Saint of the Day - March 10 - Saint Dominic Savio
March 10
St. Dominic Savio
Patron Saint for Choirboys, Juvenile Delinquents and the Falsely Accused
So many holy persons seem to die young. Among them was Dominic Savio, the patron of choirboys.
Born
into a peasant family at Riva, Italy, young Dominic joined St. John
Bosco as a student at the Oratory in Turin at the age of 12. He
impressed John with his desire to be a priest and to help him in his
work with neglected boys. A peacemaker and an organizer, young Dominic
founded a group he called the Company of the Immaculate Conception
which, besides being devotional, aided John Bosco with the boys and
with manual work. All the members save one, Dominic, would in 1859 join
John in the beginnings of his Salesian congregation. By that time,
Dominic had been called home to heaven.
As a youth, Dominic spent
hours rapt in prayer. His raptures he called "my distractions." Even in
play, he said that at times "It seems heaven is opening just above me.
I am afraid I may say or do something that will make the other boys
laugh." Dominic would say, "I can't do big things. But I want all I do,
even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God."
Dominic's
health, always frail, led to lung problems and he was sent home to
recuperate. As was the custom of the day, he was bled in the thought
that this would help, but it only worsened his condition. He died on
March 9, 1857, after receiving the Last Sacraments. St. John Bosco
himself wrote the account of his life.
Some thought that Dominic
was too young to be considered a saint. St. Pius X declared that just
the opposite was true, and went ahead with his cause. Dominic was
canonized in 1954.
Comment:
Like
many a youngster, Dominic was painfully aware that he was different
from his peers. He tried to keep his piety from his friends lest he
have to endure their laughter. Even after his death, his youth marked
him as a misfit among the saints and some argued that he was too young
to be canonized. Pius X wisely disagreed. For no one is too young—or
too old or too anything else—to achieve the holiness to which we are
all called.
Prayer:
Great model for
God-loving boys and cherished pupil of the famous Don Bosco, who
died prematurely, humanly speaking, but you had already attained
mature spiritual wisdom. Your kindness won you many friends but
your love above all sought the Master who is present in our
tabernacles. His praises you Eucharistically sang. Make choir
boys be singers like you for the love of Jesus, our most loving
Master. Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
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SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?