Today is the feast day of Saint John Bosco! I named this blog “Boscoworld” because at the time I started this blog, my oldest son, who was preparing for confirmation in the Catholic Church, and under great guidance by the Holy Spirit, chose this saint for his confirmation saint.  Ironically, “LB” (Little Bosco, his blog name for the intent and purposes of protection against further teenage angst at that time) was not a confirmed Catholic.  He was baptized Macedonian Eastern Orthodox, in which he received all of the sacraments of initiation into the church (baptism, communion, and confirmation) at once at the age of about 4 months old.  In order to become an actual member of the Catholic Faith, which he felt called to do, this 12 year-old (at the time) sweet boy of mine, undertook a two-year process to become a very rare and special (I may say as his mother) version of an Eastern rite, Macedonian Catholic.

During this amazing process, he did a report on Don Bosco, who had a great affection for souls, especially youth.  As a former youth minister, I was in love with the joyful, funny, silly and charismatic way he reached the troubled youth of his world.  He was a poor farm boy when he was shown an image of  rambunctious young boys who were tamed into lambs by some special soul (his future self), who became this sweet, joyful priest who started the Salesian Order, (which are now the the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs) and many far reaching projects that helped impoverished souls headed for ruin from a lack of love and faith.

After his research, I asked LB what attracted him to Don Bosco.  He told me of his fondness for Don Bosco’s playful nature and joy for youth with magic tricks, games and joking (who then also reminded me of Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul the Great!).  I felt moved that this saint was a friend who could accompany me in trying to cultivate a faith-filled family and a catholic home, otherwise known as “The Domestic Church“. Inspired by my friend Jess at the time, and encouraged by my sisters, my dad, and my mom, who all love to write, and all of my sisters in Christ, I began this journey to express my faith, struggles and the golden nuggets of formation I have received along my path to share with anyone who had the hunger for the same. So on the eve of All Saints, October 31, 2009, I began this blog.  Nine years and 117 posts later, here we are.

Here are some of this amazing saint’s precious wisdom that continues to inspire my faith and my hopes as a mother, a catholic, a writer and a human being.

• “I want to give you the formula for Sanctity; first BE HAPPY; second, STUDY AND PRAY, third, DO GOOD TO EVERYONE.”
• “We do not go to Holy Communion because we are good; we go to become good.”

• “Health is God’s great gift, and we must spend it entirely for Him. Our eyes should see only for God, our feet walk only for Him, our hands labor for Him alone; in short, our entire body should serve God while we still have the time. Then, when He shall take our health and we shall near our last day, our conscience will not reproach us for having misused it.”

• “Fly from bad companions as from the bite of a poisonous snake.”

• “It is enough for me that you are young for me to love you very much.”

• “The principle trap that the devil sets for young people is idleness.

• “Do not try to excuse your faults; try to correct them”

•  “It is not enough to love the young; they must KNOW they are loved.”

• “Do not lose any time; do good.  Do all the good you can and you will never regret doing it”.

• “Entrust everything to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; and to MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS, and you will see what miracles are.”

You can read his story here:

http://www.donboscowest.org/saints/donbosco

Quotes also from used from AZ Quotes