On 26 January 1854, Don Bosco, about 39 years old, gave the name “Salesians” for the first time to a small group of young people eager to follow in his footsteps; This is what the Congregation indicated today.
“On the afternoon of January 26, 1854, the Salesian charismatic adventure ‘officially’ began,” said the Agenzia Info Salesiana (ANS), the journalistic communication agency of the Society of Francis de Sales, on January 26.
“On that date – he continued – Don Bosco gave the name ‘Salesians’ for the first time to a small group of young people eager to follow in his footsteps. What happened on the night of January 26 was written by Miguel Rua, in a notebook that is now kept in the Don Bosco House Museum.
Fr. Miguel Rua was a friend of Don Bosco and became major rector of the Salesian Congregation between 1888 and 1910, being the founder’s first successor.
Father Rua wrote the following in a notebook: “On the afternoon of January 26, 1854, we met in Mr. Don Bosco’s office.”
That day, Don Bosco called his closest collaborators to the second floor of the house, because he wanted to talk about something with them. Those four young men were: Miguel Rua, Juan Cagliero, Giuseppe Rocchietti and Giacomo Artiglia.
“It was proposed to us to do with the help of the Lord and Saint Francis de Sales a test of practical exercise of charity towards our neighbor, to later make a promise and, later, if possible and convenient, make a vow to the Lord “, recounted Fr. Rua.
“Since that night, the name of Salesians was given to those who proposed and will propose such an exercise,” he explained.
When Saint John Bosco was a deacon, 13 years earlier, he had already chosen Saint Francis de Sales as a role model.
Saint Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Universal Church, is known as “The Saint of Kindness”. As bishop he courageously and kindly defended the Catholic Church in a difficult and violent age of reforms, like Calvin’s.
Over time, the saint has inspired many works and communities such as the Pious Society of Saint Francis de Sales, founded by Don Bosco.
(ACI Prensa)