St. John Bosco, Priest (Memorial)

On 31 January, the Roman Catholic Church honours St. John Bosco (Don Bosco) for his ministry work in reaching out and working with the young inclusive of youth in areas of faith, education, and work opportunities. St. John Bosco was the founder of the Salesian Society, named in honour of St. Francis de Sales, and of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. 

In August 1815, St. John Bosco was born to a Catholic family in peasant farmers in Castelnuovo d'Asti (Castelnuovo Don Bosco), Turin, Italy. John Bosco was ordained a priest in 1841. He started of his minitry with reaching to boy and young men on the streets, those without education or work. He founded a group known as the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales and was determined to save these boy and young men from life of degradation. 

John began his ministry to the young by first forming catechism classes that met after Sunday Mass. At these classes he would offer schooling in the faith for free and he soon had a group of over 400 children to teach. John formulated a system of education based on "reason, religion and kindness."

John Bosco died in the early hours of 31 January, 1888 after spending his whole life working for the cause of the young and the youth. His last message before dying was “Tell the boys that I shall be waiting for them all in Paradise.” John was canonized by Pope Pius XI on Easter Sunday, 1934. St. John Bosco is the patron saint of young people, apprentices, schoolchildren, students, Catholic publishers and editors. by Pope Pius XI in 1934. St. John Bosco was named as "teacher and father to the young" by Pope John Paul II. St. John Bosco is also known as the "Apostle of Youth".

Every virtue in your soul is a precious ornament which makes you dear to God and to man. But holy purity, the queen of virtues, the angelic virtue, is a jewel so precious that those who possess it become like the angels of God in Heaven, even though clothed in mortal flesh.

~ St. John Bosco ~

Prayer to Saint John Bosco

Admirable apostle of youth, founder of religious Congregations, catechist, educator, writer, and a light that shone brightly in our time, you know that one of the greatest powers today is the power of the Press. Prompt editors to be always truthful and to work for the good of human beings, thus serving the greater glory of God. Amen.

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O God, who raised up the Priest Saint John Bosco as a father and teacher of the young, grant we pray, that, aflame with the same fire of love, we may seek out souls and serve you alone. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Friday, 31 January, 2014
St. John Bosco, Priest (Memorial)

Reading

2 Samuel 11: 1 - 10, 13 - 17
1	In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Jo'ab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
2	It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.
3	And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathshe'ba, the daughter of Eli'am, the wife of Uri'ah the Hittite?"
4	So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.
5	And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, "I am with child."
6	So David sent word to Jo'ab, "Send me Uri'ah the Hittite." And Jo'ab sent Uri'ah to David.
7	When Uri'ah came to him, David asked how Jo'ab was doing, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.
8	Then David said to Uri'ah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." And Uri'ah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king.
9	But Uri'ah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
10	When they told David, "Uri'ah did not go down to his house," David said to Uri'ah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"
13	And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14	In the morning David wrote a letter to Jo'ab, and sent it by the hand of Uri'ah.
15	In the letter he wrote, "Set Uri'ah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die."
16	And as Jo'ab was besieging the city, he assigned Uri'ah to the place where he knew there were valiant men.
17	And the men of the city came out and fought with Jo'ab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uri'ah the Hittite was slain also.

Psalm

Psalms 51: 3 - 7, 10 - 11
3	For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4	Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment.
5	Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6	Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
7	Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
10	Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
11	Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

Gospel

Mark 4: 26 - 34
26	And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground,
27	and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.
28	The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29	But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
30	And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?
31	It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;
32	yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
33	With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
34	he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

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Prayer To Our Lady, Help Of Christians 

by St. John Bosco 

Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christian,

how sweet it is to come to your feet

imploring your perpetual help.

If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, 

how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me?

Grant then to me, I implore you, 

your perpetual help in all my necessities, 

in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations.

I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering.

Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners.

Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life. 

Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians,

that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.

AMEN.

Mary Help of Christians, 

Pray for us!