And today's story is about St. John Bosco and the cholera epidemic.
So obviously, we've all been through a pandemic recently and let's see how St. John Bosco
reacted to the cholera epidemic that occurred at his time.
Hello, friends of Following Padre Pio.
On this channel, we take a look at the great life of our great saint, Padre Pio, Capuchin
friar, mystic, and miracle worker.
Do stay tuned to find out more about Padre Pio and other interesting facts about other
saints.
Just a reminder that during Lent, we have a special Lenten selection of videos especially
for you.
Just go to the video description below and find the link, click on the link, and it'll
take you through to our Lenten selection of videos.
And also, we ask you do help us with our Padre Pio apostolate with all of our apostolate
by liking the video, sharing the video with your friends and colleagues.
In today's story, the year is 1854 and the first cases of the cholera pandemic were just
breaking out in Turin, Italy, and that is St. John Bosco's hometown.
And so St. John Bosco got the children together of the oratory and he told them the following,
he said, "Be calm and if you do as I tell you, you will be delivered from danger."
And these are the points that he told them, "You must live in the grace of God and wear
around your neck the medal of our lady, which I will bless," he said, "And I'll give to
each of you as a gift.
And also you must pray every day, at least an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be."
And then St. John Bosco continued, "And tomorrow you must all make a good confession and also
receive communion.
And then I can offer you to our Blessed Virgin Mary, begging her for her protection to defend
you as her dearest children."
And he said, "The cause of all of this is undoubtedly sin."
So cholera, isn't that a bacteria or virus?
Yes, of course it is, but we can't deny that God ultimately is in charge as well.
And he said, "If you all place yourselves in a state of grace and you commit no mortal
sin, then I assure you that no one will be attacked by cholera."
And so perhaps the saint had some inspirational knowledge of all of this, that God's protection
would be over them.
But he also said, "But if one is obstinate in continuing to be an enemy of God, to live
in mortal sin, or even worse, to seriously offend him, from that moment on, I just cannot
guarantee the same protection for them or for any other in the house."
And is of course the protection from the cholera pandemic.
And we say the proof of the pudding is in eating.
So what was the result?
Although the cholera raged and wreaked havoc among all of their neighbors, none of the
oratory students became sick.
So perhaps none of them had been exposed to or had contact with contaminated water, yet
not even of the 44 youngsters who over these many months had to attend to the sick in their
homes.
Not even one of them became ill.
So they were certainly exposed.
And later on, when the cholera epidemic was now over, of course, they had to thank God
for his protection and they celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving.
And St. John Bosco in this, he made a speech and he said to everyone, "Let us give thanks
to God for he has spared our lives in the midst of a thousand dangers.
However, so that this Thanksgiving may be pleasing, let us also add a promise to consecrate
to his service the rest of our days, going forward, loving him with all of our hearts
and practicing our faith as good Christians, keeping both the commandments of God and of
the church, fleeing from mortal sin, which is," he said, "A much worse disease than cholera
or the plague."
And so that is how St. John Bosco saw mortal sin as worse than the plague, because it kills
the soul.
And having said that, that the Te Deum was then sung and the boys, the students, they
sang, and they were visibly transported with love and appreciation for what God had done
for them.
And then later on, this is about 30 years later, now they're recalling, they're recollecting
St. John Bosco's means.
So this is from a letter, the 27th of July, 1888, and we see here recalled St. John Bosco's
means to defend against cholera.
And in that letter, it is frequently invoked the Virgin Mary asking her protection, her
prayers to God almighty, always carry and always where Mary's blessed medal and often
receive the sacraments, both confession and communion.
And by this, he was convinced, as it says in the end of the biography of Dominic Savio,
the most certain safest way to live happy each day, and this applies to all of us, in
the midst of all of the afflictions of life is to confess often and always making a good
confession, a sincere confession, trying to clear the slate completely.
And he's saying that is the most certain way to live happy each day.
And St. John Bosco always affirmed the Catholic who abandons confession, in fact, abandons
himself.
And from then on, he's walking from abyss to abyss and becomes nothing more than a fragile
plant without protection being exposed to the very forces of nature.
And ultimately, he said this leads to the most deplorable state.
And you repeat it elsewhere.
It is a general rule that the best Christians and the most honest people in society are
those who frequent confession.
So it's such a vital part of being a good Christian.
So just to summarize briefly, St. John Bosco, he placed a lot of emphasis on being in a
state of grace and having the blessed medal of our lady, always wearing it, and the prayers,
at least the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Glory Be.
And of course, he wanted people to make frequent use of the sacraments.
Confession, when once slate is cleared, when soul is clear, communion as well.
And then next time on the channel, the title will be, He Invaded my Room.
And this is how Padre Pio saves my baby.
And so obviously this story of some lady and the help she received.
So please do join us for that.
And also a reminder that during Lent, especially enroll your Mass pray intentions.
We have a Mass every Friday dedicated to Padre Pio.
If you enroll your intentions, they will be brought to this Mass.
Just watch a video on the end screen how to do that.
And if you're not already subscribe to our channel, if you're new to our channel, then
do subscribe to our channel, and click that reminder bell too.