CHIERI

Seminary and St. Philip Neri’sIl Duomo

1JB: Seminary Years

“St. Joseph Cafasso,

whom Benedict XV

defined as

‘the Pearl of the Clergy,’

from 1830 to 1853

acquired

in this seminary

the knowledge, the piety,

and the charity

which he then poured out

so wonderfully

on the clergy, on

prisoners,

and on the people.”

As a memento of his

Canonization

1947

Plaque on Seminary building

St. Philip Neri Church

The Seminary Courtyard

Our Lady of Grace

Decision and Process to enter

Canon Massimo Burzio

Vestition, October 25, 1835 – Castelnuovo, St. Andrew’s Church

Fr. Pietro Cinzano “Take off the old Man and put on Christ.”

Bardella

New Resolutions

1. For the future I will never take part in public shows duringfairs or at markets. Nor will I attend dances or the theatre,and as far as possible I will not partake of the dinners usualon such occasions.

2. I will no longer play games of dice or do conjuring tricks,acrobatics, sleight of hand, tightrope walking. I will give upmy violin-playing and hunting. These things I hold totallycontrary to ecclesiastical dignity and spirit.

3. I will love and practice a retiring life, temperance in eatingand drinking. I will allow myself only those hours of reststrictly necessary for health.

4. In the past I have served the world by reading secularliterature. Henceforth I will try to serve God by devotingmyself to religious reading.

5. I will combat with all my strength everything, all reading,thoughts, conversations, words, and deeds contrary to thevirtue of chastity. On the contrary, I will practice all thosethings, even the smallest, which contribute to pre-servingthis virtue.

6. 6. Besides the ordinary practices of piety, I will neverneglect to make a little meditation daily and a littlespiritual reading.

Every day I will relate some storyor some maxim advantageousto the souls of others. I willdo this with my companions, friends, relatives, and when I cannot do it with others, I will speak with my mother.

Resolutions

October 30, 1835 Guglielmo Garigliano

Don Guala

Entrance to former

Seminary building,

now a municipal

building

Giuseppe, Giuseppe Febbraro, & la Mamma

Seminary chapel and sacristy

“St. John Bosco

lived

in this seminary

from 1835 - 1841,

learning

here

the sublime art of

the apostolate

among the young

under the

inspiration

of the meek

St. Francis de

Sales”

Don Ternavasio: “Exact fulfillment of your duties.”

Giovanni Giacomelli Luigi Comollo

Philosophy: 1835-1837

Logic, Metaphysics, Moral Philosophy

Summer 1836: Collegio dei Nobili

Sussambrino

Vacations: “Dangerous times for clerical students”

“Idleness isthe Workshop of the Devil.”

“Your sermon is too elevated”

The Imitation of Christ by St. Thomas à Kempis The Imitation of Christ by St. Thomas à Kempis

“A vocation is perfected and preserved, and a real priestly spirit formed, in a climate of recollection and by frequent reception of Holy Communion.”

Don Giovanni Borel

Giuseppe Burzio

Madonna of the

Missionary

Oblates of Mary

Immaculate

and

Founders of the

Order

Meanwhile…

May 9, 1837 – Maria Domenica Mazzarello is born at “theMazzarelli” – frazione di Mornese in Alessandria, Italy, the oldest of10 (7 will survive), to Maddalena and Giuseppe Mazzarello. She isbaptized on the same day.

June 9, 1837 – Michele Rua is born to Giovanni Battista and MariaGiovanna (Ferrero) Rua in Torino, and baptized two days later, theyoungest of 9 siblings and step-siblings (from the first wife ofGiovanni, Maria Angela Teresa Baratelli, who died in 1828), 4 ofwhom were still alive at his birth (he made 5). Two half- and two full-brothers were alive. One half- and one full-sister had died, as well asone half- and one full-sister.

1837-1841 Speculative, Moral, and Dogmatic Theology, and Sacred Scripture

Dormitory Corridor

Jansenistic Influences

Refectory

Death of Luigi Comollo: April 2, 1839

“Bosco, I’m saved!”

Luigi appears to John

John becomes gravely ill

Entrance to the Dormitory

+ April 2, 1839

Luigi’s resting place in the church of S. Filippo N.

The plaque in the church of S. Filippo Neri

IN THIS CHURCH

UNDER THE SANCTUARY

OF THE MAIN ALTAR

AWAITING THE DAY OF GLORY REPOSES

LUIGI COMOLLOTHE GREAT FRIEND AND CLASSMATE

OF CLERIC JOHN BOSCO

HE DIED IN THE SEMINARY OF CHIERI

BELIEVED TO BE A SAINT

APRIL 2, 1839

--------

HE WAS BORN IN CINZANO

ON APRIL 7, 1817

--------

THE CITIZENS OF CINZANO

FILLED WITH HOLY PRIDE

PLACED THIS PLAQUE HERE

IN MAY 1934

Giuseppe’s Home at Becchi, 1839 on

1840-1841

3/29/1840 – Tonsure and 4 Minor Orders

9/19/1840 –Subdiaconate

3/19/1841 – Diaconate

Dream repeats again – but in a crowded street

Resolutions from Ordination Retreat

1. No walks except to visit the sick

2. Good and careful use of time

3. No shrinking from suffering – even humiliations if it is a question of saving souls!

4. Love and gentleness of Francis de Sales will be my guide

5. Always will be satisfied with food served (unless harmful to health)

6. No wine unless mixed with water and as health requires

7. No more than 5 hours of sleep per night, as work is a powerful weapon (no nap, except in case of illness)

8. Meditation and spiritual reading every day, plus: visit to the Blessed Sacrament, ¼ hour of prayer to prepare for Mass, ¼ hour after in thanksgiving

9. No conversation with women except in Confession or for the good of their souls

Archbishop Fransoni’s Private Chapel

June 5, 1841

June 5, 1841

Bosco di Nespolo… Bosco di Sales

“To begin to say Mass is to begin to suffer...”

SOURCE READINGS:

BM Vol. I;

Lenti vols. 13-15;

Giraudo chap. II 3.5-3.11

HOMEWORK:

MO 99-111;

SDB 47-67