09 - Life of St. Dominic Savio by John Bosco

Delve into the extraordinary life of St. Dominic Savio, as detailed by his mentor, St. John Bosco. This authentic biography, recounted by someone who knew him intimately, offers a profound exploration of Savios spiritual journey. (Summary by Mozartjr)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section nine of the Life of Saint Dominic Savio by
Saint John Bosco. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
Chapter fifteen, The Mortification of his external senses. Any casual
observer of Dominic's outward behavior would have thought his composure
so natural that it might have been part of his

(00:21):
character from birth. But those who were intimately associated with
him and had the care of his education know very
well that it was only gained by long and serious effort,
assisted by the grace of God. To obtain the guard
he had over his eyes, he had to make so
great and constant an effort that he once told a
friend that his head often ached in consequence of it.
But the restraint he had acquired was so complete that

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no one ever saw him give an unguarded glance or
indulge his sight to the least degree. The eyes are
like two windows, he would say, and it depends upon
yourself whether you admit an angel or a devil by them.
One day a boy had brought in, doubtless unthinkingly a
paper with some unbecoming pictures in it. A group of
boys gathered round to see them, and Dominic thought some

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sacred pictures were being shown, so he came up to
look also, But as soon as he perceived of what
nature the pictures were, he was surprised, and taking hold
of the paper, he tore it into pieces. The boys
stood around in silence. Then he quietly said, our eyes
were given to see the beautiful things God has created,
and you used them to gaze on such unseemly pictures

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provided by the malice of Satan for the ruin of souls.
Perhaps you have forgotten what you have so often heard,
that one evil glance may stain the soul with sin,
and yet you indulge your eyes with such objects as that.
Some began to make excuses, but he easily showed them
that they were but the snares of the devil, who
could draw them on to sin by these means. And

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in the end no reply could be made to his
arguments and recommendations. To this care of the eyes. He
joined particular reserve and conversation. He never interrupted anyone who
might be speaking, and he often broke off his own
sentences in the middle if another showed that he had
something to say. His masters and associates all agree that
he was never observed to have said a single idle word,

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whether in class or in study, or during the fulfillment
of any duty. Even when he was the object of
unkindness or insults, he had a careful reserve over his words.
One day, he had spoken to a companion about a
bad habit he had contracted. The latter forgot that this
was a kindness, and answered with insults, and even struck
and kicked him. Dominic was older and bigger than the boy,

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and might easily have returned this treatment, But he sought
no revenge but that of Christian charity. At first he
became red in the face, but stifling all feeling of resentment,
he said, I forgive you you have done wrong, but
do not try that sort of behavior on others. In
regard to the mortification of all his senses, I shall
restrict myself to few incidents. In winter time, he had

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a novel way of treating his hands, for he was
subject to chilblains, and these he exposed to the cold
and wet as much as he could, so as to
increase their size and painfulness. He even pricked them to
make them smart. The more he thought that he was
thus imitating, in a small degree, the wounds inflicted on
the person of our divine Lord. His companions assert that
in the very cold weather he went along slowly to school,

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so as to be exposed to the weather as much
as possible. Wherever there are a number of young people
living together, there are sure to be some who are
ready with complaints. The arrangements of the house, the discipline,
the bedtime, and such things all form the subject of
complaint from different persons, and occasionally great disturbances are caused.
Savio was quite the opposite of this. He rejoiced if

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there was something that might be taken exception to and
particularly in his diet, he was always satisfied and equally pleased.
He was economical to a degree, regarding the food as
a gift of God, and therefore not to be despised,
even in the smallest way. He was always ready to
do a service to others, particularly to the sick, and
he eagerly sees occasions for doing this. Since his health

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made him unable to undertake anything of a tiring nature,
little examples of his moretarification charity, self forgetfulness, humility, and
the like might easily be multiplied. But these things were
part of Dominic's very life and went to make up
that perfect whole which constitutes a pleasing offering in God's sight.
End of Chapter fifteen. Chapter sixteen, The Confraternity of the

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Immaculate Conception. Something has been said above about Dominic's devotion
to our Blessed Lady, and it may be well imagined
that the circumstances of December eighteen fifty four provided occasions
for extra fervor that were not lost upon him. On
the eighth of that month, the Sovereign Pontiff defined the
dogma of our Lady's Immaculate Conception, and the Catholic world

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was filled as with a wave of devotion. Young Savio
was always practical in his manifestation of fervor. His idea
was not only to celebrate the event, but to set
on foot something that might be a permanent remembrance and
might be productive in years to come of a continual
stream of devout clients of our Lady. He therefore set
to work a mone his closest friends, and proposed to

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them the formation of a sidality or association, to be
called the Sodality of the Immaculate Conception. Its object was
to obtain the special protection of our Lady during life
and particularly at the hour of death. The means proposed
were to practice and promote acts of devotion in honor
of the Mother of God, and the adoption of the
practice of frequent communion by all members. It was to

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have a special rule, and these were the subject of
long consideration, so that they were only in their final
shape by June eighth, eighteen fifty six, about nine months
before his death. These were read out by him before
the altar of Our Lady on that day. The articles
were of an exhaustive character, twenty one in number, providing
for the regular meeting of the members, the spiritual duties undertaken,

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and the means for gaining the chief ends mentioned above.
These rules were all submitted to the judgment of the
Director and concluded with an appeal to Our Blessed Lady
to assist the associates and bless their efforts. Several of
those who took part in the formation of this society
were distinguished, like Dominic, for their piety and talents. One
in particular was gifted with exceptional brilliance, and being afterwards

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ordained as a secular priest. He had a most fruitful
apostolate and took a large share in the arrangements for
the opening of the Sanctuary of Our Lady help of
Christians at Turin, during the octave of which celebrations he
was called to his reward. While still a cleric, he
founded the Ccility of the Blessed Sacrament, which has since
been a traditional cciility in our schools, and by its means,

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affected great good among the boys of the oratory. End
of Chapter sixteen