Don Bosco and Mary

           In his Spiritual Testament to his Salesians, Don Bosco wrote, “The Blessed Virgin will certainly continue to protect our congregation and our Salesian works if we maintain our trust in her and promote devotion to her.” For Don Bosco, Mary was more than an object of veneration.  Mary was for him a living person.  He felt her presence in every moment of his life. He emulated in her the virtue of sensitivity, her obedience to the will of God, and her commitment and fidelity at the hour of the cross. From the very beginning of his life, she showed him the way, inspired his actions, sustained his strength and helped him to obtain his purpose, even in extraordinary ways.  For Don Bosco ‘Mary did it all!’  Don Bosco’s mother Mamma Margaret cultivated in him devotion Mother Mary from his childhood. I quote the words of Mamma Margaret to Johnny Bosco on the occasion of his vestition, “When you were born, I consecrated you to the Blessed Virgin; when you began your studies, I advised you to have devotion to this good Mother.  At this point I recommend you to be totally hers.  Love companions who are devoted to her, and if you become a priest, always recom­mend and propagate devotion to Mary.  John, after listening to his mother, in tears, thanked his mother and said: These words will not be said for nothing, I will treasure them all my life. Don Bosco

First Encounter with Mary

            The first meeting of Johnny Bosco with Mary happened in his dream at the age of nine.  It was Jesus himself who tells him that Mary is to be his guide: “I will give you a Teacher, he said, un­der her guidance you can become wise; without her all wisdom is foolishness.”  At this juncture, Don Bosco narrates: “At that moment I saw a Lady standing near Him… she took me kindly by the hand.  ‘This is the field of your work.  Make yourself humble, strong and robust… What you see hap­pening to these animals is what you must do to my children’ (the wild animals then turned into lambs). At that point I began to cry.  I begged the Lady to speak so that I could understand.  She placed her hand on my head and said: ‘In good time you will understand everything.’ “

            It is this dream that made him realize the importance of Mary in his life as a Mother, Teacher and Guide. From then on, Don Bosco never left Mary and Mary too, never left him.

Mary as Mother

            Don Bosco firmly believed that Mary is present in all the activities as a Mother. She always came to the aid of Don Bosco when he was deeply in trouble and infused a ray of hope in times of discouragement. In many of his dreams, Mary appeared as a loving mother. She was a mother who looked after the needs of all his works. She provided him with financial and spiritual help. In all his problems, he felt her presence concretely. Mary took care of all the boys in the oratory. She protected them from all the dangers of all life. As an example, we see Mary’s care for the boys of Don Bosco in his dream of the elephant.  There is an elephant in the playground and the boys are unaware of the danger.  Mary notices it and she shouts to the boys to come under her mantle – Mary not just calls the boys, she shouts, she is exhausted from shouting, she is red in the face and out of breath, says the dream. Don Bosco acknowledges it in his testament when he said, ‘The God of mercy and his Holy Mother came to our help in our needs.  This was especially true when it was a case of providing for poor and abandoned boys, and even more when their souls were in danger.’  He also believed that, Mary takes special care of every youngster on entering the Salesian house and provides them with bread and means to study, by endless graces and wonders. Whoever came to Don Bosco with any kind of problem, he just directed them to the loving mother and whoever came to her in the name of Don Bosco she never refused to be their caring mother.

Mary as Guide

            Don Bosco was a man of dreams. In other words, he saw the vision of his life in his dreams. He saw Mary in all his dreams. It is a mistake to think that Don Bosco easily believed his dreams. But, he started believing when one by one he saw them being realized in his real life.  He also asked guidance from Father Cafasso, but later on he will say: “The Virgin Mary had in dreams indicated the field in which I was to work.  I therefore had the design of a complete, pre-studied plan from which I did not wish to depart.  I was made totally responsible for the success of this plan.  I had a clear idea of the lines I had to follow, and therefore I would not risk to spoil the plan by submitting it to the judgment and will of others” (MB III).  Thus, Don Bosco became a firm believer in the guidance of Mary and the two worked together.  At times Mary took the initiative; at times it was Don Bosco that had recourse to her for help – it is impossible to keep an account of all the favors Don Bosco received as a consequence of his prayers. But, he was convinced that “Mary was always his guide,” and “She is his protector and treasurer.” He was absolutely sure of her help, even when the Government threatened to close the Oratory.  “Poor people, said Don Bosco, they are mistaken.  They will not succeed.  They think they are dealing with Don Bosco only, they don’t know that they have to do with one much more powerful, with the Blessed Virgin, even with God himself who will shatter their plans.  No, they will not succeed to close the Oratory!” Indeed, they never succeed in closing any of the works of Don Bosco.

Response of Don Bosco to Infinite Love of Mary

            Don Bosco responded to the Love of Mary by spreading devotion to her. One of his main devotions to the Our Lady was recitation of the rosary daily in the oratory. On one occasion, minister Ratazzi demanded him to stop the recitation of the rosary in the oratory. His answer was a firm ‘No’. He was even ready to undergo any problem and suffering in spreading devotion to Mary. He exhibited an extraordinary love for Mother Mary all his life. He made sure that the Marian feasts are celebrated with due solemnity and reverence in the oratory. His whole aim was to cultivate in the heart of every youngster the love, respect and admiration towards Mother Mary.

            Why this predilection of Mary for Don Bosco? First and foremost it was not a predilection for Don Bosco: rather, it was Jesus’ and Mary’s predilection for the young.  Mary took pity on her children far from home, abandoned in the big city, marginalized, hungry, without employment and in danger of corruption.  A mother cannot see this misery.  What Don Bosco did was the work of Mary, it was her initiative, he was told to do it with her method of gentleness and kindness. The first article of our Constitutions affirms: ‘Through the motherly intervention of Mary, the Holy Spirit raised up Saint John Bosco to contribute to the salvation of youth.’  Don Bosco himself tells us that every youngster that enters our houses is sent to us by Mary.  If we keep this in mind, if we give ourselves at Mary'’ disposal to do her work, then we too can count on her special help.  The time of miracles is not yet over!