Fishing for vocations

During the last few months of 1867, Don Bosco set out for the school at Lanzo, and there, tried to fish for vocations. He was fond of using words of urging which implied his invitation to the Salesian life to the boys whom he saw fir for the vocation. He would say “I would like to chop your head off.” To this, the more mature ones understood that it was their call to one day give their all, their obedience, to Don Bosco. He then would supplement it with correspondences to those boys, and this would usually produce his desired results. BM 82

Keep in mind that Don Bosco attracted vocations to himself. He used tactful words of encouragement, at times, even vague in meaning, but with total determination to help the youngster follow his vocation. As a Salesian, do you attract vocations to yourself, or do you repel? Learn to look at the youngsters from an optimistic point of view for their future.

Article 58: The Provincial Community “...Attentive to the youth situation, it coordinates and evaluates our apostolic work through its various services; it encourages collaboration , stimulates pastoral work for vocations, provides for the continuity of our works, and is open to new activities...”