Saint John Bosco warns against idleness

In Don Bosco that principle of Christian life was fulfilled: “qui laborat orat”, he who works prays. 

                   

1) “Idleness is the door for temptation.”

 

2) “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”

 

3) “Idleness is the father of all vices.”

 

"Avoid idleness and idle people; carry out your duties. Whenever you are idle you are in serious danger of falling into sin, because idleness teaches us all kinds of vice."

 

4) “Boys should be kept constantly occupied.”

 "Boys should be kept constantly occupied. After they are through with their school or shop duties we should entice them to join the choir, the band, or the Knights of the Altar. This will keep them busy. If we do not give them something to think about their minds will turn to unwholesome thoughts."

                        

                       

"As soon as you become aware of temptation, busy yourself with something. Idleness and modesty can’t go together. In overcoming idleness, you will overcome temptations against purity."

 

5) “Your greatest enemy is idleness: fight it without let up.”

"Avoid idleness and be most diligent in your scholastic and religious duties."

 

"[Referring to the time before the original sin] ...For to instruct us about the need to flee idleness, God commanded Adam to work, but this only for pleasure and without painful fatigue."

"[Francis Besucco saw a placard in Don Bosco’s room which read, ‘Every Moment is a treasure.’ He wondered at its meaning and asked Don Bosco, “How can you earn a treasure every moment?” Don Bosco responded]

It’s easier than you think. Every moment we can increase our knowledge, do a good deed, or make an act of love of God. In His sight, these are treasures to benefit us now and in eternity."

"Work is the fundamental trait of the Salesian: The Salesian is a worker. Don Cagliero used to say: "He who does not work is not Salesian." 

           

"If young people are educated properly, we have moral order; if not, vice and disorder prevail. Religion alone can initiate and achieve a true education."

"Rest never means idleness." 

"I would like to stress good health, good moral conduct and serious studies. Health is a precious gift; take good care of it. You are in school to acquire skills in order to earn a living. Regardless of your circumstances, profession and future position, you have to be able to support yourselves honestly. Never let it be said that you live by the sweat of others."

Words of Wisdom from St. Francis De Sales

 

 All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be. 

Take care of your health, that it may serve you to serve God.

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them -- every day begin the task anew. 

He who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid worry multitude of affairs, is almost perfect.

We do not very often come across opportunities for exercising strength, magnanimity, or magnificence; but gentleness, temperance, modesty, and humility, are graces which ought to colour everything we do. There may be virtues of a more exalted mould, but... these are the most continually called for in daily life.

The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us. 

 

Frequent not the company of immodest persons, especially if they be also impudent, as is generally the case; ...these corrupted souls and infected hearts scarcely speak to any, either of the same or a different sex, without causing them to fall in some degree from purity; they have poison in their eyes and in their breath, like basilisks. On the contrary, keep company with the chaste and virtuous; often meditate upon and read holy things; for the word of God is chaste, and makes those also chaste that delight in it. 

 

Truly it is a blessed thing to love on earth as we hope to love in Heaven, and to begin that friendship here which is to endure for ever there. 

"If in mental prayer we should do nothing else than continually banish distractions and temptations, the meditation is well made." 

Pride dies 20 minutes after death. 

Trouble that is easily recognized is half-cured. 

We can never attain to perfection while we have an affection for any imperfection.  

Chastity is the lily of virtues, and makes men almost equal to Angels. Everything is beautiful in accordance with its purity. Now the purity of man is chastity, which is called honesty, and the observance of it, honor and also integrity; and its contrary is called corruption; in short, it has this peculiar excellence above the other virtues, that it preserves both soul and body fair and unspotted. 

It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce.  

We may be excused for not always being bright, but we are not excused for not being gracious, yielding and considerate.  

Nothing is more like a wise man than a fool who holds his tongue.  

The truly patient man neither complains of his hard lot nor desires to be pitied by others. He speaks of his sufferings in a natural, true, and sincere way, without murmuring, complaining, or exaggerating them. 

And to say that the Church has failed--what else is it but to say that all our predecessors are damned. Yes, truly; for outside the Church there is no salvation, out of this Ark every one is lost."

 "As to decrees on doctrines of faith they are invariable; what is once true is so unto eternity..."

"The Councils... decide and define some article. If after all this another test has to be tried before their [the Council's] determination is received, will not another also be wanted? Who will not want to apply his test, and whenever will the matter be settled?... And why not a third to know if the second is faithful?--and then a fourth, to test the third? Everything must be done over again, and posterity will never trust antiquity but will go ever turning upside down the holiest articles of faith in the wheel of their understandings...what we say is that when a Council has applied this test, our brains have not now to revise but to believe."

"Thus we do not say that the Pope cannot err in his private opinions, as did John XXII; or be altogether a heretic, as perhaps Honorius was. Now when he [the Pope] is explicitly a heretic, he falls ipso facto from his dignity and out of the Church..." 

The declared enemies of God and His Church, heretics and schismatics, must be criticized as much as possible, as long as truth is not denied. It is a work of charity to shout: 'Here is the wolf!' when it enters the flock or anywhere else. 

"I will always repeat," says St. Francis de Sales, "that whoever preaches with love preaches sufficiently against heresy, although he may not utter a single word of controversy. During the thirty-three years that I have been in the ministry, I have always remarked that the practical sermons of a priest whose heart is filled with piety and zeal, are like so many burning coals heaped upon the heads of the enemies of our holy faith. Such sermons always edify and conciliate non-Catholics."

Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis of Sales) – pdf; or pdf here; or audiobook here, here or here

The Treatise on the Love of God (St. Francis de Sales) – pdf, kindle; or pdf here and here; or audiobook here

The Secret of Sanctity (St. Francis de Sales, Fr. J. Crasset) – pdf, text, epub, kindle format

The Interior Life (Fr. J. Tissot, St. Francis de Sales) – pdf, text, kindle format

Maxims and Counsels of St. Francis de Sales – pdf, text, epub, kindle format

"Work is the fundamental trait of the Salesian: The Salesian is a worker. Don Cagliero used to say: "He who does not work is not Salesian." 

Novena Prayer to Our Lady of Good Success

 Say once a day for nine days, especially starting on 24 January and ending on 1 February, the eve of the Feast of the Purification, or Candlemas

Hail Mary Most Holy, Beloved Daughter of God the Father Through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, grant thy good success to this request. (mention your intentions here) 

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be

Saint Michael, pray for us. 

Hail Mary Most Holy, Admirable Mother of God the Son Through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, grant thy good success to this request. (mention your intentions here) 

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be 

Saint Gabriel, pray for us. 

Hail Mary Most Holy, Most Faithful Spouse of the Holy Ghost Through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, grant thy good success to this request. (mention your intentions here) 

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be 

Saint Raphael, pray for us. 

Hail Mary Most Holy, Temple and Sacrarium of the Most Holy Trinity. St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, pray for us. 

Our Lady of Good Success, thou who art the all-powerful intercessor before the Most Holy Trinity, deign to hear and answer my request - so long as it contributes to the salvation of my soul and the glory and exaltation of Holy Mother Church. 

Hail holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Mother Mariana Francisca de Jesus Torres

Prayer to Saint John Bosco

 

O glorious Saint John Bosco, who, in order to lead young people to the feet of the divine Master and to form them in the light of faith and Christian morality, didst heroically sacrifice thyself to the very end of thy life and didst found a fitting religious Institute destined to endure and to bring to the farthest boundaries of the earth thy glorious work, obtain also for us from our Lord a holy love for young people, who are exposed to so many seductions, in order that we may generously spend ourselves in supporting them against the snares of the devil, in keeping them safe from the dangers of the world, and in guiding them, pure and holy, in the path that leads to God. Amen

(Indulgence of 300 days)

St. John Bosco's Novena to Our Lady Help of Christians Against the Enemies of God

To obtain a favor, St. Don Bosco generally advised a Novena to Our Lady Help of Christians. He had a singular devotion to the Hail Holy Queen and advised some work of charity as thanksgiving for graces obtained.

O Mary, powerful Virgin, thou art the mighty and glorious protector of holy Church; thou art the marvelous help of Christians; thou art terrible as an army in battle array; thou alone hast destroyed every heresy in the whole world. In the midst of our anguish, our struggles and our distress defend us from the power of the enemy and at the hour of our death receive our souls in paradise. Amen.

Here mention your Petitions

Say Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, three times

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, Thine Eyes of Mercy toward us, and after this our exile show unto us the Blessed Fruit of thy Womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Consecration to the Holy Family

 

O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.

O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity. Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, three times.

Hymn for Members of the Holy Family after Consecration

"As the Holy Family was united upon earth in a life of labour, of grace, and of love; thus do they now rejoice in heaven, both in soul and body, in glory and in love."--St. Bernardine of Sienna

Happy we, who thus united Join in cheerful melody, Praising Jesus, Mary, Joseph, In the "Holy Family." Chorus: Jesus, Mary Joseph, help us, That we ever true may be To the promises that bind us To the "Holy Family."

Mary! thou alone wert chosen To be Mother of thy Lord; Thou didst guide the early footsteps Of the Great Incarnate Word. Chorus: Jesus, Mary Joseph, help us, That we ever true may be To the promises that bind us To the "Holy Family."

Jesus whose Almighty bidding All created things fulfill, Lives on earth in meek subjection To His earthly parent's will. Chorus: Jesus, Mary Joseph, help us, That we ever true may be To the promises that bind us To the "Holy Family."

Joseph! thou wert called the Father Of thy Maker and thy Lord, Thine it was to save thy Saviour From the cruel Herod's sword. Chorus: Jesus, Mary Joseph, help us, That we ever true may be To the promises that bind us To the "Holy Family."

Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

 

Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Lord, have mercy on us R. Christ, have mercy on us. Kyrie, eleison. R. Christe, eleison. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. Kyrie, eleison. Iesu, audi nos. R. Iesu, exaudi nos. God the Father of Heaven, R. have mercy on us. Pater de cælis, Deus, R. miserere nobis. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R. have mercy on us. Fili, Redemptor mundi, Deus, R. miserere nobis. God, the Holy Ghost, R. have mercy on us. Spiritus Sancte, Deus, R. miserere nobis. Holy Trinity, One God, R. have mercy on us. Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Son of the living God, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, Fili Dei vivi, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, splendor of the Father, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, splendor Patris, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, brightness of Eternal Light, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, candor lucis æternæ, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, King of glory, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, rex gloriæ, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Sun of justice, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, sol iustitiæ, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, Fili Mariæ Virginis, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, most amiable, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, amabilis, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, most admirable, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, admirabilis, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, mighty God, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, Deus fortis, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Father of the world to come, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, pater futuri sæculi, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, angel of great council, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, magni consilii angele, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, most powerful, R. have mercy on us. Iesu potentissime, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, most patient, R. have mercy on us. Iesu patientissime, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, most obedient, R. have mercy on us. Iesu oboedientissime, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, mitis et humilis corde, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Lover of Chastity, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, amator castitatis, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, lover of us, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, amator noster, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, God of peace, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, Deus pacis, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Author of life, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, auctor vitæ, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Model of virtues, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, exemplar virtutum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, zealous for souls, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, zelator animarum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, our God, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, Deus noster, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, our Refuge, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, refugium nostrum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Father of the poor, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, pater pauperum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Treasure of the faithful, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, thesaure fidelium, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, good Shepherd, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, bone pastor, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, true Light, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, lux vera, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, eternal Wisdom, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, sapientia æterna, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, infinite Goodness, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, bonitas infinita, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, our Way and our Life, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, via et vita nostra, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, joy of Angels, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, gaudium Angelorum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, King of the Patriarchs, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, rex Patriarcharum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Master of the Apostles, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, magister Apostolorum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, Teacher of Evangelists, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, doctor Evangelistarum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, strength of Martyrs, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, fortitudo Martyrum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, light of Confessors, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, lumen Confessorum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, purity of Virgins, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, puritas Virginum, R. miserere nobis. Jesus, crown of all Saints, R. have mercy on us. Iesu, corona Sanctorum omnium, R. miserere nobis. Be merciful, R. spare us, O Jesus. Propitius esto, R. parce nobis, Iesu. Be merciful, R. graciously hear us, O Jesus. Propitius esto, R. exaudi nos, Iesu. From all evil, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Ab omni malo, R. libera nos, Iesu. From all sin, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Ab omni peccato, R. libera nos, Iesu. From Thy wrath, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Ab ira tua, R. libera nos, Iesu. From the snares of the devil, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Ab insidiis diaboli, R. libera nos, Iesu. From the spirit of fornication, R. deliver us, O Jesus. A spiritu fornicationis, R. libera nos, Iesu. From everlasting death, R. deliver us, O Jesus. A morte perpetua, R. libera nos, Iesu. From neglect of Thy inspirations, R. deliver us, O Jesus. A neglectu inspirationum tuarum, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per mysterium sanctæ Incarnationis tuæ, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Nativity, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per nativitatem tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thine Infancy, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per infantiam tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy most divine Life, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per divinissimam vitam tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Labors, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per labores tuos, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thine Agony and Passion, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per agoniam et passionem tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Cross and abandonment, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per crucem et derelictionem tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Sufferings, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per languores tuos, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Death and Burial, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per mortem et sepulturam tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Resurrection, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per resurrectionem tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thine Ascension, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per ascensionem tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per sanctissimæ Eucharistiæ institutionem tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Joys, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per gaudia tua, R. libera nos, Iesu. Through Thy Glory, R. deliver us, O Jesus. Per gloriam tuam, R. libera nos, Iesu. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. spare us, O Jesus. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, R. parce nobis, Iesu. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. graciously hear us, O Jesus. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, R. exaudi nos, Iesu. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. have mercy on us, O Jesus. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, R. miserere nobis, Iesu. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. Iesu, audi nos. R. Iesu, exaudi nos. Let us pray; O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said, "Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you": grant we beseech Thee, unto us who ask, the gift of Thy most divine Love, that we may ever love Thee with our whole hearts, and in all our words and actions, and never cease from showing forth Thy praise. Oremus; Domine Iesu Christe, qui dixisti: Petite, et accipietis; quærite, et invenietis; pulsate, et aperietur vobis: quæsumus, da nobis petentibus divinissimi tui amoris affectum, ut te toto corde, ore et opere diligamus, et a tua numquam laude cessemus. Make us O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy Holy Name; for Thou never failest to govern those who Thou dost solidly establish in Thy love. Thou who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen. Sancti Nominis tui, Domine, timorem pariter et amorem fac nos habere perpetuum, quia numquam tua gubernatione destituis, quos in soliditate, tuæ dilectionis instituis: Qui vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculorum. Amen

REMARKS OF ST. BERNARD 

ON THE SWEET NAME OF JESUS

The holy name of Jesus produces holy thoughts in us, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, lets good works bloom, and nourishes pure affections. All nourishment leaves our soul dry, if it contains not that penetrating oil, the name Jesus. When you take up your pen, write the name Jesus: you may make books, but if the name of Jesus is not in them, you are without strength and flavor for me; you may speak, or you may reply, but if the name of Jesus sounds not from your lips, you are without unction and without charm. Yes, it must be owned: Jesus is honey in our mouth, light in our eyes, a flame in our heart. This name is the cure for all the ills of the soul. Art thou troubled? think but of Jesus, speak but the name of Jesus, the clouds disperse, and peace descends anew from heaven. Hast thou fallen into sin? and doest thou fear the net of death? invoke the name of Jesus, and soon wilt thou feel life returning. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness, resists this holy name; no heart is so closed that it is not moved, and opens not in tears, to the name of Christ Jesus. 

Art thou surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the name of Jesus, and thy fears will vanish. Never yet was human being in urgent need, and on the point of perishing, who invoked this helpgiving name, and was not powerfully sustained. It was given us for the cure of all our ills; it softens the impetuosity of anger, the tire of concupiscence, the movements of pride, the smart of our wounds, the thirst of avarice, the sensual passions, and the desires of low pleasures. If we call it to our minds, the very name of Jesus brings before us the most meek and humble heart of Jesus, and gives us a new knowledge of the most loving and tender compassion that ever yet was seen. The name of Jesus Christ, the purest and holiest, the noblest and most indulgent of men, of the God-Man, of sanctity itself, the name of all blessings and of all virtues! To think of Jesus is to think of the infinite great God, who, while He has given His life as an example to ours, has also given us the needful understanding and energy, and the assistance necessary to enable us to follow and imitate Him, in our thoughts and inclinations, and in our words and actions. If the name of Jesus reaches the depths of our heart, it leaves heavenly virtue there. We say, therefore, with our great master, St. Paul, the Apostle: If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, (i. Cor. xvi. 22.)