Rediscovering Don Bosco Through His Own Writings

Usually Don Bosco is known through his biographers. During these three evenings, however, he will be reread through his own writings, beginning with his letters, in which Don Bosco himself reveals his personality, his thought and his heart. From them it becomes clear that his entire life was totally oriented — as he himself declared — to doing everything possible so that the young people of his time and of every age might be “happy in time and in eternity.”

A Precious Treasure: The Complete Epistolary

The publication of Don Bosco’s epistolary in ten volumes has recently been completed
(G. Bosco, Epistolario. Introduction, critical texts and notes edited by Francesco Motto, Vols. I-X [1838-1888], LAS, Rome 1992-2024), collecting 4,682 letters — a true treasure waiting to be discovered.

The themes of the three evenings, entrusted to distinguished scholars and organised in collaboration with the Department of Historical Studies of the University of Turin, are structured according to the main recipients of Don Bosco’s correspondence.

First Evening – Tuesday, 13 January, 8:30 p.m.

Letters to Civil and Aristocratic Institutions

Alberto Riccadonna, Director of the diocesan weekly La Voce e il Tempo of Turin and spokesperson for the Archbishop, Card. Roberto Repole, will speak on:
“Don Bosco and the Piedmontese Institutions in the Saint’s Letters.” This will be followed by Dr Rosanna Roccia, historian and member of the Deputazione Subalpina di Storia Patria and of the National Commission for the Publication of the Correspondence of Count Cavour, as well as Director of the journal Studi piemontesi, with the lecture:
“Don Bosco’s Epistolary Relationship with the Piedmontese Aristocracy.”

Second Evening – Tuesday, 20 January, 8:30 p.m.

Letters to Ecclesial and Educational Institutions

Prof. Paolo Cozzo, Full Professor of History of Christianity and of the Churches and Director of the Department of Historical Studies, University of Turin:
“The Church of Turin and Piedmont in Don Bosco’s Epistolary.” Followed by Prof. Maria Cristina Morandini, Full Professor of History of Education in the Department of Philosophy and Educational Sciences, University of Turin:
“[Salesian] School and Educational Institutions in Don Bosco’s Letters.”

Third Evening – Tuesday, 27 January, 8:30 p.m.

Missionary Letters

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition (11 November 1875–2025), the evening will feature:

Dr Edoardo Garis, archivist and lecturer in Latin Palaeography at the APD School of the State Archives of Turin:
“‘One soul is worth more than the whole world’: Don Bosco’s Missionary Letters.”

Concluding Reflection

The three evenings will conclude with a synthesis offered by Fr. Francesco Motto, SDB, editor of the ten volumes of Don Bosco’s epistolary and Director Emeritus of the Salesian Historical Institute in Rome:
“The Letters of Don Bosco: Concluding Reflections.”

All meetings will be moderated by Prof. Fr. Silvano Oni, SDB.

Each Tuesday will be opened and closed with a hymn to Don Bosco performed respectively by the Choir of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA), and the young Salesians of the Theological Studentate of Turin-Crocetta.