Don Bosco
Don Johannes Bosco (1815-1888)
„…to make young people's lives succeed“
Don Bosco had made it his task to help young people to build up a good future. His methods of guiding young people and telling them how to achieve this target were different according to circumstances, however, they always were successful.
His exemplary action and attitude make themselves felt in the Salesians' life and work up to this day.
The history of Don Bosco
In the mid 19th century, when he was a young priest, John Bosco took care of children and young people in the big city of Turin, whom he wanted to help.
He founded a home for young people, his „Oratory“, and private workshops for different professions, he promoted school education, arranged the first apprentices, had the young experience the spirit of community by games, sports, music and theatre and tried to approach them to faith by sharing their everyday lives.
In 1859 Don Bosco gave a rule of life to his fellows, priests and brothers, and he called this newly founded community "Salesians".
Today the Salesians of Don Bosco are a religious order of the Roman Catholic church dedicated to the education and support of young people.
Don Bosco's objects
His way of acting under the motto „…to make young people's lives succeed“ included the following issues:
- gathering young people together
- building up confidence
- discovering the goodness in every young person
- creating experiences
- accompanying their lives as a whole and developing prospects
- participating in their leisure activities, playing with them, offering them encouragement and support
- building up the atmosphere of a family and creating the feeling of home
- creating a positive fundamental attitude towards life by means of cheerfulness, festivities, play and heartiness
- being an example
- experiencing life and faith as a whole