954-2024: 70 years since the canonisation of Dominic Savio
The canonisation of Dominic Savio took place under the symbol of the Immaculate Conception. It...
St Joseph – a Father’s Heart (video)
St Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, is a not a well known saint, Little has...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (5/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter 7. Mary favours those who work for the faith; while...
What are the requirements for entering the Salesian Society
In various parts of the world the time is approaching when some young people, attracted...
The childhood of a future saint: Saint Francis de Sales
Francis was born on 21 August 1567 at the Château de Sales, in Thorens,...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (4/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter V. Devotion of the early Christians to the Blessed Virgin...
Life of Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary Most Holy, earthly father of Jesus Christ (3/3)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter 20. Death of St Joseph. – His burial.Nunc dimittis servum...
Life of Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary Most Holy, earthly father of Jesus Christ (2/3)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter 9. The Circumcision.Et vocavit nomen eius Iesum. (And he named...
Life of Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary Most Holy, earthly father of Jesus Christ (1/3)
Saint Joseph is patron of the Church and also co-patron of the Salesian Congregation. From...
The pleasure of loving God like St Francis de Sales
In his famous Treatise on the Love of God, St Francis de Sales wanted...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (3/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter III. Mary manifests her zeal and power with her son...
Salesian Protomartyrs: Aloysius (Louis) Versiglia and Callistus Caravario
Louis and Callistus: the same missionary vocation for the salvation of souls, but a different...
Being lovable like Don Bosco (2/2)
Fr Bruno FERRERO (continuation from previous article) 5) Being authenticIn the digital age, authentic people are very important....
Alberto Marvelli, the Christian that even the Communists liked
Alberto Marvelli (1918-1946), a young man formed in the Salesian oratory in Rimini, lived his...
Being lovable like Don Bosco (1/2)
Being lovable is a human quality that is cultivated, accepting the effort that it so...
The “misunderstood” God of St Francis de Sales
A curious episode In the life of Francis de Sales, a young student in Paris,...
Don Bosco’s last will and testament
With a will, as we know, someone disposes of their belongings for the time...
The dream at 9 years of age. Genesis of a vocation
The 9-year-old’s dream presented in ten points, the genesis of a heavenly vocation, confirmed by...
Don Bosco’s nine-year dream. Theological – spiritual nuclei
A commentary on the theological-spiritual themes present in the nine-year dream could have such...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (2/13)
(continuation from previous article) Chapter II. Mary shown to be the help of Christians by...
St Francis de Sales. Complete works and concordances
St Francis de Sales was considered a founder of a new school of spirituality, named...
Laura Vicuña: a daughter who “begets” her mother
Stories of wounded families We are used to imagining the family as a harmonious reality,...
Don Bosco and ecumenical dialogue
Ecumenism is a movement that arose at the beginning of the 20th century among...
Don Bosco and animals
Did Don Bosco love animals? Are they present in his life? And what relationship did...
Luigi Variara the Founder who was himself ‘founded’
‘Founded’ in a glance that marked a lifetime Louis Variara was born on 15 January...
Blessed Titus Zeman, martyr for vocations
A man destined for elimination Titus Zeman was born in Vajnory, near Bratislava (in Slovakia),...
Wonders of the Mother of God invoked under the title of Mary Help of Christians (1/13)
In 1868 St John Bosco printed a publication entitled ‘Wonders of the Mother of God...
Zatti the good Samaritan for the sick, doctors and nurses (video)
“Zatti – hospital”Zatti and the hospital were an inseparable pair. Fr Entraigas remembers that when...
The great gift of holiness of Artemides Zatti, Salesian brother (video)
The chronicle of the Salesian college in Viedma recalls that, according to custom, on...
Don Bosco and his mother
The 150th anniversary of Don Bosco’s birth was commemorated in 1965. Among the conferences...
Alexandre Planas Saurì, the deaf martyr (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) The Salesian He was close to the sick, the children. The...
Blessed Michael Rua, an outstanding bloom from the garden of the Immaculate Conception Sodality
Dominic Savio arrived at the Valdocco Oratory in the autumn of 1854, at the...
Memoirs of the future
Ángel Card. FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME We have a dream. And it is our greatest wealth Two hundred years ago, a...
Alexandre Planas Saurì, the deaf martyr (1/2)
Alexandre Planas Sauri, born in Mataró (Barcelona) on 31 December 1878, was a lay collaborator...
Venerable Constatine Vendrame: apostle of Christ
The cause for the canonisation of the servant of God, Constantine Vendrame, is advancing. On...
Souls and horsepower
Don Bosco wrote at night by candlelight, after a day spent in prayer, talks, meetings,...
Venerable Archbishop Antônio de Almeida Lustosa “father and friend of the poor”
On 22 June 2023, the Holy Father Francis received Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the...
Don Bosco and his date of birth
The archives speak of 16 August: but there is a curious and affectionate interpretation. The...
Venerable Dorotea Chopitea
Who was Dorotea de Chopitea? She was a Salesian cooperator, a true mother of the...
St Francis de Sales. Mary’s presence (8/8)
Fr Gianni GHIGLIONE (continuation from previous article) THE PRESENCE OF MARY IN SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES (8/8) The...
Don Bosco’s gaze
But who would believe it? Don Bosco’s ‘vision’ was such that he… saw so many...
Fr Giulio Barberis and his “Cronichetta”: day by day at Valdocco with Don Bosco
On 21 February 1875 some Salesians decided to set up an “historical commission” to “collect...
St Francis de Sales. Gentleness (7/8)
(continuation from previous article) GENTLENESS IN SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES (7/8) Some episodes from Francis’s...
Don Bosco to Fr Orione: We will always be friends
Saint Louis Orione: “My most beautiful years were those spent in the Salesian Oratory.” An...
Father Carlo Crespi “apóstol de los pobres”
On 23 March 2023, the Church – after the examination of the theological virtues of...
St Francis de Sales. The Eucharist (6/8)
(continuation from previous article) THE EUCHARIST IN SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES (6/8) Francis received his...