others.

The chaplain, however, should have nothing at all to do with the carrying out of disciplinary rules. Therefore, he should keep out of any act of repression and reward. His job is to provide advice and comfort … His main concern should be that of awakening faith, hope and charity within the detainees. Faith is needed to convince them about religious truths; hope is needed to trust that a better destiny can be merited; charity is needed to lead them to decide not to be anymore, harmful to society. The whole of religious activity is bound up with these elements. Religious activity, however, is only effective when there is the intervention of grace, sincerely asked for. This grace alone can turn the minds of the detainees towards a sincere or radical emendation. In conclusion we would like to stress again that the chaplain must be the confidante, the Counselor and consoler of the detainees, but in an intelligent sense, in a fatherly and shrewd way.”80

Pettitti di Roretto’s statements are in tune with those attributed to Don Bosco by whoever reported on the conversation he had with Urban Rattazzi in 1854. Those statements made precise reference to the possibility of introducing the 'preventive system' within the penal institutions, and being actually incarnated in the person, words, captivating attitude of God’s minister.81

The actions of the Popes and the Church after the 'Revolution' aimed to follow the same direction: to create an energetic restoration of unity and authority within the Church and regenerate consciences and society by means of a general religious reawakening.

It was meant to be an activity of recovery, defence and prevention; negatively, it was directed at fighting indifference and widespread libertarian spirit. Positively such activity had to rely on the missionary movement which was developing extensively, new forms of apostolate and education and re-education of the young.82And “really a lot of people feel the troublesome necessity to take the new times into account, the changed mentality of the young, not to be too heavy, by going back to the past, and opening up to new possibilities”. 83

The actions of all the Popes of the 18th Century followed this perspective:

- Pius VII's Encyclical Diu Satis, May 15, 1800;

- Leo XII's Encyclical Ubi Primum May 3, 1823;

- Pius VIII's Encyclical Traditi Humilitati NostraeMay 24, 1829;

- Gregory XVI's Encyclical Mirari Vos August 15, 1832;

- Pius IX's Encyclical Nostis et Nobiscum December 8, 1849 for the Bishops of Italy and then his letter to the Bishops of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, January 20,1858 , and, finally wthe Encyclical Quanta Cura, December 8 1865.

In the encyclical Diu Satis, Pius VII recommended that the Bishops should tend the Christian sheepfold, but also devote vigilance, solicitude, inventiveness, and preferential love toward children and adolescents, for it is these who, like soft wax, can be moulded for good or evil more than the adults. 84 The Pope quoted the scripture passage, repeated over the centuries by Christians: “adulescens juxta viam suam etiam cum senuerit, non recedet ab ea” (an adolescent even when he

80 C.I. Petitti di Roreto, Della condizione delle carceri, in Opere scelte, , 553-555.

81 Cf. A Ferreira da Silva,Conversazione con Urbano Rattazzi(1854), in P. Braido, ed. Don Bosco Educatore, (Rome:

LAS 1997), 85-87.

82 Cf S. Fontana, La controriuzione cattolica in Italia (1820-1830) (Brescia:, Morcelliana 1968), 65-124.

83 M. Petrocchi, La Restaurazione, il cardinal Consalvi e la riforma del 1816(Florence: Le Monnier 1941), 4. 84 Enc. Diu Satis 15 May 1800, Bill. Rom. Cont. 11 23.