18562006: 150th anniversary of her death.

1
_______ _______ __ ____ _ ______

• 1856-2006 150th anniversary of her death.
• The woman at the roots and origin
• of the Salesian Family.

2
I am the Son of Her whom your mother taught you
to greet three times a day...
Words of the Lord to Giovannino Bosco

• Margaret Occhiena educated
• John

under the watchful eye of God. She thus formed
him to be intelligent, free and able to do all
for Love of his neighbour.
3
Strong and humble, like the women of the Bible,
she kept a watchful eye on her sons that Gods
plan might be fulfilled in their lives. Educated
by Margaret, little Johnny Bosco is now the great
Saint John Bosco.
4
1. Biographical details
Margaret Occhiena was born 1 April 1788, at
Capriglio (Asti, Italy), and baptised that same
day in her local parish church. At the age of
24 she married Francis Luigi Bosco, a widower
with a son Anthony aged 4. Francis died of
pneumonia five years later, on 12 May 1817, aged
33. A widow at 29, Margaret had to look after
four people Anthony (9 years old), Joseph Luigi
and John Melchior, four and two years old, and
her 65 year old invalid mother-in-law Margaret
Zucca.
5
They were a humble family, on the threshold of
poverty. They managed through hard work, each one
pulling their weight, fired with a sense of Gods
Providence at all times. Don Bosco would always
look to his home at The Becchi at Castelnuovo
d'Asti, as a reference point. His saintly mother
Mamma Margaret educated him to the faith, and
protected him from the bullying of his older
brother Anthony, who did not want him
studying...It was in this house, guided by his
mother, that John Bosco like Christ at Nazareth
grew in age and grace.
6
2. John Bosco recalls
I was only two when my father died. Looking after
us, my mother had to do both the house work and
the work my father did in the fields. She was a
strong woman But working in the fields was very
hard and she could not manage on her own. My
brothers and I used to give her a hand...
7
It was in this room, when I was 9 years old, I
had a dream... ...this dream stayed with me all
my life !
8
It seemed I was near home, and the place was like
a huge school playground
There were many boys there, some of them
swearing. I launched in with my fists. Thats
when a Person appeared and told me
Dont use your fists. Youll only win these boys
over if you treat them nicely...
I was only nine years old...
Who was asking me to do the impossible?
9
He replied I am the Son of Her whom your mother
taught you to greet three times a day. Ask my
Mother my Name.
Suddenly a very majestic looking Woman appeared.
I was amazed... She called me over to herself and
took me by the hand.
I noticed all the boys had disappeared and in
their place I saw all sorts of animals dogs,
cats, bears, wolves...
Make yourself humble, strong and robust... she
said. And what you see happen to these animals,
you will have to do with my sons.
10
I looked around and saw that the wild animals had
changed into gentle lambs...
I didnt understand anything... And I asked the
Lady to explain it to me...
11
She told me You will understand everything in
due course. When I told my dream next morning, my
mother mused Who knows? Maybe youll become a
shepherd of souls.
12
The family kitchen
Here many conversations, and much sharing took
place
13
The kitchen was the real heart of our
house... Here I learnt the meaning of charity...
patience... Generosity with strangers and
foreigners who knocked at the door looking for
food...
And... Christ was practically one of the family
and my mother, Margaret, made me learn some
Bible passages off by heart... We werent able
to go to catechism school, and so she herself
taught us our faith.
14
Here, in this place, I began to have a simple but
deep relationship with God
In my family I learnt to respect and have trust
in God...
...the all powerful, but also the God of every
day, part of my ordinary life
15
3. Margaret kept an eye on her little,
intelligent, alert John and gave him his freedom.
She made him think and live in the Presence of
God remember that God sees you
16
Outdoors one lovely starry night, Margaret told
the boys It is God who created the world and
put so many stars up there. In the middle of a
field full of flowers she exclaimed What lovely
things the Lord has made for us! And at harvest
Thank the Lord. He has been so good to us he
has given us our daily bread. Life is tough,
and Mamma Margaret knows it from her own
experience. She prepares her sons to face and
understand their difficulties and sufferings.
After hailstones ruined their crops, she mused
aloud The Lord gave, the Lord has taken it
away. He knows why.
17
Catechist for her children

• Easter 1826, the day of Johns First Communion.
• Margaret prepared her sons for Confession and the
  feastday Mass and taught them to trust in God.
  She then continued her lesson with the youngest
  lad in these words My little Johnny, God has a
  great gift for you. Prepare yourself well This
  is a great day for you. God has taken possession
  of your heart. Now promise me you will do all you
  can to remain good to the end of your life. And
  God took possession of his heart in such a way
  that he then called him to a special vocation to
  be a priest for young people.

18
Advice for the young John Boscofrom his mother
At the age of 19 John wanted to become a
Franciscan friar. Told about this, the parish
priest of Castelnuovo, Fr Dassano, warned Mamma
Margaret openly Make him forget this idea. You
are not rich and you are getting on in years. If
your son joins the monastery, how will he help
you in your old age? Mamma Margaret wrapped her
black shawl around her, headed for Chieri and
spoke to John The parish priest told me you
want to enter the monastery. Listen to me well. I
want you to think about it very calmly. When you
make your decision, follow your path without
bothering about anyone else. The most important
thing is that you do what God wants. The parish
priest wanted me to get you to change your mind,
because I might need your help in the future. But
I tell you In these things your mother counts
for nothing. God comes first. I want nothing from
you, I expect nothing. I was born poor, I have
lived poor and I want to die poor. Whats more, I
want to tell you this straightaway if you were
to become a priest and have the misfortune to
become rich, I wouldnt put a foot in your house.
Make sure you keep this in mind. John Bosco
never forgot those strong words of his mother.
19
Words for John Bosco the priest

• Turin, 5 June 1841.
• In the Archbishops chapel, through the laying on
  of hands by Monsignor Luigi Fransoni, John Bosco
  becomes the priest Don Bosco. The evening of
  his first Mass in his home place, alone with her
  son, Mamma Margaret made some recommendationsNow
  you are a priest, you are nearer to Christ. I
  havent read any of the books youve read, but
  remember that to begin to say Mass means to begin
  to suffer. Maybe you will not be aware of this
  immediately. But little by little you will see
  that your mother has told you the truth. From now
  on think only of the salvation of souls and do
  not be concerned about me.

20
5. Seeing the state of children and young people
on the streets of Turin, John Bosco realised he
would have to show them the same parental love
both motherly and fatherly that his own mother
Margaret had shown him as a child and thoughout
his entire life.
Easter Sunday 12 April 1846, after a lot of
work to get the place ready, VALDOCCO was born!

21
Autumn 1846. Mamma Margaret is 58 years old, Don
Bosco 31. At The Becchi he has just recovered
from near fatal exhaustion, brought on by the
work of getting Valdocco up and running. He
needs a trustworthy person to live with him at
Valdocco, to help and advise him. Who better than
his mother? Margaret was well settled into The
Becchi, well known by everyone, and had her own
piece of land, her relations, her country ways.
She didnt keep her son waiting for an answer
If you think this will please the Lord, I am
ready to go even straightaway. Into her basket
with her few belongings. Don Bosco took his
breviary, a Missal and some books. And off with
them to Turin, where on 3 November 1846 they
reached Valdocco and began their mission among
the youth. Several years later a Salesian
brother Peter Enria reminded Don Bosco Do you
remember how at night time when we were already
in bed, you and your mother used to mend our torn
shirts and trousers as they were the only ones we
had!
22
6. Mother to the Oratory
In November 1846 Margaret arrived in Valdocco
and never left it again. It was her greatest,
most painful sacrifice. But God was calling her
again, at her age, to be the mother of other
orphans. In the period Mamma Margaret remained
at the Oratory she prepared the meals, washed and
mended the clothes of those poor young
people. Already on in years, practically a
grandmother, she carried on working and was
mother at the Oratory for all those wild
youngsters who turned to her for affection and
motherly comfort. 
23
7. A Model for all
MARGARET OCCHIENA (1788-1856) - a full 68 years
of life   Welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to Val d
Aosta in summer 2006, the Rector Major Fr Pascual
Chávez asked him to speed up the beatification of
St John Boscos mother, Margaret Occhiena. The
Rector gave him documentation and a letter from
all the Salesian bishops throughout the world
asking that the Decree on the heroicity of Mamma
Margarets virtues be promulgated. The Salesian
Family wishes Margaret Occhiena to be declared a
model for all Gods People, the Church, on the
occasion of the 150th anniversary of her death.
24
Her method of educating, in the spirit of a
family, moves forward in history
1846 Valdocco begins! Mamma Margaret comes to
live with her son and his boys.
1854 Don Bosco starts the Salesian Society, to
give his works and spirit stability into the
future.
1856 25 November Mamma Margaret dies at
Valdocco.
1864 Don Bosco lays first stone for the Mary
Help of Christians Basilica.
1872 The Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help
of Christians is born at Mornese with Mary
Mazzarello, a country girl and, like Don Boscos
mother, an educator toughened by life.
25
In Valdocco, Mornese.. in every Salesian house
Everyone can feel at home.
Using games, prayers and catechism, I tried to
give them all my mother taught me when I was a
child.
Bread, Love, Work, participation, friendship with
God neighbour, dreams
Every boy coming into a Salesian house can find
all this! Ive only one desire that you be
happy in time and in eternity. (D.Bosco)
26
Don Boscos Family owes much to his mother
Margaret Occhiena. She taught it the Preventive
System reason, religion, loving kindness - an
educative System that is worldwide today
Salesians SDB 16,943
Presences 2,073
Countries 129
Thousands of Cooperators.
Salesian Sisters FMA 15,308
Countries 89
Presences 1,259
Familiarity gives rise to affection, affection
leads to confidence, and this opens hearts. Let
us learn from Jesus, the Master of
Familiarity. (D.Bosco, Letter from Rome, 1884)
27
Every 25 November we remember
_______ _______ __ ____ _ ______

• 1856-2006 150th anniversary of her death.
• The Salesian Family requests her Beatification.
• Without her this Family and its method of
  educating would not exist.

28
Translated into English by Fr Patrick Egan
SDB Salesian College, Celbridge, Co. Kildare,
Ireland.

• The end...