The Nostalgic Beginnings of Salesians of Don Bosco
Don Bosco with Mr. Rattazzi
Kind of Religious Society Envisaged by Don Bosco
To qualify as a religious congregation in the Church, a religious association would have to have vows. Was Don Bosco thinking of traditional public simple vows, having traditional juridical status in the Church, or was he thinking only of private vows- promises—either of obedience, poverty, chastity or simply of the exercise of charity toward the poor? If the former, then in what respect would that be different from the traditional congregations, the religious corporations that were being suppressed? If the latter, then he would be thinking of something like a religious society with simple promises—and expect to have juridical status in the Church!
When Don Bosco presented his plan for the society to Pius IX, the Pope immediately insisted on the necessity of traditional vows for the sake of unity and discipline. This seems to indicate that Don Bosco’s proposal called only for private vows or, more simply, for a promise of the exercise of charity (in the work of the oratory).
Don Bosco and Pius IX (1858)
Don Bosco left for Rome on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 1858. Don Bosco did not bring with him to Rome a previously written draft of the constitutions. At first he had intended only to present his plan for a religious society orally. In Rome, however, he asked his friend, Cardinal Gaude, for guidance in the matter; and the Cardinal advised him not to see the Holy Father without a written plan. Don Bosco then, on the basis of what was already being done in Turin, worked up a “brief plan for a religious congregation.” Don Bosco did most likely present the written plan (not a copy of the constitutions!) to the Pope at the audience of March 9, the first audience. But it is not very likely that the Pope read it, personally annotated it, and returned it to Don Bosco. No such annotated document is extant, nor did Don Bosco ever show such a document to anyone, or even ever refer to it. After reading the letter of commendation from Archbishop Fransoni, according to Bonetti, the Pope said:
“It is necessary that you should establish a Society with which the Government cannot interfere. At the same time, however, you must not be satisfied with binding its members through mere promises, otherwise you would never be sure of your subjects, nor could you count on them for any length of time.”
Later Don Bosco stated that Pius IX laid the foundations for the society. Don Bosco himself tells us, (1) The society “would have to have vows to serve as a bond and as a guarantee of unity in spirit and works.” These vows, however, would have to be simple, and such as to be easily dissolved, lest some member’s ill will perturb the peace and unity of the others.” (2) The Society would therefore “be a true religious congregation as far as the Church was concerned,” but at the same time it had to be such as “to guarantee its members freedom from anything that would cause them trouble from civil laws.” Hence, the foundations laid down by the Pope dealt with the basic provisions of the society’s constitutions, namely with its basic form.
Immediate Developments after Don Bosco’s Audiences with Pius IX in 1858
Referring back to the year 1858, Don Bosco in 1877 described the first step taken in setting up the society:
The Congregation was divided into two categories, or rather two families. Those who were free and felt the calling came together to live in community [...].The others, namely the externs, continued to live in the world in the bosom of their families, but did not cease to promote the work of the oratories.
The Founding Moment - December 18, 1859
Don Bosco was not slow to move the dynamic group that had been forming around him toward its first organization. At a historic meeting held on December 9, 1859, Don Bosco finally announced to his group of twenty-two young men his intention of founding a religious congregation. It would be for those only “who, after mature reflection, intended to vow poverty chastity and obedience in due time,” and gave them a week’s time to come to a decision. The thought of a religious congregation filled those young men with apprehension. But in the case of most of them, Cagliero’s struggle and final decision was typical: “Monk or not, I’ll stay with Don Bosco.” Out of the original twenty, eighteen returned to keep the appointment on December 18, 1859. Don Bosco, as “initiator and promoter,” was asked to accept the post of Rector Major; he accepted on condition that he could appoint his own Prefect-Vicar. He confirmed Father Alasonatti in that post and other officers were elected. The stated purpose of this Society was: “to promote and preserve the spirit of true charity that is required by the work of the Oratories on behalf of young people abandoned and at risk. [...] [and] to help each other toward personal holiness.”
From the streets of Turin to the oratory as inmates, from inmates to becoming the members of a new religious society, the journey for these young people was a gradual unfolding of a vision, beset with doubts and misgivings. Barberis’ comment on how Don Bosco gradually put across to his select young men the idea of a religious society is of interest. In those early days he avoided speaking of a religious society both for political reasons and for fear of frightening his young men away.
