A grace obtained, a missed votive offering, an indelible memory
Fr Francesco MOTTO Every unpublished document generally contains something new. Well, the documents we are presenting here not...
Don Bosco
The Salesian search engine www.donbosco.info has been enhanced
Redaktor strony Following its launch on 31 January 2025 and presentation at General Chapter 29, the Salesian...
Pains of Hell (1887)
St John Bosco In this passage, taken from his 1887 memoirs, Don Giovanni Bosco recounts the most disturbing...
Let me be alone; I suffer too much (1867)
The following dream, recounted by Don Bosco to his young people in 1867, begins with...
At Don Bosco’s school. Offering little sacrifices to Our Lady
For Saint John Bosco, devotion to Our Lady was not a mere accessory religious sentiment,...
A Raging Bull; Humility, Work and Temperance (1876)
This vivid dream narrative, recounted by Don Bosco at the end of the 1876 spiritual...
Monsters that Hurt Young People (1865)
In this lively account, dated 24 February 1865, Don Bosco speaks to his pupils about...
Crown of the Seven Sorrows of Mary
The publication “Crown of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” represents a cherished devotion that St....
Lotteries: real feats
Don Bosco was not only a tireless educator and pastor of souls, but also a...
Becoming a sign of hope in eSwatini – Lesotho – South Africa after 130 years
In the heart of Southern Africa, amidst the natural beauty and social challenges of eSwatini,...
The shepherdess, the sheep and lambs (1867)
In the following passage, Don Bosco, founder of the Valdocco Oratory, recounts a dream he...
Don Bosco with his Salesians
P. Natale CERRATO If Don Bosco happily joked with his boys to see them cheerful and serene, he...
The Seven Joys of the Madonna
At the heart of St. John Bosco’s educational and spiritual work, the figure of the...
The festive oratory at Valdocco
In 1935, following the canonisation of Don Bosco in 1934, the Salesians took care to...
Don Bosco and the Church of the Holy Shroud
The Holy Shroud of Turin, one of Christianity’s most revered relics, has a thousand-year history...
The Tenth Hill (1864)
Don Bosco’s dream of the “Tenth Hill”, recounted in October 1864, is one of the...
Missionary volunteering changes the lives of young people in Mexico
Missionary volunteering is an experience that profoundly transforms the lives of young people. In Mexico,...
The Little Lambs and the Summer Storm (1878)
The dreamlike tale that follows, recounted by Don Bosco on the evening of 24 October...
Visiting Rome with Don Bosco. Chronicle of his first trip to Rome
The first time Don Bosco went to Rome was in 1858, from February 18 to...
Visit to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome (also in 3D)
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome is a prominent church for...
Don Bosco’s devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Don Bosco’s devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus originated from the revelations to Saint...
Don Bosco attends a devils meeting (1884)
The following pages take us into the heart of Saint John Bosco’s mystical experience, through...
Don Bosco and the Sacred Heart. Protect, atone, love
In 1886, on the eve of the consecration of the new Basilica of the Sacred...
Don Bosco and Eucharistic processions
A little-known but important aspect of St John Bosco’s charism is Eucharistic processions. For the...
Patagonia: “The greatest enterprise of our Congregation”
Upon arriving in Patagonia, the Salesians—led by Don Bosco—aimed to establish an Apostolic Vicariate to...
St Francis de Sales instructs him. Future of vocations (1879)
In the prophetic dream Don Bosco recounted on 9 May 1879, Saint Francis de Sales...
From CGS20 to GC29. The “interior” journey of the Salesians: between fidelity to God and response to the young
At the conclusion of the 29th General Chapter of the Salesians, we invited Don Pascual...
Fr. Peter Ricaldone is Reborn in Mirabello Monferrato
Fr. Peter Ricaldone (Mirabello Monferrato, 27 April 1870 – Rome, 25 November 1951) was the...
Finally in Patagonia!
Between 1877 and 1880, the Salesian missionary shift towards Patagonia took place. After the offer...
Young people’s gifts to Mary (1865)
In a dream recounted by Don Bosco in the Chronicle of the Oratory, dated May...
The New Headquarters of the Salesians. Rome, Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart)
Today, the original vocation of the Sacred Heart House sees a new beginning. Tradition and...
When the Lord Knocks
P. Fabio ATTARD A confrere told me, “Father, we only need your closeness, your listening, your prayer. This...
The way to hell paved with feeble resolutions (1873)
San Giovanni Bosco recounts in a “good night” the result of a long plea to...
Don Bosco promoter of “divine mercy”
As a very young priest, Don Bosco published a booklet, in tiny format, entitled “Exercise...
Purity and ways it can be safeguarded (1884)
In this dream of Don Bosco, a heavenly garden appears: a green slope, festooned trees,...
Final Address of the Rector Major at the conclusion of the General Chapter 29
Dear confreres, We have come to the end of this experience of the 29th General...
Don Bosco International
Don Bosco International (DBI) is a non-governmental organisation based in Brussels, representing the Salesians of...
Social inclusion according to Don Bosco
Don Bosco’s far-sighted proposal for the ‘unaccompanied minors’ of Rome. The history of the church...
With Don Bosco. Always
P. Stefano MARTOGLIO It makes a difference whether or not a General Chapter is held in one place...
The dream of the 22 moons (1854)
In March 1854 on a feast day, after evening prayer Don Bosco gathered all the...
The Vicar of the Rector Major. Don Stefano Martoglio
We have the joy of announcing that Don Stefano Martoglio has been re-elected as Vicar...
New Rector Major: Fabius Attard
We are pleased to announce that Fr. Fabius Attard is the new Rector Major, the...
Rectors Major of the Salesian Congregation
The Salesian Congregation, founded in 1859 by Saint John Bosco, has had at its head...
150th anniversary of the first missionary expedition. Missionary Day
The Mission Sector of the Salesian Congregation prepared the usual materials for Salesian Mission Day...
Leaving for the missions… trusting in dreams
Don Bosco’s missionary dreams, without anticipating the course of future events, had the flavour of...
A Mysterious and Prophetic Wheel (1861)
The wise man’s heart,” we read in Holy Scripture, “knows times and judgments; for there...
We are Don Bosco, today
“You will complete the work I am starting; I will make the sketch, you will...
The Life of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles
The culminating moment of the Jubilee Year for every believer is the passage through the...
Our guest: Father Alphonse Owoudou, Chapter Moderator
On Sunday, February 16th, 2025, at Valdocco, Turin, the twenty-ninth General Chapter of the Salesian...
The Jubilee and devout practises for visiting churches. Dialogue
Saint John Bosco fully understood the importance of Jubilees in the life of the Church....
The history of the Salesian missions (1/5)
The 150th anniversary of the Salesian missions will be held on November 11, 2025. We...
The handkerchief of purity (1861)
On June 16, Don Bosco gave the boys the spiritual nosegay to pray for...
Hiking to Heaven (1861)
We shall now narrate another inspiring dream of Don Bosco which occurred on the nights...
Good, trustworthy and courageous slaves
In this Jubilee year, in this difficult world, we are invited to stand up, restart,...
Faith, our shield and our victory (1876)
“When I devoted myself to this part of the sacred ministry, I intended to consecrate...
Life of Saint Paul the Apostle, Doctor of the Gentiles
The culminating moment of the Jubilee Year for every believer is the passage through the...
Marian Devotion from Don Bosco’s Perspective
Saint John Bosco had a deep devotion to Mary Help of Christians, a devotion that...
Strenna 2025. Anchored in hope, pilgrims with young people
INTRODUCTION. ANCHORED IN HOPE, PILGRIMS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE1. ENCOUNTERING CHRIST OUR HOPE TO RENEW DON...
The “Good Night”
One evening, saddened by a certain general indiscipline noticed at the Valdocco Oratory among...
Fifth missionary dream: Peking (1886)
During the night of April 9th, Don Bosco had a new missionary dream, which he...
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....
The Cardinal Protectors of the Salesian Society of St John Bosco
From the very beginning, the Salesian Society had, like many other religious orders, a cardinal...
Fr Rinaldi at the Becchi
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...
A heart as big as the shores of the sea
A new time is given to us: from the Heart of God to the heart...
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...
Don Bosco and music
For the education of his youngsters Don Bosco made much use of music. Even...
Great saint, great manager
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 path of roses
“‘Oh, how Don Bosco always walks on roses! He goes forward calmly; all things go...
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...
The second missionary dream: across America (1883)
Don Bosco told this dream on September 4, at the morning session of the...
The Snake nd the Rosary (1862)
Part I At the “Good Night” on August 20, 1862, Don Bosco, after giving some...
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...
First missionary dream: Patagonia (1872)
Here is the dream that saw Don Bosco decide to start the missionary apostolate...
An interesting court case at Valdocco
A letter to the magistrate of the City of Turin dated 18 April 1865 opens...
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...
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...
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...
The Flood and the Life-saving Raft (1886)
No one can save themselves from the fury of the waters in great floods. Everyone...
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...
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...
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 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...
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’s educational journey (2/2)
(continuation from previous article) The market for young workers The historical time in which Don...
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’s educational journey (1/2)
Following the paths of the heart Don Bosco wept at the sight of the boys...
Don Bosco and Italian
Piedmont in the early 19th century was still a peripheral area compared to the...
The dream of the two columns
Among Don Bosco’s dreams, one of the best known is the one known as the...
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...
Dream of the Ten Diamonds
One of Don Bosco’s most famous dreams was the one called the “Dream of the...
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...
Don Bosco, politics and the social question
Did Don Bosco do politics? Yes, but not in the immediate sense of the word....
What are the requirements for entering the Salesian Society
In various parts of the world the time is approaching when some young people, attracted...
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...
Do holy water, blessings, and other sacramentals still have value?
We are witnessing today an indifference or contempt for sacramentals. Blessings on people, water, religious...