January 2, 2025

At the end of this month, on January 31, we celebrate the feast day of Saint John Bosco.

John was born in 1815 in Italy to poor farmers. When he was only 2 years old, his father passed away and his mother struggled to make ends meet. As soon as he was able, John began working to help his mother. From a young age, John desired to become a priest. However, he never told his mother about his feelings because the education would be far too costly for his family. But with the help of Father Joseph Cafasso, who himself was later canonized as a saint, John entered the seminary.

There, he learned a number of various trades, including carpentry, farming, cooking, and shoemaking. Later, he would use these skills to empower young people to build better lives for themselves.

At the age of 26, in 1841, John was ordained a priest. Father Bosco, or Don Bosco as he was called, began his ministry with homeless youth. He taught them the trades that he learned while in the seminary, soon opening the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for Boys, where young people could live and learn valuable trades. By the mid-1850s, more than 150 young boys lived at the Oratory. Eventually, Father John added a printing press to encourage vocational education, which was of interest to him. While instructing the boys, he provided religious education and encouraged them to receive the holy Sacraments.

With the help other priests, he found the Salesians Order, which is now a community of Catholic priests in honor of St. Francis de Sales. In 1871, Father John expanded his mission by founding a Salesian religious order of women called the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians to care for girls.

John Bosco passed away on January 31, 1888, and was canonized a saint in 1934 by Pope Pius XI.

Saint John saw a need as he encountered troubled, poor, orphaned young boys. He offered them loving discipline, education, skills to support themselves, and a family. His ministry continues today.

At Mercy Home, we try to follow his good works by taking in the young people who need support to build brighter futures for themselves. Like Saint John Bosco, we instill in our boys and girls the importance of hard work and determination. Thanks to loving friends, our young men and women have a second chance.

Please be assured of the prayers of the entire Mercy Home family this January. Happy New Year!