109. The Lady and the candies, 1877
I dreamed that I went out into an avenue and I met a peddler who was making candies: - What are you doing? - I asked her.
- I am making candies for the Salesians.
And she showed me that she was making three kinds of candies: some white, some red and some black. And she explained: - These are the prizes for the Salesians. The white ones go off easily. They are for jobs that cost little.
The red ones, the color of blood, are for jobs that cost a lot of sacrifice. And the black ones, which are the most valuable, are for jobs that lead to death.
- And why do you cover them with so much sugar? - I asked her.
- Because the Salesians know how to excel everywhere in the virtue of their patron Saint Francis de Sales, which is gentleness, kindness.
I continued on my way, but then I was overtaken by several priests who told me: - That the lady sends you a very important message: to tell your disciples to work, to work hard. That they will encounter many difficulties (as if they were thorns) but also many consolations (as if they were roses), that you should tell them all that life is short and that the harvest is plentiful. May they all remember that life is brief but that the eternity that is achieved is immense.
- But is there no work being done in our Congregation? - I asked them.
- Yes, work is done, but it can be done more and better.
Hearing this woke me up.
May we remember the message I received in this dream: to have the kindness and gentleness of St. Francis de Sales and to work hard and very well.
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110. Message to Pope Leo XIII 1878
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In February 1878 Don Bosco wrote the following message and sent it to Pope Leo XIII, through Cardinal Bartolini.
A poor servant of the Lord who had already sent some messages to the Holy Father Pius IX writes to you.
I heard a voice saying: - It is necessary to seek vocations to the priesthood not so much among the rich who live full of comforts, but above all among those who work in the fields and among the poor of the cities, and not to look at age or social class. Gather them together and prepare them well so that in the priesthood they may achieve many spiritual fruits.
There are religious dispersed by persecutions. It is convenient to gather them together and if it is not possible to form many houses with them, at least a few should be formed, but with good observance of their regulations.
People who live in the world, if they realize that the religious fulfill exactly their regulations and lead a holy life, will feel interest and attraction for the religious life and will enter the communities.
The religious communities founded lately are more appropriate for modern times. The people of today despise quite a lot those who only pray, but they appreciate very much those who not only pray enough but also work hard. That is why the new communities should be supported and favored by those whom the Holy Spirit has placed as heads of his Church.
It is therefore recommended: work hard to obtain vocations.
Insist that religious observe their regulations.
Encourage and support new communities and religious institutes that help the foreign missions.