Giovanni 'Don' Bosco, a remarkable Italian priest of the 19th century, dedicated his heart and soul to the salvation of lost boys wandering the streets of Turin. With unwavering passion and a spirit of compassion, he illuminated their dark paths, transforming lives not only within the borders of Italy but beyond. His pedagogy brought forth a profound and lasting impact on the hearts and minds of countless young souls. Today, his time-honored approach continues to inspire and guide our foundation, radiating the same love and devotion he once offered. We warmly invite you to delve into the legacy of Don Bosco through the timeline below.
Giovanni Bosco was born on August 16, 1815, in Becchi, northern Italy, as the youngest son of Francesco Bosco and Margherita Occhiena. His impoverished family of five depended on their small farm for survival.
On May 12, 1817, Giovanni's father died when he was not yet two years old. His mother Margherita faced tough times, but despite her own struggles, she always helped those in need, never turning away beggars and the poor.
Giovanni struggles in the fields with his brothers, dreaming of becoming a priest despite opposition from his eldest brother, Antonio. After a heated argument, Giovanni chooses to leave home.
After meeting Don Calosso and due to the new education law, Giovanni seizes the opportunity to attend school. Eager to learn, he devours every book and pursues education over the summer. He explores the annual fair, engages with market vendors, masters magic tricks, and becomes a circus artist.
While Giovanni is quite intelligent, he faces some challenges that delay his completion of primary school until the age of fifteen. Following this, he promptly moves to the nearby town of Chieri to begin his secondary education. In the meantime, Giovanni takes on various odd jobs, aiming to contribute financially and ease the expenses for his mother.
After completing high school, Giovanni encountered a pivotal moment in his life where he had to make important decisions. At the age of 20, he commenced his priestly training at the Chieri Seminary. The atmosphere there is quite disciplined; however, he is grateful for the support of his friends. Giovanni aspires to be a different kind of priest in the future, and he is already becoming aware of this ambition.
In 1841, Giovanni was ordained as a priest in Turin, adopting the name 'Don' Bosco. He continued his studies at the Convict, marking a significant turning point in his life. During this period, Don Bosco encountered the 'poor and abandoned' youth of Turin for the first time, which deeply resonated with him.
According to Don Bosco, the poverty of these young people is not only financial; they also lack a solid moral and religious formation. Through numerous publications - readable for youth and the common people - he tries to change this. Together with some other priests, Don Bosco starts the first oratorio.
For Don Bosco, the oratorio is a place where young people can come home, receive catechesis, learn a profession and play and romp to their hearts' content. After a tiring and arduous wandering, Don Bosco settled permanently with his oratorio in a shed in Valdocco. It was then Easter 1846.
The oratorio grew rapidly and it was not long before Don Bosco established a second oratorio. In 1853, he even opens his own workshops where his boys learn a trade. At Don Bosco, the idea of founding his own congregation grows: that way he can train his own boys to become suitable workers. Not an easy task, but Don Bosco perseveres.
Don Bosco's work expands: young people receive full-fledged education, more and more adults become involved, and his work becomes increasingly well known. Yet 1856 is a particularly painful year for Don Bosco, for after Mama Margherita had helped her son work in the oratorio for fourteen years, she dies in Valdocco.
Pope Pius IX led Don Bosco increasingly toward a religious congregation, and in 1859 it finally came to pass: the Salesian Society was born with Giovanni Bosco as its first Superior General. It is finally only many years later, in 1884, that the society is officially recognized as an independent congregation.
Don Bosco's work flourished in Turin and along with his work his fame grew. Soon comes the demand to be able to start this work in other places as well. In 1863 the time came: in Mirabello Monferrato, the first house outside Turin opened: a small seminary for young people who wanted to prepare for priestly studies.
In 1864, during Don Bosco's visit to the Italian town of Mornese, he encounters Maria Mazzarello. They quickly discover a shared vision: to extend Don Bosco's mission of serving young boys to young girls as well. This vision culminated in 1872 with the establishment of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and Maria Mazzarello was appointed as the Superior General.
The congregation now has 250 members and is widely known. The time has therefore come to look beyond the borders of Italy. The first oratorio abroad was opened in Nice in 1875, the same year Don Bosco sent the first Salesian missionaries to Buenos Aires (Argentina).
Beginning in 1883, Don Bosco experienced a decline in his physical strength. He began to feel like an elderly individual who had significantly aged. While he continued to serve as the "father" of the congregation, he increasingly delegated responsibilities to others. In 1884, he appointed Michele Rua as his successor. By 1887, Don Bosco traveled to Rome for the final time, fully fatigued and with diminished eyesight.
In 1888, Don Bosco passed away. He encouraged his fellow members to maintain the original spirit of the Oratory, emphasizing that it was at risk of being diminished through the typical process of institutionalization. On the morning of January 31, 1888, he died in his room at Valdocco. At that time, there were approximately 750 Salesians operating in nine countries.
Even after Don Bosco's death, the congregation continued to grow. In 1891, the first Salesians - and later Sisters - came to Belgium (Liège). Five years later, in 1896, the first house opens in Flanders (Hechtel). In 1898, the Salesians begin their youth work in the Netherlands (Lauradorp). It is the start of Don Bosco's dream in our region.
The first oratorio of Don Bosco has since grown into a worldwide congregation. Some figures:
Salesiaanse Familie 
Church 
