14 - 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 (00:00):
Section fourteen of the Life of Saint Dominic Savio by
Saint John Bosco. This LibriVox recording is in the public
domain Appendix Certain graces obtained from God through the intercession
of Dominicsavio. Amongst the many graces which are attributed to
the intercession of Dominicsavio, I select some which are of
a more ordinary nature. Of these graces, there exist at

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the arch Episcopal Palace at Turin an authentic account signed
by the recipients of the heavenly favors, for the truth
of which they have publicly vouched. In order that the
account may be given with greater exactness and truthfulness, I
have deemed it advisable to give the facts just as
they are related in the authentic accounts above mentioned. They
are as follows cure of a malignant fever. If it

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be the duty of a Christian to keep hidden such
facts as redound to his own honor, it is, on
the other hand, his duty to manifest such things as
serve to glorify God's servants and to exalt His Holy
name before men. This duty, it is that impels me
to publish a fact concerning the servant of God Dominicsavio,
whom I recognize as my protector before God and the

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benefactor of my family. I had recommended myself on several
occasions to the pious Luis Comolo, as others had done,
and God, in his goodness, had always answered my request.
On many occasions also I recommended myself to Dominicsavio, and
his intercession with our Lord on my behalf was always efficacious.
Private motives keep me from relating a number of facts. One, however,

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I must make known, both in order to give to
God that honor which is his due, and to glorify
before Christians the faithful servant whom God himself has deigned
to make the depository of his treasures. Here is the
fact in question. In relating it, I am only saying
what is absolutely true and conscientiously stated. On the eighth
of September eighteen fifty eight, I caught a severe chill, which,

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after keeping me confined to my bed for some weeks,
developed into fever. I tried the various treats means prescribed
by the doctors, but without avail. My delicate constitution and
my weak state of health soon brought me to a
state of great weakness and left me almost prostrate. Visits
from medical men, consultations, change of air, medicine's country were
all unavailing to my case. To my bodily ailments were

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added anxiety of mind consequent on my inability to attend
to my duty as a mother of a family. I was,
indeed unfortunate, prostrate on a sick bed, all hopes in
doctors and medicines gone. Nothing now remained for me but
help from Heaven, and this did not fail me. Only
A few days before a small book containing the life
of Dominic Salvio had been published. And moved by the

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virtues which he practiced during life, and still more by
the graces which others had obtained through his intercession, I
resolved to recommend myself to him in order to obtain
relief in my distress. On the night therefore, February twenty,
eighteen fifty nine, relying on the power of God, who
grants his favors in abundance through the intercession of those
who have been faithful to Him in life, urged on

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LifeWise by the need of comfort in my afflictions and
relief in my infirmities, I gave utterance to the following words,
O Thou, who, in a few years of life tatest
detained to so high a degree of virtue, show forth
the power and goodness of God. Let me know that
thou art in Heaven, and that from that happy place
thou dost protect thy clients. Obtain from God that I
may be relieved of my infirmities and may recover my

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former state of health. I promise that I will relate
whenever I am able the favor which thou wilt obtain
for me from God. I had hardly finished these last
words when I felt a sort of shivering through my
whole body. I felt at once a great relief. My
infirmities vanished, the fever disappeared, and a sweet sleep stole
upon me, so that I was able to spend that
night in calm repose. In the morning, I was perfectly cured.

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Doctor Frolla, who came to see me, was not a
little astonished at so great an improvement. I do not know.
He said, what remedy has been able to do you
so much good? Certainly the finger of God has been here.
I got up from my bed and found myself in
perfect health health after a sickness which should have required
some months at least of convalescence. Eight months have elapsed

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since my cure, and up to the present, thank God,
through the intercession of that holy youth Dominic Savio, I
have not been subject to ailments of any sort. All
this that I have of my own accord. Here set
down a desire to be published wherever it may be
deemed to promote the greater glory of God and the
good of souls, and I prepare to testify to the
truth of the same in the presence of any person whatsoever.

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I have subsequently, on various occasions, had recourse to this
heavenly benefactor, and have always been heard. May these facts
serve to strengthen the faith of other faithful Christians, so
that they may have recourse to this source of blessings,
and may they find in their spiritual and temporal needs
effectual help in Him who lived a holy life on
earth and now in His glory protects us in heaven.

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Countess Buchetti ne di Mazanelli, turn fifteenth of October eight
in fifty nine cure of a serious eye complaint. It
was in eighteen fifty eight, about the end of May,
that my eyes became seriously affected, and the pain continued,
sometimes diminishing, sometimes increasing, up to the November of eighteen
fifty nine. Beginning from the month of March of that year,

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it increased to such an extent that I was, from
the very outset constrained to lay aside all studies, and
later on to give them up altogether. In the early
part of July, my fliction had increased to such an
extent that college life, which I had before enjoyed, now
appeared to me to be unbearable. Thus it came about that,
owing to the state of my eyes and the regret

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I felt at the sight of my companions working for
the approaching examinations, I had to go home. I thought
some improvement might follow, and indeed I did get slightly better,
but only for a short time. Four or five days
had scarcely elapsed from the time the improvement set in
when the malady again took a turn for the worse,
and I was not merely reduced to my former state,
but to a far more deplorable one. I then had

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recoursed to several doctors. One of them required me to
take about four hundred pills of some particular or make
I took them as prescribed and followed minutely the directions
given me, but all to no effect. I was bled
four times without avail. On five occasions I submitted to
blistering operations behind the ears, without driving any benefit thereby.
I was at this time visited by other well known

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eye specialists, among others Cavalieri, Spriim, doctor Fiessore and doctor Pagnini,
but after submitting me to various tests, they told me
plainly that the way to cure the disease with which
I was afflicted was still to them an unknown problem.
Weary then at my hopeless plight, I knew not where
to turn. My days were spent continually in a dark room.

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All amusement was a source of horror to me, and
my eyes had become abnormally inflamed. Towards the end of
October I seemed to feel some improvement, and with the
hope of a speedy and complete cure, I returned to
the college. A fortnight, however, had scarcely elapsed when my
eyes again began to give me so much trouble that
I felt doubtful of ever being able to study again.

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I then had my arms blistered and the operation was
subsequently repeat. The same was done several times to my ears,
but no benefit resulted. I often spoke to the director
of the house about it, and he, in order to
console me, would address to me such words as he
knew would be to my temper and spiritual advantage, encouraging
me to be patient and holding out hopes of a
speedy recovery. One evening, whilst all the boys were engaged

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in some singing classes, I was sitting thoughtful and sad,
with my face buried in my hands and leaning on
the table near which the director was seated. Presently, he arose, and,
coming quietly up to me, touched me on the shoulder,
smiling as he did so, and spoke to me as follows,
why can we not free you once in frall from
this trouble. I wish to see the end of it.
Let us endeavor to take possession of Dominicsavio, and not

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allow him to depart until he has obtained your cure.
At these words, I looked at him steadfastly but said nothing.
Then he continued, Yes, pray every day during this novena.
It was the eve of the feast day of the
novena for the feast of the Immaculate Conception to Dominic
Savio that he may intercede for you. Endeavor to be
in such a state as to be able to go
to communion every day of this novena. In the evening,

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before retiring to bed, say these words, Dominic Savio, pray
for me, and add one Hail Mary. I promised to
do this exactly, upon which he continued, that is right.
Do what I have told you, and I will remember
you every day of this novena in the Holy Mass.
And who knows, he added, whether this time, Dominic Salvio
will succeed in escaping us before you have been cured.

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On the very day that I began to make the novena,
I felt an improvement in my malady. I then continued
the practices of piety with greater fervor, and was soon
rewarded for doing so, for in a few days my
eyes were completely cured. During the novena, I had promised
that if after a certain time I had no further elapse,
I would do my best to have published in honor
of Dominic Salvio the grace I had received from him.

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I now keep my promise for the time fixed first
February eighteen sixty has elapsed, and I am in perfect health.
I hope that Dominic Salville continue to bestow his favors
upon me, and I, on my part, shall do all
that I can to show my gratitude to him, striving
to imitate him in those virtues of which he gives
such a striking example. Meanwhile, let praise be rendered to
God and to Dominic Savio, through whose special protection I

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obtained this grace. Turan first to February eighteen sixty. Thank God,
my eyes are still in a perfectly healthy condition, and
I hereby confirm my above statement. Edward Donata of Salugla
Turin March twentieth, eighteen sixty one, instantaneous cure of toothache.
Having read the life of the holy youth Dominic Salvio,

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I conceived a deep veneration for him. But a fact
worthy of notice which has made me deeply indebted to
this heavenly protector is the one I am about to
set down with the request that you will give it
that publicity which you may think fit. On the morning
of Thursday, the seventh of April of the present year
eighteen fifty nine, I had a slight attack of headache.
I paid no heed to it, thinking it was only

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a passing indisposition. But it increased as the day went on,
so that I was unable to work or to sleep
the following night. On getting up on Friday, with the
pain ever increasing, I was seized with such a sharp
attack of toothache that although I went to class, I
could neither study nor attent to the explanations given, nor
to anything else, so severe was the pain I experienced.
The trouble went on increasingly until in the evening, in

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sheer desperation, I was seized with a fit of uncontrollable weeping.
It was time for the evening class, and I was
wandering aimlessly about the house, a prey to racking pain,
when the Prefect met me on the balcony overlooking the playground.
Recommend yourself to Dominic Salvio, he said to me, for
he understood the cause of my trouble. Recommend yourself to
Dominic Salvio. He can cure you if he wishes to

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do so. I thanked him for this advice, and reproached
myself for not having thought about it sooner. I hastened
at once to our ladies. Altar knelt down on the
step which had so often been hallowed by the presence
of Salvio when he used to withdraw to the silence
of the sanctuary, his heart filled with devotion towards her,
by whose aid he succeeded in attaining this love, zeal
and piety, which now form a crown of glory for

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him in heaven. Kneeling down there, I made the sign
of the cross and began to pray to de termined
at any cost to obtain my cure, provided it were
in accordance with the will of God. The pain was
then at its worst, but at the moment I was
saying the words said Liberan no Samalo, the aching pain
suddenly ceased. My blood resumed its normal course, the face
assumed its natural portions, and I found myself cured and

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at ease, without any trace remaining to remind me of
the agony I had suffered. How can I express the
gratitude I then felt, and will ever feel towards young Savio.
What esteem do I not furthermore owe to him who
so speedily cured my body for the good done to
my soul? I beg you to take this account into consideration,
and make use of it in such a manner as
you may judge most suited to promote the glory of

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God and confidence in the Holy youth. Dominic Savio obediently yours,
Matthew Galliano of Caaramanga, the testimony of a mother concerning
her son's cure. My only son had been lying sick
in the hospital of Saint Maurice and Lazarus for nearly
a month. The cause of his illness was a rush
of blood to the brain, which made him delirious. Amongst

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other circumstances of his illness, one deserving of special remark
was that nothing could make him utter a word. No
one can imagine the sorrow of a mother who beholds
her only son a prey to a disease which shows
no hope of being cured. In my advanced years, I
should have been left without help of any kind, and
my life in consequence would have been a most unhappy one.

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One day, when under the weight of the deepest sorrow,
I went with some relatives to the hospital. Whilst we
are by the patient's bed, I heard how many times
he had been bled, and at the sight of the
deathlike pallor and emaciation of his features. I burst into tears,
and nothing seemed able to console me. But thanks be
to God who deigned to comfort me in an unexpected manner,
and that changed my sorrow into the greatest consolation. Some

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little distance off I noticed a young man with a
small book in his hands. He went to a bed
next to the one where my son was lying, and,
having opened the book, showed to the patient a picture
of a boy about fifteen years of age, whose virtuous
life was related in the book. He advised the patient
to read and to imitate the virtues of the boy
who lived and died like a saint. At the sight
of the book in the picture, I thought at once

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that the boy represented in it was some saint, and approaching,
I said to the one who held the book in
his hands, for the love of God and of our
blessed lady, give me one of those books for my son.
He answered that he would willingly do so, but that
it would be useless to give it to one in
delirium to read, and that it would be better for
him to recommend himself to Dominicsavio, imploring him to obtain

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his cure. I at once approved of the proposal, and
going close to my son, I said to him, in
a faltering voice, my son, listen, recommend yourself to Dominic Savio,
so that he may obtain your cure from God. At
these words, he turned towards me, but remained for a
few moments motionless. Then, suddenly, to the great surprise of
those standing by, and to my great consolation, he said,

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I recommend myself to him. Words will not express the
joy and satisfaction which my heart experienced on hearing the
voice of a son whose cure I had almost despaired of.
On hearing that voice, which for eighteen days had not
sounded in my ears, I then endeavored to make him
understand the holiness and virtues of Salvio, to whom we
had both earnestly appealed. Shortly afterwards, there was a complete change,

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and he was entirely cured from a disease which the
doctors declared could only end in death or the asylum.
Mary Pyra Turn, April tenth, eighteen sixty sudden cure of rupture,
amongst other favors, obtained after recourse to Dominic Salvio. The
wonderful cure of a young student deserves to be recorded. I,

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myself and many others were witnesses of this fact, which
is here described by the recipient of the favor. Three
years ago I suffered from rupture, and though curtive, it
had undergone in tainse pain on that account. But on
February twentieth of this year, eighteen sixty, I was attacked
by this complaint. Whilst at recreation in the playground. I
could not stand and was put to bed, suffering intensely.

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The doctor was sent for, and at his advice, everything
was prepared for another operation. A carriage was sent for
to convey me to the hospital. The pain I was
suffering at this time was too great to bear, and
a sort of delirium took possession of me. Some thought,
in fact, that I was surely dying. But it was
just then that I thought of our deceased companion, Dominic Savio.

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I had read his life and knew all about the
favors he had obtained. So I appealed to him, saying,
if it be true that you are in heaven, obtain
some relief from me in this illness. I then recited
in his honor and our father, he'll marry and glory
be to the Father. I had scarcely finished these prayers
when a peaceful calm came over me and brought on
a refreshing sleep. But after a short time I was

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awakened by those who had been sent for to take
me to the hospital. To their surprise, I said, my
pain has all gone. They found that I was perfectly cured,
and had it not been growing late, I should have
got up again from bed. However, on the following morning,
all traces of my tack had disappeared, and I rose
with the others and the best of health. I desired
to offer my tribute of deep gratitude to this faithful

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servant of God. Charles Bellino Aolsta a double cure. The
very reverend Don Rua, the first successor of Don Bosco,
gives the following account. A signal favor was obtained through
the intercession of Dominic Savio. In the town of Chieri,
a man named Charles Beschio had suffered for three years

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with a very serious rupture. He could not apply himself
to any work, for as soon as he made the
slightest effort, the pain became so acute that he could
not stand on his feet. He had already applied all
remedies suggested by doctors and surgeons, but the illness only increased.
At the beginning of this year, he chanced to read
the life of Dominic Savio, and, learning that many sick

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people had been cured by him even instantaneously, he felt
his faith and confidence revive, and hoped to be favored
in the same way. He began a novena at once
for this end, and promised that if he were cured,
he would go to don Bosco to attest the fact.
In the very beginning of the novena, he noticed that
his pains were diminishing, and an improvement had set in.

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After three days, he put aside his trusts, and by
the end of the novena was perfectly cured, so that
he could again undertake his work, which was of a
very vigorous and tiring nature. It was then the month
of March, and from that time has not been in
the slightest pain. Moreover, Dominic did not only obtain for
him this temple favor, but a spiritual one as well,
of greater consequence. For some years he had not approached

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the sacrament of penance, and felt such a repugnance to
do so that nothing but a special grace would have
been able to conquer it. Accordingly, he had recommended this
intention also to Dominic, and when his novena was over all,
his older pugnance and hesitation disappeared, and he felt a
desire of drawing near to God. In fact, he approached
the sacraments of penance and Holy Communion. To his great consolation,

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the undersigned has taken this down from the recipient of
the grace, who is ready to make any attestation required.
Michael Rua, Priest turin March tenth, eighteen sixty one, a
year of a serious affliction of the eyes, A matter
of great importance, urges me to write to you. During
January of this year, I had been troubled with a

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painful malady of the eyes, and having tried all material
remedies in Vain, I determined to have recourse to a
spiritual one. Remembering your former pupil, Dominic Savio, and the
many graces obtained for those who invoked his intercession, I
had recourse to him also. It was on January nineteenth,
and whilst in the act of prayer, it seemed that
he bathed my eyes in some miraculous manner, and from

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that moment the pain ceased and my sight became clear
and strong. It is my earnest wish that the foregoing
should be added to the accounts of their miracles worked
by God for the glory of his servant. Lawrence Palazza Carmanngola,
April eighteen sixty one, A dangerous illness overcome. Having been
requested by a number of prudent persons to inform you

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of a cure obtained through the intercession of Dominicsavio, I
would ask you to add it to the other accounts
sent to you. In July eighteen seventy one, I was
attacked by such a violent cough that I could get
no rest either night or day. The doctor was sent for,
and he consulted others, but there was no sign of improvement.
After some days, I was evidently growing weaker and was

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troubled with catar which I made breathing impossible. Acute bronchitis,
said in I was unable to do anything but a
little reading, and so I picked up Dominic Savio's life,
although it was already familiar to me. His virtuous life
and the favors he had obtained naturally suggested to me
that I should have recourse to him in my illness,
and I began a treataim or three days of prayer.

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When the doctor came next, he found such a market
improvement that he said it could not be due to
human aid or power. It seems like an illusion, he said.
The cough that had been racking me for three months
was gone, along with the bronchitis which was slowly wearing
me away. Now instead I go about with sound and
robust health, blessing Savio for obtaining such a signal favor. J. B.

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Peligrini como Such is the vulnerable dom Bosco's narrative of
the life of Dominic Savio and of some of the
favors obtained through his intercession. These favors have been multiplied
in the years that have passed. They have been influential
in the progress of the cause of his canonization, which
was formerly introduced at Rome in February last, nineteen fourteen.

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Much has been written about Dominic Savio, particularly since that event,
but we may well conclude by giving the reader the
words of his eminence, the late Cardinal Parocti, who wrote
in eighteen ninety five, may the young learn from Savio
how to sanctify themselves even in the midst of dangers,
how to join holiness with cheerfulness, frankness with reserve, dignity
with modesty, the interior life and intimate union with our Lord,

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with the diligent exercise of external duties. Let them learn
of him to be beloved by God and men, and
thus to leave a holy memory to succeeding generations. Phoenis,
end of Appendix end of the Life of Saint Dominic
Salvio by Saint John Bosco