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St. John Bosco
Feast Day: January 31
Sometimes parents die and children are left homeless. The Church has always tried to care for these children. In fact, John Bosco founded the Salesians—a group of priests—to help boys and the Daughters of Our Lady—a group of nuns—to help girls. John founded these two groups in the nineteenth century. Today, many, many priests and nuns belong to these orders and continue John’s work with poor children.
John was born in 1815 in Becchi, Italy. When he was 2, his father died. However, his mother loved him and raised him to love God and other people. So from the time he was little, John helped children whose parents were too busy to care for them.
When he grew up, John became a priest. He started a school for poor and neglected boys. They lived at this school and learned to make shoes and clothes and to print books. With this knowledge, they could earn a living when they grew up. John also taught them to love God and to live good lives. Later, John began a school for neglected girls.
John earned the money for his two schools by preaching and by begging rich people to help his children. That is how John thought about these neglected boys and girls—they were his children, given to him by God.
John died in 1888 at the age of 73. His great love for children led many, many women and men to care for them too, and they continue to do so yet today.
Connecting to Faith First® Legacy Edition
Grade 2, chapter 20
Grade 6, chapter 20
Connecting to Faith First®
Grade 6, chapter 20
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