workshop heads which become particularly significant when we find them in other pedagogical writings, for example the Confidential Memo for Rectors and the Preventive System 1877. The circular to Salesians on February 5 1874, might be seen as a program of action. It is entitled On the manner of promoting and preserving morality among the boys graciously entrusted to us by divine Providence. The 'manner' was first of all spelled out as the example to be given by the educators: sal et lux, salt and light. Educators had to demonstrate resplendent and real chastity in word and action.982
We find similar advice for Salesian religious educators in The Constitutions of the Society of St. Francis de Sales, in the introduction, where Don Bosco deals with the vow of chastity.983
As for educating youth to chastity, Don Bosco foresees two steps generally: a preliminary or healing
step and a constructive one. The first is seen as almost essenti al since Don Bosco considers innocence
preserved to be a rare ideal among children and teenagers. Dominic Savio is an exceptional example of
this, when he rejects the invitation of his less delicate companions to join them in immodest bathing.
984 If we takea strict interpretation of grave matter and the responsibility of someone who has reached the age of reason, it would be Don Bosco's opinion that most young people are premature 'penitents'. In his first eulogy at Cafasso's death, Don Bosco stated:
It happens that many youngsters become the unfortunate prey of vice at an early age, and
thus lose the inestimable treasure of their innocence before they ever knew its value, and
become slaves of Satan without even having been able to taste the delights of being the
children of God. This is due either to unfortunately meeting up with bad companions or
because of their parents neglect, and often, because of their natural bent which is resentful
of a good education.985
Francis Besucco shared this confidence with his spiritual director:
I am very upset, because the Lord says in the Gospel that we cannot go to heaven except by
being innocent or by doing penance. I cannot go to heaven with my innocence anymore
because I've lost it. Therefore I have to go to heaven by do ing penance.
986
Just like many of his contemporaries in similar Catholic environments, Don Bosco saw and evaluated
reality and its problems from an essentially moral perspective. He started off from the presupposition
that a boy at the age of reason knows an d wills freely, that he is strengthened by grace and therefore,
that he is capable of confronting his sexuality with full awareness and free consent. Conditioning
biological, physiological and psychological factors, conscious or unconscious, as well as pat hological ones, are not taken into consideration here.
Once the first step, the healing stage, is resolved then the second and constructive step occurs at the
intersection of morality, ascetics and recourse to grace. What is considered of capital and also
conditioning importance is flight from the occasions of sin, idleness, bad talk and companions,
familiarity with girls and girls' familiarity with boys, or in other words “custody of the senses”, temperance and mortification.987
982E II 347-348.
983Cf C. SDB 108-111; P. Braido, Tratti di vita religiosa salesiana nello scritto “Ai soci salesiani” di Don Bosco del 1875,
RSS 13 (1994) 375, 412-414, 439-443; Idem, Tratti....del 1877/1885 RSS 14 (1995) 108, 135-137.
984G. Bosco, Vita del giovanetto Savio Domenico..., p. 23-26, OE XI 173-176.
985G. Bosco, Biografia del sacerdote Giuseppe Caffasso..., p. 12, OE XII 362.
986G. Bosco, Il pastorello delle Alpi..., p. 120, OE XV 362.
987Cf. Le sei domeniche e la novena di San Luigi Gonzaga, Turin, Speirani and Ferrero 1846, pp. 18-19, 20; Cenni storici
sulla vita del chierico Luigi Comollo..., pp. 6-7, 21-22, 34-35, OE I 6-7, 21-22, 34-35; G. Bosco, Il giovane
provveduto...., pp. 20-26, OE II 200-206. The last are offered as a strenna or topic for other talks to students during the
year for two Rectors at the schools, Fr Bonetti and Fr Lemoyne, in letters of 30 and 31 December 1868, Em II 617-618.