DON BOSCO By Joe burke and Harry Emmett

Early Life Don Bosco was born in a village called 'Becchi' in When he was two his Father died. He combined entertainment with religion to occupy the children. The children were amazed by his balancing act and were happy to do lessons aswell.

Background Bosco was born in 1815 and died in 1888, a time of social, political, ideological, artistic and scientific turbulence. In the 19th century, Italy was at the center of great changes in Europe. Bosco was technically an Italianonly after 1870, 18 years before his death, when Italy was unified. He was born in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and it was his nationality until he was 55 years of age. Most of the states in which was divided the Italian Peninsula were linked to non-Italian dynasties like Habsburg and Bourbon. However, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia was ruled by the House of Savoy that was considered the authentic Italians and, therefore, would inheritance the title of King of Italy with King Victor Emmanuel II in At the other side, the Vatican was ruling over some southern provinces of the peninsula known as Papal States. John Bosco, therefore, was born in one of the most important states that was to play a key role in the Unification of Italy.

Don Boscos Death After a life of helping young people, Don Bosco passed away on the 31st of January 1888 at the age of 73. When people talked to him about his achievements, he would interrupt and say 'I have done nothing by myself. It is Our Lady who has done everything.' Today Salesians work on the principles Don Bosco left us: the principles of Reason, Religion and Kindness.

Todays Salesians The Salesians grew in numbers. Don Bosco's determination and his inspiriting dream made this happen. Salesians are working all over the world, in every continent. Thousands of Salesian Holy Men have inspired large numbers of people. Don Bosco has made a great effect on the world.

Turin Turin was the capital of the Kingdom of Piedmont- Sardinia. It became the capital of Unified Italy in 1861 before the Capture of Rome on September 20, Under King Victor Emmanuel II and Primer Minister Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour, Turin passed through a big transformation and industrial revolution since The city attracted an always increasing number of rural migrants and families from other Italian provinces, most of them impoverished children and youth. They were contracted as cheap labor in the factories. While the city was growing, the countryside was depleted due to the Napoleonic Wars of the beginning of the 19th century. As a new-ordained priest, John Bosco arrived to Turin in 1841, just at the moment of the beginning of the industrial revolution. Don Bosco was, therefore, impressed by the situation of the child workers and abandoned youth.

Don bosco John Bosco was born on 16 August 1815, in Becchi, from a family of poor farmers. It was through his mother, Margaret, that John first learned to see God in others; in the poor who came knocking at the door of the house during winter, and to whom Margaret gave hot soup. His dad, Francesco, died when John was two.

The great dream part 1 At the age of nine, Don Bosco had the first, great dream that marked his entire life. He saw a multitude of very poor boys fighting and cursing. A majestic Man told him: With meekness and charity you will conquer these friends; and a Lady just as majestic added: Make yourself humble, strong and robust. At the right time you will understand everything.

Part 2 Little John understood that to do good for so many boys he needed to study and become a priest. But his brother Anthony, already 18 and uneducated, did not want to hear of this... He threw away John's books and belted him. In February 1827, John left home and went to look for work as a farm-servant. He was only 12. For three years he laboured and during evenings he read his books and studied. Anthony married three years later and John returned home and resumed his schooling. To provide for his needs he learnt different trades: tailor, blacksmith, barman, and he even coached students after classes.

Part 3 At 20, John Bosco entered the Seminary. After six years, on 5 June 1841, the archbishop of Turin ordained John Bosco a priest. Now Don Bosco (in Italy the title given to a priest is Don) was finally able to dedicate himself full-time to the abandoned boys he had seen in his dreams. He went to look for them in the streets of Turin. On those first Sundays - says young Michael Rua, one of the boys he met in those early months - Don Bosco went through the city to see for himself the moral conditions of the young. He was shocked. The outskirts of the city were zones of turmoil and revolution, places of desolation. Unemployed, sad and ready to do anything, adolescents caused problems on the streets. Don Bosco could see them betting at street corners, their faces hard and determined, as if to get their way at any cost.

Part 4 Don Bosco was shocked and deeply disturbed by the exploitation of young people coming into the city and he there and then decided to dedicate his priestly life to their welfare. Don Bosco founded the Salesians in 1854 and he died on 31 January Three words sum up John Bosco's approach to youth: reason, religion and kindness. At the heart of his system is a deep understanding and love for young people and their problems.

BY JOE BURKE AND HARRY EMMERT