St. John Bosco

I first heard the name of this Saint when I became a student at Archbishop Shaw High School. This all male high school was, and still is, run by the Salesians of St. John Bosco. Other than his odd sounding name, I knew little of St. John Bosco.

My personal journey in the Salesian tradition comes full circle as I moved to Abita Springs and became a parishioner at St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church. St. Jane's personal spiritual adviser was none other than St. Francis de Sales, whom Bosco named his religious order for. In fact, new stain glass windows are being prepared for installation at our beautiful church, one of which will be dedicated to St. John Bosco.

Bosco was ordained a Priest in the first half of the 19th century and soon became a chaplain for an all boys refuge. By 1856 he was in charge of over 150 boys with another 500 being cared for by other priests. Bosco was well regarded for his care of the boys and encouraged them in educational pursuits and religious studies. He paid for the care of the boys by preaching, writing books and soliciting donations.

He soon founded the Salesians, the Society of St. Francis de Sales, which received approval from Pope Pius IX in 1859. St. John Bosco also founded the Daughters of Our Lady, Help of Christians, to care for poor and neglected girls.

St. John Bosco died in 1888 and was canonized on January 31, 1934.

To this day, the Salesians have a strong presence in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

St. John Bosco, pray for us.