"Don" is Father in Italian, the name by which our founder is more commonly known.
John Bosco was born at Castelnuovo d'Asti on August 16, 1815, of a family of peasant farmers. From when he was small, John began to feel a desire to become a priest. He had a dream at nine years of age, which revealed to him his mission of working with poor and abandoned boys. His dream was realized when he was ordained a priest in June 1841 and in December of that same year he began the work with boys he foresaw years before. With the first boys came his first helpers and he eventually founded the Salesian Congregation in 1859. Don Bosco died exhausted from work at age 72 on January 31, 1888. He was canonized a saint on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1934.
Today
the Salesian Family is present worldwide. Pope John Paul II declared him 'Father and Teacher of Youth' on the centenary of his death.
QUICK FACTS: Feastday: January 31
Beatified: June 2, 1929 by Pope Pius XI
Canonized: April 1, 1934 by Pope Pius XI