DON BOSCO AND THE SALESIANS BY MORAND WIRTH N BOSCO PUBLICATIONS DON BOSCO AND THE SALESIANS DON BOSCO AND THE SALESIANS By MORAND WIRTH From the translation by David de Burgh, S.D.B. Don Bosco Publications New Rochelle, New York FRONT COVER: 1. SAINT JOHN BOSCO 2. FATHER PHILIP RINALDI 3. SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO 4. FATHER PAUL ALBERA 5. LADY DOROTHEA DE CHOPITEA 6. CARDINAL JOHN CAGLIERO 7. BROTHER JOSEPH DOGLIANI 8. SAINT MARY MAZZARELLO 9. FATHER VINCENT CIMATTI 10. FATHER MICHAEL RUA Don Bosco and the Salesians is translated from Don Bosco e i Salesiani Centocinquant ’anni di Storia by Morand Wiith, published by Elle Di Ci Torino-Leumann, Italy © 1969 Elle Di Ci, with permission of the publisher. English edition by Don Bosco Publications, a Division of Don Bosco Multimedia, New Rochelle, New York. © 1982 Salesian Society, Inc. All rights reserved. Library of Congress Catalog Number 82-072675 ISBN 0-89944-065-7 Printed in the U.S.A. iv Preface This book satisfies a real need describing as it does the growth of Don Bosco’s work with historical accuracy and in pleasant style. There are almost too many books about Don Bosco, but hardly any which tell us what he managed to achieve. Historians, bemused by the personal charm of the founder of the Salesians, have forgotten to mention his work. There are, of course, the thoroughly documented and quite recent Annals of the Salesian Congregation industriously compiled by Father Eugene Ceria. These four volumes, ending with 1921 are too detailed but, nonetheless, incomplete. Yet the world has a right to know all about the development of the Salesian Congre­ gation, because it is a significant part of the Church today. Since it is one of the largest of contemporary religious families, there should be a published account of its history to date. Even though it is difficult to write history in the making, it is, after all, contemporary history which sheds most light on our time as well as on the immediate future of mankind. A short work appeared in French a few years ago which met this need to a certain extent.1 Although it was little more than an outline, it provided the incentive for Morand Wirth to write the present volume, a product of thorough research and thoughtful writing. It is as complete as possible and a pleasure to read. Going back one hundred and fifty years, the Salesian story is one of continuous growth. There was no need therefore to divide it into different periods. Because Don Bosco’s childhood was the foundation v of his achievement, it seems only natural to begin with his birth in 1815 and to conclude with the Salesian General Chapter in 1965. The chapter of 1965 elected a new rector major and made some noteworthy decisions just before the close of the Second Vatican Council. Arbitrary divisions have been avoided, because the hundred and fifty years in question are naturally divided by Don Bosco’s death in 1888. This was a decisive year in which the founding period ends and development begins. His followers will always find their inspiration in his early apostolate on the streets and in the prisons; in the first Con­ stitutions of the Salesian Congregation; and in the first groups of lay-helpers; in the founding of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and of the Salesian Cooperators; in the apostolate through the press and the early missionary expeditions to South Amer­ ica. Yet even in 1888, many new developments remained for the future, and a great deal was open to change. Flexibility is inherent in any life for God that is to remain meaningful. This is the fascination of the Gospel and of the benefits Don Bosco bestowed on society. While he lived, not even his most ardent followers could appreciate the scope of his vision or the power of his love. Men and women Salesians are now established not only in southern Europe but in almost every country of northern and central Europe, in North, Central, and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It took less than one hundred years for the expansion of a few hundred followers into twenty-two thousand Salesians and seventeen thousand Salesian Sisters. Thus, there is no great difficulty in the arrangement of the material. The chapters of Part I (1815-1888) trace the growth of Don Bosco’s work during his lifetime; those of Part II (1888-1965) show consoli­ dation and world-wide expansion after his death. The chapters in Part II take into account the work of the various rectors major who suc­ ceeded Don Bosco in presiding over a highly centralized Congrega­ tion. They also describe the division of the Salesian family into three branches: the Salesian Society, the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and the Association of Salesian Cooperators. [An appendix by Father David de Burgh, S.D.B. carries the history of the Society through the Age of Renewal, 1965 to 1977, mandated by the Second Vatican Council.] Many interesting facts had to be omitted from these pages. It would vi have been nice to know the details of the daily life of the average Salesian in Europe or South America in the last century, or to learn more about the publications for which the members have been respon­ sible, the Salesian philosophy of life, the style of their churches and schools, the extent of their resources, etc. Some readers might wish to hear about the weaker side of the Salesians in order to arrive at a better estimate of their worth. This kind of book has not yet been written. Every author has to make certain choices, and in an historical work the options depend partly on the nature of the available sources; Father Wirth’s book is no exception. In the years ahead more and more Sale­ sian material about the nineteenth and twentieth centuries will be published, and future authors will benefit accordingly. The notes will enable the curious reader and the specialist to appre­ ciate the extent of the available documentation. The contributions of Fathers John Baptist (Giovanni Baptista) Lemoyne, Don Bosco’s secretary during the last years of his life, Angelo Amadei and Eugene Ceria (both official historians of the Salesian Congregation from 1920 to 1957) are particularly important for our understanding of the times and of Don Bosco and his immediate successor, Michael Rua (t 1910). The author has sifted their copious writings with discernment, and this is not the least of his achievements. He has also drawn from Don Bosco’s own writings and the Acts o f the Processes o f Canonization o f Don Bosco, Dominic Savio, and Maria Domenica Mazzarello, on official letters of rectors major and mothers general, various editions of the constitutions and regulations, Acts o f the General Chapters, biographies of outstanding Salesians, particularly missionaries, as well as periodicals like the Salesian Bulletin. A work based on such a solid foundation inspires confidence. Gratitude is due to Father Wirth for a book which manages to compress into a few hundred pages an outline of the history of the entire Salesian work. FRANCIS DESRAMAUT, S.D.B. Lyon-Fontanieres, September 26, 1968 1. Groupe Lyonnais de Recherches Salesiennes, Precis d ’histoire salesienne, 1815-1960, Lyons 1961. vii INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH EDITION Don Bosco and the Salesians was translated in rough copy by Father David de Burgh, S.D.B. in the early 1970’s and circulated in mimeo form among his students and friends for nearly a decade. Continued demand for the work is an indication of Father David’s wisdom in selecting this above so many other available texts demanding the attention of a rapidly growing Salesian audience. Those who knew Father David, and mourned his untimely death in 1980 at 62 years of age, will find his love for Saint John Bosco and his knowledge of the unparalleled Salesian tradition alive in these pages. References in the notes to the Biographical Memoirs o f Saint John Bosco are given in all cases to the Italian edition prepared by Fathers Lemoyne, Amadei, and Ceria. English references have been added for the first twelve volumes of the twenty volume Memoirs. Translation of volumes thirteen through twenty is still in progress. References to the Life of The Boy Dominic Savio are given in all cases to the Italian edition of 1859 and 1880 prepared by Saint John Bosco. Equivalent English references have been added when possible. The best English text, translated with notes by Rev. Paul Aronica, S.D.B., entitled Saint Dominic Savio by Saint John Bosco, is based on the fifth edition of Don Bosco (1878). More than forty prelates mentioned in this text served the Church during the period of Italian unification (when many Sees of North­ ern Italy had no bishops) and in mission territories administered by Prefects Apostolic. Some held high office but were never bishops (for example, Father Cimatti in Japan); some appear in our text for the first time as bishops; others appear for the first time as apostolic administrators and later become bishops. In referring to these prelates we have generally retained the title Monsignor (Msgr.), which is widely used in Italy, Spain, France, and most mission territories for all prelates including bishops. viii TO THE MEMORY OF FATHER DAVID DE BURGH, S.D.B. TEACHER, AND FRIEND. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface .......................................................................................................... v In tro d u ctio n .............................................................................................viii PARTI THE BEGINNINGS OF THE SALESIAN WORK 1 8 1 5 -1 8 8 8 Chapter 1: JOHN BOSCO’S EARLY YEARS 1815 - 1841 ......................................................................