by Caterina Calabrese
Retrace the footsteps of Don Bosco. For Don Egidio Deiana, Salesian of Don Bosco of Asti, who closely follows the initiative of the Monferrato walks revived over a century and a half later «it is an educational opportunity for pilgrims on foot, by bike or by car following the steps of the holy. But also for friends of Don Bosco, for SYM and parish youth groups, for walkers, hikers, family groups… retracing the roads traveled by the Saint of Youth in Monferrato. To relive a spiritual moment in places where he proposed it and lived it with his young people and with the local people (Holy Mass, rosary, prayer), enjoying the hospitality and resources of the countries where he stopped, meeting a territory with history and culture and ever-present values from Rome to the Middle Ages to the Marquisate of Monferrato, which had pushed Don Bosco to undertake a decidedly demanding undertaking for that era, but if he did it it means that for him it was worth it” . Since the priest left a formidable trace in his passages, we want to revive the experience of “apostolate and animation” lived in his time by Don Bosco’s young people. A visit experience together with the people of the country visited and also to enjoy the offer of various types of training initiatives: cultural, recreational, musical, gastronomic, sporting, religious, spiritual, trips… This is the Monferrino path of Don Bosco.
“The world is like a book and those who do not travel read only one page,” says Saint Augustine. An outgoing Church, that is, one that reaches out, moves forward, which is not static or closed, allows many to know. The idea of the journey is primordial for our faith and the way chosen by Jesus for his preaching, he moved from one village to another, followed by his disciples, who learned his own doctrine from the Master. The young Don Bosco already in 1848 conceived the “autumn walks” walking with small groups which then became more numerous from 1860 to 1864. The destination was the Collina dei Becchi of Castelnuovo d’Asti (today Castelnuovo Don Bosco) where the holy mass would be celebrated in honor of the Madonna del Rosario. The parish priests of the towns that Don Bosco passed through from time to time and also the local lords, who knew, admired and supported the educational work that Don Bosco carried out in Turin for young people, also asked to organize new walks. At the time, the Risorgimento was in full swing and from 1854 the military service was compulsory for male children, which caused precariousness in peasant families rich in values such as and above all the centrality of the family. In some places the dodgers turned to brigandage and these young people had to be rescued. Don Bosco’s walks, as well as being unifying, playful and catechetical, were also beneficial to social recovery.
Wherever Don Bosco went an extraordinary crowd of people awaited him. The band, the theaters, the solemnities of the songs and the youth choir of the church exercised a great attraction especially for the word of God. This transformed the walks into great apostolic missions, Don Bosco never missed an opportunity to preach and evangelize, considering it his main duty on the example of Saint Paul, who said: “Woe to me if I do not evangelize!” His sermons flowed from the heart and immediately afterwards he was ready to confess. Around him the boys from the Oratory were preparing the stage for the theatre, some were preparing the tables for dinner, while some others accompanied by playing and singing. The same cheerful and playful young people showed up when they were in church, composed, devoted, collected. This struck the men of the town who in turn went to Don Bosco’s feet to confess and to the question: why did you come? We saw his young people respond… This same example struck the young people of the town and they went from curiosity to the decision to put themselves in God’s grace. It also happened that some young people joined together and continued the journey in the following days up to Turin. In addition to spirituality and pastoral care, Don Bosco was also a perfect cultural guide in all historical, geographical, religious, tourist, etc. fields. The arrival of Don Bosco and his boys, in whatever country he went, was announced by the ringing of bells and by Don Bosco’s youth band. To relive that same spirit you can still plan a pilgrimage route. The Salesian world and the countries involved in the passage of Don Bosco, with the support of the CAI of Asti and the GAL Basso Monferrato Astigiano want to give visibility to that experience of the Saint of young people. They are inspired by an expression of Saint John Paul II: «Where the Saints pass, God walks with them: for those who meet them nothing is as before». For his children, for the people, for the territory. Today, for anyone who, after him, would like to have the same experience again, can contact: for information and contacts:
[email protected]
Walking, going, pilgrimage has very ancient roots, just think of the pilgrimage psalms (/shir/ /hamaalòt/=song of
climbs) that the Israelites did to go up to the temple of Jerusalem, the spiritual place par excellence.
