Chapter 8
The works, the heart, the style
We cannot separate the elements of experience summed up in the preventive system from Don Bosco's personality, or from the typical shape of the institutions where he and his co-helpers worked. It follows naturally then that the fundamental features of the preventive experience to be analysed in the following chapters can be understood only if strictly connected with Don Bosco's life, temperament and personality traits. This is what the present chapter aims to recall at least in summary fashion.546
1. The works
In Memoirs of the Oratory Don Bosco refers to the initial steps of his activity on behalf of the young as going back to December 8, 1841 and to his chance encounter with a 17 year old young man called Bartholomew Garelli.547 In the Historical Outline and Historical Outlines reference is made to Don Bosco's activity, but without singling out anyone in particular.548At any rate, even though the initial aim seems to have been almost exclusively to teach catechism, Don Bosco's attention reaches broader horizons as it relates to the primary needs of the young.
In a letter to the Marquis Michael Benso di Cavour, the city’s Vice Governor, and dated March 13,1846, Don Bosco writes: “The aim of these catechism classes is that of gathering those youngsters on festive days who, left to themselves, never go to any church for catechetical instruction. This is done by using kind words, promises, gifts and similar devices. The teaching is precisely concentrated on: 1) love for work; 2) frequent reception of the holy sacraments; 3) respect for authority; 4) avoiding bad companions”.549
A little later, the desire to give shelter to the most needy youngsters led Don Bosco to create a modest hospice, “the annex, next to the Oratory", which increased the demands and urgent need for help.550 For this reason, Don Bosco wrote about the matter to Count Clemente Solaro Della Margherita, the conservative Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia, from 1835 to 1847:
Without even looking at other expenses, the Baker's bill alone for the past three months is
more than 1600 francs (approx.5 million lire or $2,500), and I do not know yet where I can
find a cent. At any rate, they have to eat. And if I do not provide a piece of bread for these
youngsters, who are 'at risk' and also ‘dangerous' I am seriously exposing them to harm in
soul and body. This is not a question of giving a hand-out to a particular individual but of
offering a piece of bread to young men who are driven by their hunger to seriously risk the
loss of morality and religion.551
This is the reason behind all of Don Bosco's undertakings and behind the popular aspect they took on: works for the masses, undertakings which aimed at reaching out and embracing the greatest number of
546 Cf. A. Caviglia, Don Bosco, Profilo Storico, 2nd edition, (Turin: SEO, 1934), 215 pages; E. Ceria, San Giovanni Bosco
nella vita e nelle opere, (Turin: SEI, 1938), 442 pages; P. Broccardo, Uomo e santo. Don Bosco ricordo vivo, (Rome:
LAS, 1990), 235 pages; 1st edition, Don Bosco profondamente uomo – profondamente santo, (Rome: LAS 1984), 149
pages.
547 MO (1991), 121-122. In the Cronache dell’oratorio di S. Francesco di Sales, N 1, 1860, written by Domenico
Ruffino, it speaks of “ a young man around 17 or 18”, but is precise about neither the year or the name (28).
548 Cf. P. Braido, Don Bosco per la gioventù povera e abbandonata in due inediti del 1854 e del 1862, in P. Braido, (ed.),
Don Bosco nella Chiesa, 38-39 and 60-62.
549 Em. I 67.
550 Writing to the administrators of the “Opera della Mendacità istruita” in 1850, he writes “There was a hospice for taking
in 20 or 30 individuals and this for extreme cases of need we often found someone in” (letter of 20th February 1850,
Em I 96).
551 Letter of 5th January 1854, Em I 212.