Saint Dominic Savio
by VP
Posted on Monday March 09, 2026 at 03:00AM in Saints
" The college boy of fifteen, Dominic Savio, attracts us with the charm of youth. In 1911 the Eucharistic Congress of Madrid sent a telegram to Pius X, begging him to hasten the beatification of Dominic Savio, who, because of receiving his First Holy Communion at the age of seven and his extraordinary devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament, merited recommendation as a pattern for children and was deemed worthy of the title "Child of the Holy Eucharist."
The life of this angelic boy proves how wisely Pius X acted in strengthening children early and often with the Bread of Life. His admirable teacher, Don Bosco, has himself written the wonderful life of Dominic. He was born on April 2, 1842, at Riva, near Turin, the son of a blacksmith, and was early introduced to all practices of piety by his parents. The seductive power of evil had no influence on him. On the contrary, he energetically repulsed others who gave him bad example. We can not but marvel at his precocious intelligence of heavenly things, an intelligence matured by divine grace. "He is indeed a boy of whom much may be expected," writes his spiritual guide. "May God open to him a career in which so precious a fruit may ripen." When the boy of seven was told that he was to receive Holy Communion the joy of his heart knew no bounds. From that time he was almost continually in the church to prepare himself worthily for the great day approaching. The seriousness of purpose which he showed on this occasion remained his guiding star during all his life. It was clear that so promising a boy must study and, seeing that his parents were wanting in the necessary means, the priest of the place enabled Dominic to attend an academy in the neighborhood of his native town. At twelve he went to the Oratory of the Venerable Don Bosco in the district of Valdocco, and from this institution he was sent to the college in Turin.
Don Bosco and Dominic Savio soon understood one another. A divinely inspired teacher and a pupil with an unspoiled and generous heart had met. Dominic soon laid hold of two ideas with all the fervor of his ardent soul, he would become a saint and, if possible, save his soul. With tenacious energy he strove for complete self-mastery. Like all saints he gave himself to works of supererogation in prayer and penance. Don Bosco had to curb his zeal. Among his companions in the Oratory and in the college the boy worked like a true apostle. He strove especially to foster among his associates devotion to the Immaculate Conception and the reception of the Sacraments. Such zealous persons are as a rule not liked by the young. But it was not so with Dominic. Not at all obtrusive, no disturber of youthful gaiety, he was a genuine boy, alive with a boy's nature. He did even more by example than by words, which showed to all how earnestly he was trying to be a saint. His youth was not without its difficulties, but they served only to strengthen the more his steadiness of character.
Dominic had reached
the sixth class in the college when he was stricken with a disease of
the lungs. Don Bosco, filled with anxiety, hoped that a change of air
might bring relief, and sent the boy to his parents at Mondonio, where
they were then living. But what Dominic had
long confidently foretold now came to pass. On the evening of March 9,
1857, he died in the arms of his sorrowing father. The news of his
death at first brought grief and mourning to his relatives, friends and
teachers, but this soon gave way to joyful conviction that a new
intercessor for them stood before the divine throne. Men soon began to
ask favors from Dominic and their prayers were not in vain." The Holiness of the Church in the Nineteenth Century: Saintly Men and Women By Rev. Konstantin Kempf, S.J. 1916
Prayer:
Dear Saint Dominic, you spent your short life totally for love of Jesus and His Mother. Help youth today to realize the importance of God in their lives. You became a saint through fervent participation in the sacraments, enlighten parents and children to the importance of frequent confession and Holy Communion. At a young age you meditated on the sorrowful Passion of Our Lord. Obtain for us the grace of a fervent desire to suffer for love of Him.
We desperately need your intercession to protect today's children from the snares of the world. Watch over them and lead them on the narrow road to Heaven. Ask God to give us the grace to sanctify our daily duties by performing them perfectly out of love for Him. Remind us of the necessity of practicing virtue especially in times of trial.
Saint Dominic Savio, you who preserved your baptismal innocence of heart, pray for us.
Day 20. Lent with the Cure d'Ars: Your prayers are an insult!
by VP
Posted on Monday March 09, 2026 at 03:00AM in Lenten Sermons
"There are some who derive satisfaction from the virtues they practice because their tendencies are all that way.
For example, a mother will pride herself on the fact that she gives some alms, that she frequents the Sacraments, that she even reads some spiritual books -- yet she sees without dismay that her children are keeping away from the Sacraments. Her children do not make their Easter duty, yet this mother, from time to time, gives them permission to go to amusements, to dances, to weddings, and sometimes to the winter gatherings. She loves to see her daughters appearing in public; she thinks that if they do not frequent these places of debauchery, no one will know them and they will not be able to find themselves husbands and homes.
Yes, undoubtedly they would be unknown -- but only to the libertines. Yes, my dear brethren, they will not find themselves husbands from among those who would treat them like the most wretched slaves. This mother loves to see them well turned out; this mother loves to see them in the company of some young men who are wealthier than they are. After certain prayers and some good works, which certainly she will do, she thinks herself to be on the road to Heaven. Carry on, my good mother; you are only a blind hypocrite; you have only the appearance of virtue. You set your mind at rest with the thought that you make some visits to the Blessed Sacrament; without any doubt that is a good thing; but your daughter is at a dance; but your daughter is at the cabaret with libertines, and they will be spewing out nothing but one kind or another of indecency; but your daughter, tonight, is in a place where she should not be. Go away, blind and abandoned mother, go out and leave your prayers. Do you not see that you are doing as the Jews did, who bent the knee before Jesus Christ to make a semblance of adoring Him? So, then, you come to adore God, while your children are out to crucify Him. Poor blind creature, you do not know either what you say or what you do. Your prayers are only an insult which you offer to God. Begin by going to find your daughter, who is losing her soul; then you may return to God to ask Him for your conversion.
A father thinks that it is quite enough to maintain good order in his house; he will not have anyone swearing or using obscene words. That is very good. But he has no scruple about allowing his boys to go to amusements, to fairs, and all sorts of pleasures like that. This same father permits work to be done on Sundays on the slightest pretext, even such as not to go against the wishes of his reapers or his threshers. However, you see him in church adoring God, even prostrate before Him: he is trying to avoid the slightest distraction. But tell me, my friends, how do you suppose God can look upon such people as that? Carry on, my poor friend, you are blind. Go and learn your duties and then you may come to offer your prayers to God.
Do you not see that you are doing the work of Pontius Pilate, who recognized Jesus Christ and who yet condemned Him? You will see this other man, who is charitable, who gives alms, who is touched by the poverty of his neighbor. That is quite good. But he allows his children to live in the greatest ignorance. Perhaps they do not even know what they should do in order to be saved. Go along, my poor man. You are blind. Your alms and your sympathy are leading you, with great steps, straight to Hell.
Here is another who has plenty of good qualities. He likes to help everyone. But he cannot tolerate his unfortunate wife or his poor children, upon whom he heaps insults, and possibly even ill-treats. Carry on, my friend, your religion is worth nothing.
This one thinks that he is quite good because he is not a blasphemer or a thief, or even unchaste, but he goes to no trouble at all to correct those thoughts of hatred, of revenge, of envy, and of jealousy which fill his soul almost every day. My friend, your religion can only ruin you.
We see others, too, who are all full of pious practices, who become full of scruples at omitting some prayers they usually say. They would think themselves lost if they were not at Holy Communion on certain days when they have the habit of receiving, but trifles make them impatient and grumblers. A mere word which they did not care for will fill them with coldness and dislike. They will have difficulty in being civil to their neighbor; they will want to have nothing to do with him; on different pretexts, they will avoid his company; they will find that someone has been behaving badly in respect of them. Go away, you poor hypocrites, go and become converted; after that you may have recourse to the Sacraments, which, in your state, without knowing it, you are only profaning with your wrongly understood devotion."
Source: The Sermons of the Curé of Ars, 1960 (Public Domain)
Prayer for Lent: O Lord who, for our sake, didst fast forty days and forty nights; give us grace to use such abstinence that, our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may worthily lament and acknowledge our wretchedness, and may obtain perfect remission and forgiveness of Thee, the God of all mercy, who livest and reignest with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen
Source: Lent with the Cure d'Ars Compiled by the CAPG