The Venerable Don Bosco, the Apostle of Youth/Chapter XXIII
CHAPTER XXIII
CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART IN ROME. DON BOSCO IN SPAIN
In 1884 Don Bosco was the victim of so serious an illness that grave fears were felt throughout the Society that they were about to be bereaved of their saintly Father. In the face of so irreparable a loss, Masses and prayers were offered from thousands of hearts with a fervor and earnestness of faith that won the victory.
After Don Bosco had recovered sufficiently to say Mass and resume some of his duties, he sent a letter of thanks, through the Bulletin, to all those "who had kindly prayed for him. With all his children he supplicates the Lord to bless and prosper his Co-operators and in this difficult and trying time to avert all disgrace from them and their families."
Don Bosco had built many churches, some of which were splendid and imposing, out of the alms of his faithful Co-operators. Pius IX, who had beheld with heart-rending grief several churches confiscated in Rome, saw the need of a new place of worship on the Esquiline Hill, where fifteen thousand souls were deprived of spiritual helps. Shortly before his death in 1879, he said to Don Bosco: "You must build another church here in Rome; it will be the crowning work of your career; and to win the concurrence of Providence, we will dedicate it to the Sacred Heart."
Don Bosco might well have shrunk from so arduous a charge; for the foundation and support of his institutes and orphanages, now nearly eighty, with his South American missions, already consumed incredible sums; but the command of Pius IX was enough. The holy pontiff bought the ground and initiated the work ere he was called to the heavenly reward of his labors.
Leo XIII, on his accession, confirmed the mandate of his departed predecessor, and Don Bosco set out with a tremulous heart, but with confidence in Mary, Help of Christian, to collect funds for the magnificent edifice already planned. The Cardinal Archbishop of Turin had appealed to all Italy and the various provinces strove to rival one another in generosity. The construction occupied six years and cost three millions. It is a majestic temple of divine worship, worthy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This noble basilica was the chief center of Don Bosco's activity after his restoration to health. Three years more of devoted labor, of study and attention to the finer details, for which his extraordinary knowledge and taste in all points of ecclesiastical architecture fitted him, and he had the happiness of witnessing its completion. Its solemn consecration to the Sacred Heart by the Cardinal Vicar, on May 14, 1887, was coincident, as Don Bosco had desired, with Leo XIII's sacerdotal jubilee—the first fruit of gifts from the whole world to the august pontiff. On that day Leo XIII gave a long and most paternal audience to Don Bosco and Don Rua, and with a full heart thanked them and the Salesians in the name of Rome and the universal Church.
Don Bosco visited Spain in 1886. On his arrival, April 8th, he remained a month in Barcelona, where a Salesian Institute, under the rectorship of Don John Branda, was in a high degree of prosperity. With this house a double prophecy of the saintly founder is connected. In December, 1880, six years previous, the founder had intrusted to Don Branda, then in Turin, a mission in Utrera, Spain. "In due time," he said, "you will receive a letter from a wealthy lady in Barcelona, asking you to establish a Salesian Institute, an institute intended for a great destiny."
Don Branda had left Turin in January, 1881, accompanied by Don Cagliero and five other Salesian Fathers. It was in September, 1882, that the predicted letter came to Don Branda from a lady, Dona Serra, who offered him one hundred thousand francs on condition that the Fathers should devote their labors to the poor and desolate children of Barcelona. In 1883 a house was procured and a chapel built. March 1, 1884, saw the inauguration of the new Institute; and from that day its progress was assured, its possibilities for good steadily increasing and the Fathers, with their large clientele of Co-operators and youthful charges, happily working out the great destiny foretold by the founder.
One day during his visit Don Bosco was walking with Don Rua and Don Branda in the beautiful and spacious garden, when he suddenly pointed to a large field adjacent. "Buy that ground for your garden," he said to Don Branda, "for this one must be built upon."
"But I have no money," remarked Don Branda in surprise.
"You doubt Providence?" questioned the founder. "Nevertheless, this field must be purchased." Then, pointing to a neighboring garden, he continued: "Buy that garden also and establish there a house of Mary, Help of Christians, to educate poor young girls as nuns for the missions."
Don Branda, still more amazed, replied: "My Father, the proprietor has so great a love for this property that he would not part with it for two hundred thousand francs."
"Even though you had not a centime you must buy it; the Blessed Virgin desires there should be a home here for our Sisters. You will see how difficulties will vanish."
The certain awe that penetrated the two Fathers did not hinder Don Rua, who was his alter ego, from entreating Don Bosco to tell them how he had learned Our Lady's wish. The prophet related in the most simple manner that a few weeks before, on March 2, soon after his arrival in Barcelona, the Blessed Virgin had appeared to him, as formerly in childhood, in the dress of a shepherdess. "Then she foretold many works which I have since accomplished for the poor orphans of Turin; now she commanded the purchase of this garden and the erection of a convent for nuns." The field was bought without trouble; but the beautiful villa became the possession of the Salesians only on the death of the proprietor, which happened shortly after. His heir made generous terms with the Fathers and became one of their most zealous Co-operators.
In November of that year, 1886, the Sisters of Our Lady, Help of Christians, were installed in their new home and ere long opened a school for poor young girls; subsequently a novitiate "made nuns for the missions" by attracting many fervent aspirants to shelter themselves from the seductions of the world under the mantle of Mary.
Don Bosco achieved so many wonders and effected so many extraordinary cures in Spain that the veneration he attracted was universal. As in Paris the words, "He is a thaumaturgus, a saint," were repeated everywhere; and the multitudes who thronged wherever he was to be seen, felt that a heavenly atmosphere surrounded them in his presence.
In 1887, the year preceding Don Bosco's death, an earthquake destroyed almost the entire country of Liguria. Several of the Salesian Institutes were materially injured, though no loss of life ensued. Don Bosco remarked also that amid those terrible scenes where hundreds perished, his Co-operators were preserved miraculously. His solicitations for help in the interest of the sufferers were met with instant and liberal contributions, so that the Oratories were soon enabled to repair the serious damages wrought by the dread upheaval.