The Saint we celebrate today in John Bosco. Born on the Island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean sea in 1815, he felt called to work with youth in conjunction with his call to the priesthood. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1841. He met a poor youth in Turin, Italy as a young priest. He instructed this youth in the faith to prepare him for First Holy Communion. He then gathered young apprentices together and taught them the catechism. After serving as chaplain in a hostel for working girls, he opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy patrons contributed money for this work, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys, teaching them shoemaking and tailoring skills. He became renowned for his ministry to youth, gathering other young priests together in this work. With the approval of Pope Pius IX, he founded the religious order of the Salesians in 1859, a religious order that specialized in serving the youth. he later founded an order of Salesian sisters to work with girls. He is one of the patron saints of children and youth, especially youth who are on the margins of society.
Jesus talks to us in parables today, about a sower whose seeds sprouts into plants and a large mustard plant that grow from a small seed. Ministry usually starts with small humble efforts. Like the Salesians, which is one of the largest religious orders in the world today, it started with the ministry of one man, St John Bosco, and blossomed into a large religious order that serve youth all over the world in different ways. Jesus needs all of us to collaborate in ministry and in evangelization in order to grow the kingdom of God. There is a lot we can accomplish if we all work together.
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