Rules Anywhere

Turin, July 26, 1866 My beloved sons: I had planned to see you this Sunday to tell you a few things, but, regretfully, I have had to change my plans. God willing, we will have this mutual consolation after the summer vacation, when we hope to be together not for just one day, but for a whole week. Meanwhile let me wish you a pleasant vacation and give you some fatherly tips which I deem necessary for your spiritual welfare: 1. 1 wish to thank Father Director, Father Prefect, and all the teachers, assistants and pupils for the kindness and patience shown me, and for all the prayers offered up for me. Continue to pray for me, my dear children. I assure you that I remember you daily in Holy Mass. 2. Let each of you purify his conscience before leaving, and make a firm resolution to keep it unsullied until your return on the appointed week or day. Do not seek excuses to delay your return, unless you are sick. 3. Upon your arrival home, promptly give my greetings and those of your superiors to your parents and relatives, to your pastor, teacher and anyone else toward whom you have an obligation of gratitude. By fulfilling this strict duty you will please others and will also benefit yourselves. 4. Do at home what you do here at school every day: meditation, Mass, spiritual reading, and the reception of the sacraments. 5. Let your conduct prove that a year at school was not lost on you. Be models of obedience, therefore, to your companions, relatives and friends; bear patiently any annoyance on the part of others. do not be difficult as regards food, rest, clothes and so on. 6. Let it never be said of you that you indulge in or listen to foul conversation. If one uses such talk in your hearing, do as St. Aloysius did: reprove the offender or immediately leave him. 7. Strive to narrate some edifying incident or story you may have heard, read or studied to those who are willing to listen, or else read some good books. Avoid bad books as a deadly poison for the soul. I should certainly like to tell you many more things, my dear children, if the limits of a letter could allow it. Let me just add that you may come across people more learned and far more virtuous than I, but you will hardly find one more interested in your wellbeing. Hence, remember me every morning at Mass, on my part I shall do likewise. Relax, have fun, sing, laugh, go hiking, do anything you like, as long as you do not sin. The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be always with us, and may the Most Holy Virgin Mary assist and help us to stay on the path to heaven. Amen. Ever yours affectionately in the Lord, Father John Bosco BM chap. 36, p. 195-196

Keep in mind that Don Bosco wasn't “omnipresent” at all times. He also had to bear the weight of not being with his beloved sons when duty called for it. Because of this, he was a constant reminder to everyone that rules should be followed not because superiors are looking , but because it was their sure way to the love of God. As Salesians, we should likewise teach and admonish our students in the manner of Don Bosco.

Article 196: A way that leads to love “...In response to the predilection of the Lord Jesus who has called us by name, and led by Mary, we willingly accept the Constitutions as Don Bosco's will and testament, for us our book of life and for the poor and the little ones a pledge of hope. We meditate on them with faith and pledge ourselves to put them into practice; they are for us the Lord’s disciples, a way that leads to love.”