Commentary: St. John Bosco's lesson on boys and Archbishop Vigneron

Today is St. John Bosco's feast day. I have a great affection for Don Bosco and one of his teenage saints, Dominic Savio.

The Office of Readings for today provided us with some words from St. John Bosco, about raising boys. He should know.....he raised hundreds.

This reading also made me reflect on something else...... and I'm putting in bold certain points I want to make. I couldn't feel stronger about this.

Each time a new bishop is appointed to a diocese, faithful Catholics look for swift changes. Consider that a bishop is the "Holy Father" of the diocese. He can see many of the same problems that we see, but he must exercise prudence in dealing with those problems. If he is harsh and abrasive, he might manage to end something, but it could come at a cost of losing many people in the process.

I would urge metro Detroiters who are looking for swift changes out of Archbishop Vigneron to read and ponder these words of Don Bosco, applied to another level: That is, on the relationship between a bishop and his priests.

Because you don't see every liturgical abuse in the city ending immediately, doesn't mean he is not working to end these things. The same can be said of priests who are indifferent to culture of life issues, who never preach on these things and are even hostile to those who try to advance them in parishes. Ditto with the kind of ambiguity we hear from the pulpit, and in some cases, outright heresy, and yet others who simply do not teach the mind of the Church.

I believe Archbishop Vigneron will work on these things in good order. I'm banking more on the impact he will have on an ever increasing number of seminarians, which I believe will explode under his reign. Heading our archdiocese, is a bishop who is not only Marian and Eucharistic, but very much tuned in to the Fathers and Doctors of the Church. I could not ask for greater characteristics in a bishop, and this is what gives me much hope.

With that, meditate carefully on these words and consider that disciplining a boy is much easier than disciplining a priest who refuses to work with the mind of the Church. With such a priest shortage, it is simply not possible to suspend, or to push into retirement, all of those who do not choose humility and heed a bishop's private admonitions (we are not privy to all that a bishop does behind close doors to try to rectify things as displine is suppose to be private and a matter of charity). If he simply pulls such priests from parishes, many would have to close - parishes that in a few years down the road will be home to many solid priests, filled with holy boldness, coming up through the system. They will be influenced not only by Archbishop Vigneron's words, but by his actions.

Once again, I encourage you to pray, make sacrifices, and to have patience. Things will shift, not when and how we want it, but as God guides our new Ordinary, Allen H. Vigneron.

Forgive any typos, as I typed this quickly from today's Office of Readings and could not find a version on the net.

From a letter by Saint John Bosco, Priest

(Epistolario, Torino 1959, 4, 201-203)

First of all, if we wish to appear concerned about the true happiness of our foster children adn if we would move them to fulfill their duties, you must never forget that you re taking the place of the parents of these beloved young people. I have always labored lovingly for them, and carried out my priestly duties with zeal. And the whole Salesian society has done this with me.

My sons, in my long experience very often I had to be convinced of this great trut. It is easier to become angry than to restrain oneself, and to threaten a boy than to persuade him. yes, indeed, it is more fitting to be persistent in punishing our own impatience and pride than to correct the boys. We must be firm but kind, and be patient with them.

I give you as a model of charity of Paul which he showed to his new converts. They often reduced him to tears and entreaties when he found them lacking docility and even opposing his loving efforts.

See that no one finds you motivated by impetuosity or willfulness. It is difficult to keep calm when administering punishment, but this must be done if we are to keep ourselves from showing off our authority or spilling out our anger.

Let us regard those boys over whom we have some authority as our own sons. Let us place ourselves in their service. Let us be ashamed dto assume an attitude of superiority. Let us not rule over them except for the purpose of serving them better.

This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and evne their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized, and still others to hope for God's mercy. And so he bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.

They are our sons, and so in correcting their mistakes we must lay aside all anger and restrain it so firmly that it is extinguished entirely.

There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips. We must use mercy for the present and have hope for the future, as is fitting for true fathers who are eager for real correction and improvement. In serious matters it is better to beg God humbly than to send forth a flood of words that will oly offend the listeners and have no effect on those who are guilty.

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Pope Benedict XVI and Don Bosco's Dream...

I like to attribute paintings and if anyone knows the artist and year of this, please add a note in the combox or email me at TeDeumBlog@gmail.com

There is a remarkable resemblance in a painting which depicts one of St. John Bosco's dreams, and Pope Benedict at WYD 2008 (and I don't mean the photo below, but his approach to dealing with the problems facing the Church - Eucharistic and Marian focused).



I have become greatly interested in the life of Don Bosco, enough so that I just so happen to be reading a book called, Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco nightly. Previously, I had read about St. Dominic Savio - Teenage Saint (used), one of the many young people who reached a high degree of sanctity through this very holy and giving priest (Don Bosco also wrote about Savio) .

Fr. Stephen Leake - a Salesian priest of St. John Bosco, on his blog Da Mihi Animas, has a good post up with with one of the many dreams of St. John Bosco depicted in the top picture. These dreams were quite prophetic and something he had throughout his life. Many times, direction was set for him through these dreams. He was also able to see the state of the souls of some who entrusted to him, and of those he sometimes encountered, through these dreams. This enabled him to head off serious matters for individuals in many cases.

In his blogpost, Father starts out with an intro and then dives into the dream itself.

On May 30, 1862, Don Bosco recounted that in a dream he had seen an immense sea on which a great many ships were arranged for battle against a larger and taller ship. He also saw others that were defending the tall ship. These are Don Bosco's words as taken from volume VII of the Biographical Memioirs:

Theflagship commander - the Roman Pontiff- standing at the helm, strains every muscle to steer his ship between the two columns, from whose summits hang many anchors and strong hooks linked to chains. The entire enemy fleet closes in to intercept and sink the flagship at all costs. They bombard it with everything they have: books and pamphlets, incendiary bombs, firearms, cannons. The battle rages ever more furious. Beaked prows ram the flagship again and again, but to no avail, as, unscathed and undaunted, it keeps on it course. At times, a formidable ram splinters a gaping hole in its hull, but immediately, a breeze from the two columns instantly seals the gash.

"Meanwhile, enemy cannons blow up; firearms and beaks fall to pieces; ships crack up and sink to the bottom. In blind fury, the enemy takes to hand-to-hand combat, cursing and blaspheming. Suddenly the Pope falls, seriously wounded. He is instantly helped up, but struck a second time, dies. A shout of victory rises from the enemy, and wild rejoicing seeps their ships. But no sooner is the Pope dead than another takes his place. The captains of the auxiliary ships elected him so quickly that the news of the Pope's death coincides with that of his successor's election. The enemy's self-assurance wanes.

"Breaking through all resistance, the new Pope steers his ship safely between the two columns; first, to the one surmounted by the Host, and then the other, topped by the statue of the Virgin. At this point, something unexpected happens. The enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and scuttling each other.

"Some auxiliary ships, which had gallantly fought alongside their flagship, are the first to tie up at the two columns. Many others, which had fearfully kept far away from the fight, stand still, cautiously waiting until the wrecked enemy ships vanish under the waves. Then they too head for the two columns, tie up at the swinging hooks and ride safe and tranquil beside their flagship. A great calm now covers the sea."

Go read the full post with additional comments by Fr. Leake

The book I mentioned earlier, Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco, has a chapter devoted to this which I found online under the title, Two Columns in the Sea. It not only contains Don Bosco's account, but the limited interpretation that he offered at the time.

One cautionary note is that we have to be careful with interpretations of Don Bosco's dreams other than those offered by the priest himself. So, when others offer interpretations, there has be be some due care taken. The dream itself, as told by Don Bosco is worthy of some meditation.

You might also enjoy my series on St. Dominic Savio with excerpts from the book by Peter Lappin. I have one more post to make to complete the 9 days with Dominic Savio I had promised.

And, how can we forget that magnificent address the former Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI gave as the conclave began. Recall this...

How many winds of doctrine have we known in recent decades, how many ideological currents, how many ways of thinking. The small boat of the thought of many Christians has often been tossed about by these waves - flung from one extreme to another: from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism and so forth. Every day new sects spring up, and what St Paul says about human deception and the trickery that strives to entice people into error (cf. Eph 4: 14) comes true.

I would like to add that Pope Benedict XVI has named this the Year of St. Paul!



Further reading

Pope Benedict XVI rises above labels in WYD 2008 addresses...

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!