A correctly educated Catholic young man will be well instructed inChristian doctrine, always courageous in professing the Creed of the church, free from any compromise with heresy and any political radicalism, and will resolutely take sides with the Pope and the pastors. Among advice more often heard were ones already known far and wide since 1853 when Don Bosco wrote Three particular reminders for young people at the conclusion of the already cited Advice for Catholics.
Avoid as much as possible the company of those who speak about immodest things or try to
make fun of our holy religion [“the Pope, Bishops and other ministers of our holy religion”
Don Bosco would add in 1872]; abhor and reject irreligious books and newspapers which
might be offered to you as a gift. Should anyone say that we live in times of freedom
therefore one may choose to live the way he wants to, rebut this by saying that if we are in
times of freedom, let them allow us to live according to the religion as we choose.859
8. The Christian, “Man for eternity” but active in the world
The emerging and specific qualification of the Christian as a 'Man For Eternity'860 while at the same time an upright citizen generally means this for Don Bosco: to have the ability to fit into society in an
orderly active way, especially 'by means of work 'as an o rdinary worker, farmer, skilled worker,
employee, teacher, soldier, priest, and for those who are wealthy and live off revenue, by using their
wealth well. It means that everyone, in various and different ways, is called to the exact performance of
duties of his or her state in life which is from the call to lead an upright and exemplary life and be of
substantial value to society.
There is a close link between the eternal goal and earthly commitment and the mature young man has
learned to hold these toget her, with his eyes turned towards heaven and his feet solidly planted on
earth, doing good deeds along the way. In his The power of a good education, Don Bosco has Peter write to his mother as he is about to leave for Crimea, in 1854: “Tell my brothers and sisters that work produces good citizens and religion produces good Christians; but that work and religion lead to heaven”.861
As for their application to study or work, the students and artisans at the yearly reading out of the Rule for the houses heard a formula which summed up all the recommendations scattered throughout their long period of education. That formula, with three short articles offered the true profile of the working Christian (homo faber) explained the main aim of the educational process which Don Bosco had carried out on their behalf:
1. Man, my dear boys, was born to work. Adam was placed in the earthly paradise to cultivate it. The Apostle Paul says: He who does not work does not deserve to eat.
2. By work we mean the performance of theduties proper to one's state, whether study, art or craft. 3. By means of work you may be able to make yourselves well deservingfor society and religion and do good to your souls, especially if you offer to God all your daily occupations.862
9. Society
In many of his talks over the final years of his earthly existence, Don Bosco insisted on the support lay
859Avvisi ai cattolici (1853), pp. 25-27, OE IV 187-189.
860“Remember O man that you are a man for eternity”, in La chiave del paradiso in mano al cattolico che pratica I doveri
del buon cristiano. Turin, Paravia & Co., 1856, p. 24, OE VIII 24).
861G. Bosco, La forza della buona educazione..., p. 89. OE VI 363.
862Regolamento per le case..., part II, chap. V Del lavoro, pp. 68-9, OE XXIX 164 -165; we see a precise hierarchy of
values revealed in the fact that Chap V follows on from II and IV about Della pietà and Contengo in chiesa. Work as
man's destiny, marked differently before and after original sin, is the antidote to laziness, and already one fo the main
chapters in Storia sacra (1847); cf N Cerrato, La catechesi di don Bosco nella «Storia sacra». Rome LAS 1979, pp.
308-318.