Salesian Spirituality

Don Bosco through the inspiration of God centred his spirituality to youthful dynamism. Through this his intention was to seek souls and to serve God alone. His model was Christ who had gratitude towards the Father, predilection for the young, zeal in preaching and healing and above all the heart of a good shepherd. As we work for the young we experience the presence of God continuously. Everything we do is because of God’s love thus we become contemplative in action.

As Salesians we have four strong pillars to lean on and they are:

First pillar: devotion to Mary Help of Christians

For Don Bosco, Mary Help of Christians was an ever-present Mother who helped her children daily, rescuing and leading them to Jesus. "Be devoted to Mary Help of Christians", he would habitually say, "and you will see what miracles are!”

Don Bosco had a firm Marian devotion and he saw Mary as the powerful Helper who defends the Church and the Pope from every kind of danger. This is why in the Salesian tradition the daily recitation of the Rosary is not only an element of Marian devotion, but above all the contemplation of Jesus in the mysteries of his saving Incarnation.

Second pillar: devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist

The second pillar of Don Bosco's spirituality was devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist, which he saw as the heart of every Salesian house. He used to remind young people: "If you want many graces, pay many visits to Jesus in the Sacrament; if you want few graces, pay him few".

Don Bosco was a saint through by the Eucharist. He was so passionate about the Eucharist that he communicated his passion to the young people. He carefully prepared for communion with the Lord through the sacrament of Reconciliation. For Don Bosco, Confession and the Eucharist were the two sacraments that inculcated in young people the Christian virtues and holiness

Third pillar: educational system based on joy, hope

The third pillar of Don Bosco's spirituality was his educational system of joy and hope. Dominic Savio, who once said to Don Bosco: "I am the cloth, you are the tailor; make me into a beautiful garment for the Lord!” He had fully grasped the attention of his young companions when he suggested: "Let's make holiness consist in being very cheerful!”

Salesian holiness is the fruit of pedagogy of joy based on Christian hope in the eternal joy of paradise. Hope, which the Holy Father has insistently asked the European Churches to recover, was for Don Bosco the virtue that inspired him to undertake few of the adventures assignments, such as the construction of the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin and of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Rome, and the foundation of two religious congregations with barely a penny in his pocket, overcoming unspeakable trials. He placed full trust in the Lord's provident presence in the history of the Church and in his own life.

He often used to say that the saints, while taking the final judgment seriously, lived in supreme joy because they trusted in the goodness of a Father who has infinite good things in store for his faithful servants.

Fourth pillar: devotion to Church and Vicar of Christ

Don Bosco's fourth and last pillar is his devotion to the Church, to her Pastors and especially to the Holy Father. His love for the Pope was extraordinary and is an integral part of the Salesian formation and apostolate.

The Salesian mingles with Christians who speaks lovingly of the Church, almost as though she were to be their own mother. They are aware that they have received the life of the Holy Spirit in and through the Church. They may well know her limitations, her wrinkles and even her scandals, but attach little importance to them. Instead, they duly evaluate the advantages of her presence for each person and for humanity by the experience of God expressed by the holiness she offers as an example, the wisdom that comes from the Word of God, the love that unites and inspires solidarity beyond the boundaries of nations and continents, the sense of life she offers, the values she defends and the prospects of eternal life that she unfolds. The Salesian family loves and admires the Church of Jesus Christ.