Don Bosco: from “zealous priest” to “a pioneer of the Catholic Action” IMAGE OF DON BOSCO IN BELGIUM (1879-1934)

OMER BOSSUYT & WIM PROVOOST

April 29th 1886: death of the Belgian priest Etienne-Ignace Stiévenard “(…) the bishop loses (…) a new St. Vincent de Paul, the Dom Bosco from his diocese…”

1886: Don Bosco as an example figure

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | Introduction

Introduction

• image of Don Bosco 1879-1934

• the Belgian press o Flanders + Wallonia + Brussels o catholic / anticatholic / liberal

• 4 periods:

o 1879-1888 o 1888 o 1889-1928 o 1929-1934

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | Introduction

Flanders Dutch (nobility: French)

Wallonia French

Brussels Dutch (nobility: French) + French

Introduction

1.1. Acquaintance

• 1867: a letter from Duke Luigi Francesco Zaverio Provana di Collegno • 1877: cardinal Victor Deschamps meets Don Bosco • 1886: the first Catholic Congress in Liège

o Mgr. Cartuyvels: “a single soul, faithful to the spirit of God raises mountains, witnesses St. Vincent de Paul, and dom Bosco.” o Théophile Coenegracht: “The members of the Congress wish that soon there are found ways to base in Belgium institutions for orphans in the kind of those created by dom Bosco in Italy.”

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1. Image of Don Bosco during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1.2. In the press (46 articles)

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

Articles about… Image of Don Bosco Pedagogy

o 1881-1882: the Sacre Cuore (Rome), Patagonia…

o 1883:

the trip to France, the Duke of Chambord, Patagonia

o 1884-1887: the audience with Pope Leo XIII the missions the trips to France and Spain the Sacre Cuore (Rome) the founding of a house in Liège

o 1881-1882: prior / founder priest

o 1883:

Italian / poor / good / saint priest a saint / a thaumaturge famous

o 1884-1887: St. Vincent de Paul

o 1883: the joy, his trust in the boys, the religious basis, a pedagogy of love

1.3. Correspondence between the Belgians and Don Bosco • “the Belgian letters”

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1.3. Correspondence between the Belgians and Don Bosco • General data

198 letters - 161 correspondents from all over Belgium February 21st 1879 – February 25th 1888 195 letters in French, 3 letters in Latin

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1.3. Correspondence between the Belgians and Don Bosco • Profile of the correspondents

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1.3. Correspondence between the Belgians and Don Bosco • Religious character and motives

o Gifts:

from 1 Belgian franc to 5000 Belgian franc Total: 14 087, 25 Belgian franc (€ 87 508,42) For the Bulletin Salésien or a picture

o “Do ut des”

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1.3. Correspondence between the Belgians and Don Bosco • How did they “meet” Don Bosco?

the press their social network Charles d’Espiney, Dom Bosco, Nice, 1881. the circular letter of Don Bosco (November 1887)

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

1.3. Correspondence between the Belgians and Don Bosco • Image of Don Bosco // the press

1) zealous priest, prior, founder, father to the orphans 2) 1883: + thaumaturgic element 3) 1887: a living saint

o Ms. Hortense Stache: “I heard speaking about a Saint of God and this is Don Bosco. If he would be my intercessor, I would be saved.”

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 1. Image during his lifetime (1879-1888)

2.1. In the press (71 articles)

• ≈ the French press • A hagiographic trend:

Miracles Predictions

• “A saint”

• Catholic press ⟷ socialists • Liberal press ⟷ catholics

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 2. Image at his death (1888)

2. Image at his death (1888)

Het Handelsblad, February 2nd 1888.

Le Courrier de l’Escault, February 3rd 1888.

3.1. In the press (265 articles)

• ≈ the canonization process

• Biography: not a lot of information • About the foundation of Salesian houses in Belgium.

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 3. On the road to canonization (1889-1928)

3. On the road to canonization (1889-1928)

3.2. Image of Don Bosco

• “founder of the Salesians”, “founder of orphanages”

• Miracles ≉ Salesian press or biographies.

• Pedagogy: some elements are mentioned.

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 3. On the road to canonization (1889-1928)

4.1. In the press (288 articles)

• An explosion of articles.

• Biography • Pedagogic system

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 4. His beatification and canonization (1929-1934)

4. His beatification and canonization (1929-1934)

4.2. Image of Don Bosco

• “Venerable” ⟹ “Blessed” ⟹ “Saint” • “founder”, “founder of the Salesians” • Pedagogic system:

Preventive “Educator” His pedagogy is “a daughter of love”

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 4. His beatification and canonization (1929-1934)

4.2. Image of Don Bosco

• His regard to the “people's youth”

• Pioneer of the Catholic Action “At the canonization of Don Bosco. Father of the orphans … Benefactor of the poor ... Protector of youth ... Pioneer of the Christian Social Action.”

• Don Bosco: precursor of Rerum Novarum • Don Bosco ⟷ the socialists / liberals • Miracles and predictions (!) • An appearance of Our Lady.

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 4. His beatification and canonization (1929-1934)

Het Nieuws van den Dag, April 1st 1934.

• Image of Don Bosco

≈ the flow of history Evolves into a differential image

o “a zealous priest” o + “a thaumaturg” o + “a St. Vincent de Paul” o + “a Saint” o + “the founder … of the Salesians” o + miracles / dreams / appearances

Image of Don Bosco in Belgium (1879-1934) | 5. Conclusion

5. Conclusion