Trust in Prayer

Don Bosco managed to write books between trips and other tasks. Many of his callers, not finding him at the Oratory, had come to know that now and then he would hide a few hours at the Convitto Eccleslastico in order to work in peace. Naturally they began to flock there and thus forced him to seek other hideouts in the homes of benefactors and friends. His favorite hideout was the apartment of Joseph Brosio who had helped him so much in the first difficult years of the Oratory .2 This gentleman, who survived Don Bosco and fully enjoyed his trust, was wont to say, "Don Bosco was a great man, a great saint, andl say it with pridea great friend of mine!" When Father John Bonetti asked Brosio about Don Bosco's use of his apartment, Brosio sent him this written account: When Don Bosco was writing the life of Blessed Mary of the Angels or other saints, he often spent a few hours in my home in order to work undisturbed. Then, before leaving, he would linger to chat with me. One day my wife took him to see one of our daughters who was ill and asked him to bless her. "Get up," he told the girl, taking her by the hand. At that moment, I wasn't really aware of what Don Bosco had in mind. "She can't!" I broke in. "She's sick." "Well, then." Don Bosco replied, "if that's the case, we shall send her to heaven!" He blessed her and said a prayer. After he had left, my wife chided me: "Didn't you see that Don Bosco wanted to cure her?" As a matter of fact, Don Bosco did know that the child had been sick for a long time. Why would he take her by the hand and command her to get up, if not because he wanted to cure her? I waited for Don Bosco to visit us again, but he was out of town. Shortly afterward, my dear child went to heaven. We did not repeat the mistake with my other daughter, still living. When she was practically at death's door, Don Bosco brought her back to health, as I have already told you. BM Vol. 8, ch. 22, p.140-141

Keep in mind that Don Bosco wasn't willing to work with people who lacked in faith. He was an example of docility to the Spirit. He was always open to His promptings, and he leaned heavily on the faith of the people he ministered to. His life and his prayer was always united in a constant, faithful trust in the Father.

Article 86: Salesian Prayer “Docile to the Holy Spirit, Don Bosco lived an experience of humble, trusting and apostolic prayer in which praying and living were spontaneously united...”