consistently described the priest.514
For Don Bosco this came as second nature. His involvement with the spiritual and material needs of the young, especially those separated from their families, of young people who seemed lost in a city they did not know, 515 was evidently a priority. He did have someone who was, somehow, a trailblazer and a model in this: it was Fr John Cochi, a curate at the Assumption Church who, in 1840, had founded the Oratory of the Guardian Angels in a suburban area, poor and somewhat notorious, called Moschino, in the Vanchiglia district of Turin.516
From this complex spiritual and cultural formation, as well as from the significant experiences he had with the young and with the clergy, Don Bosco moved on toward his own creation: The Oratory. Don Bosco's Oratory took various forms: Oratory for boarders and day boys, open and comprehensive institutions in missionary enterprises of all kinds, within Italy and abroad.
By doing this, Don Bosco was playing the role of one who ideally continued the initiatives connected with the Catholic Reformation of the 16th Century and, in particular, with Charles Borromeo and the Sodality of Christian Doctrine. It is evident, however, that the effective experience of Don Bosco predates any kind of evident literary dependence. The Regulations are only an expression of experience and an already formed mindset. The very same thing can be said for the knowledge of constitutions and rules that preceded him. And,besides, even in cases of an evident dependence, what makes the difference is Don Bosco's understanding, Don Bosco's language and style.517
7. Don Bosco and pedagogues who contributed to “The Primary School Teacher” “The primary school teacher” was a magazine with a group of educators and pedagogues as editors. Later the title was changed to The Educator. It was aimed primarily at helping teachers involved in primary and secondary schools.518
Don Bosco was surprisingly in sympathy with this group of teachers, psychologically, mentally and practically. What all of them had in common was a passionate interest in the education of the masses in all its forms: from basic instruction given in Evening Schools and Technical schools, to more sophisticated works associated with popular publications (Readings, Libraries etc.) in an atmosphere of solidarity, affectionate and family -like participation.519
514 Cf. G. Caffasso, Meditazioni per esercizi spirituali al clero, published under the editorship of Can. Giuseppe Allamano,
(Turin: Fratelli Canonica, 1893), 325 pages;Istruzioni per esercizi spirituali al clero, published under editorship of
Can- Giuseppe Allamano, (Turin: Fratelli Canonica, 1893), 312 pages.
515 Cf. L. Nicolis di Robilant, Vita del Ven. Giuseppe Caffasso, vol. 2, 1-3, 213-215; P. Stella, Don Bosco nella storia della
religiosità cattolica, vol. 1, 95-97.
516 On G. Cocchi, there is a useful biogrpahy by E. Refro, Don Cocchi e I suoi artigianelli, (Turin: tip. S. Giuseppe dei
Artiginaelli, 1896); Vita del T. Leonardo Murialdo, (Turin: tip. S. Giuseppe degli Artiginaelli, 1905), 4, 340 pages; A.
Castellani, Il beato Leonardo Murialdo, vol 1 Tappe della formazione. Prime attività apostoliche (1828-1966), (Rome:
Tip S. Pio X 1966), 156-157).
517 The basic documents inspiring all the regulations are clearly the Constituzioni et Regole della Compagnia et Scuole
della Dottrina Christiana fatte dal Cardinale di Santo Prassede, Arcivescovo, in esecutione del Concilio secondo
provinciale, per uso della Provincia di Milano, in Acta Ecclesiae Mediolensis ab eius initiis usque ad nostram aetatem
opera et studio Presb. Achillis Ratti, vol tertium, Mediolani 1892, col. 149-270. Later Don Bosco used (cutting and
rewriting), theRegole dell’Oratorio eretto in Milano il giorno 19 maggio 1842 in contrada di S. Cristiana n. 2135; title
of the cover, altered to the frontispiece in this other work: Regolamento Organico, Disciplinare e Practico dell’Oratorio
Festivo di S. Luigi G. eretto in P. Comasina, Contrada S. Cristina 2135D; Regole per I Figliuoli dell’oratorio sotto il
Patrocinio della Sacra Famiglia (Milan, 1766). In the Salesian Central Archives there is also a manuscript of the Statuti
antichi della veneranda confraternits del SS. Nome di Gesù eretta nella chiesa parrocchiale dei SS. Porcesso e
Martiniano nella città di Torino(Turin, 1664), which as regards religious practices for the young oratorians and
recreation find notable echo in the Regolamento per gli esterniby Don Bosco.
518 L’Educatore Primario. Giornale d’educazione ed istruzione elementare (1845-1846); L’Educatore. Giornale
d’educazione ed istruzione (1847-1848), published in Turin by Paravia and edited by Fr. Agostino Fecia.
519 Cf. P. Braido, Stili di educazione popolare cristiana alle soglie del 1848, in Pedagogia fra tradizione e innovazione,