140. Dream about the death of a seminarian and a student, 1885.
On October 21, 1885, the Salesian seminarian Francisco O'Donellan died saintly in the Oratory. The following night Don Bosco had the following dream: I went to bed with the thought of the death of the cleric O'Donellan and I felt the desire to know what destiny he would have had in eternity. And I began to dream.
I saw O'Donellan so beautiful and resplendent that he looked like an angel. And next to me walked a young student of ours, with his head very low and looking desperate and very sad.
Then we arrived at a palace of extraordinary beauty and there was a lady who was shining in the midst of a multitude of colored rays. She was surrounded by an immense group of angels. The lady said in a very kind voice as she received our clergyman: “Here is my beloved son, who will shine like the sun for all eternity.
And the clergyman O'Donellan joyfully entered that great palace.
Then I saw two hideous beasts appear, and they rushed at the sad young man who was standing nearby, to tear him to pieces in a few moments.
I wanted to defend the poor young man who was screaming for help; and I threw myself against the terrible beasts, but they turned against me and when I saw their sharp teeth I felt such a great fear that... I woke up.
Note: Don Bosco's secretary, who was sleeping in a nearby room, upon hearing his cries for help, entered his room and found him very frightened.
The narration of this dream caused great commotion among the students. That same morning those who had not yet confessed made a good confession. All except one, whose name was Archimedes Accornero. At last Father Francesia persuaded him to go up to Don Bosco's room and confess to the Saint. But there were many others waiting for his turn and the boy did not want to wait and did not go to confession that night either. Fortunately, the next day the Holy Priest Esteban Trione, knowing that he had not gone to confession either and that the previous year he had had very bad behavior, so much so that the superiors had thought that he should not return to school, and that this year he had also had very undesirable behavior, went to talk to him and in such a way he was able to convince him that he took him to Don Bosco and got him to confess to the Saint.
That same afternoon young Accornero was helping to carry a pile of iron cots up a ladder. The pile gave way and came down the ladder and crushed him. He was left senseless and speechless and by midnight he was dead.
When his mother heard about the death of her son (who was in the 7th grade of high school), the first thing she asked was: “Did he commit suicide? Even before his mother he had a reputation of being sad and ill-tempered. Fortunately Don Bosco had taken a great interest in him and managed to convince him to go to confession. And in good time he did.
141. The congress of the devils, 1885
I dreamed that I was in a large room where many devils were holding a congress to find the means by which they could succeed in destroying the Salesian community (and any other religious association).
A devil proposed: - To destroy this religious association the best will be the GLUTTONY. It brings a reluctance to do good, corruption of customs, bad examples, lack of spirit of sacrifice, neglect of the duties of the apostolate....
But another devil answered: “This means does not work for the majority, because the food of the religious is quite sober and alcoholic beverages are scarce among them. Their regulations command that the food be ordinary and the superiors watch so that there is no excess in this. And he who overindulges in eating and drinking not only causes scandal among the others, but also attracts the contempt of the others. I propose rather, as a means to put an end to the Congregation by inspiring them with a great LOVE FOR WEALTH.
And he added:- It is that when in a religious association enters the love of riches, there comes also the love of comforts, and the desire to have each one his own money to spend it in what he wants, and the religious begin to think no longer with charity in others, but with selfishness, each one in himself. And the love of money leads the religious to dedicate themselves to the rich who can pay high fees, and they forget the poor.
That demon wanted to continue speaking but was interrupted by a third one who said: “What gluttony, nor what love of riches! These religious are quite poor and quite sober. Besides, they dedicate themselves to assisting people who are so needy that any amount of money that comes to them will hardly be enough to help the many poor who come to ask for their help. On the other hand, I propose as a means to put an end to their community, to incite them to an EXAGGERATED FREEDOM. Convince them that it is not necessary to obey the regulations of their Congregation. That it is necessary to refuse certain not very brilliant concerns that are entrusted to them. That it is necessary to produce movements against their superiors. That they can always go on visits without asking anyone's permission. That they can accept all kinds of invitations and take advantage of these occasions to leave the house... and other similar things.
Then a fourth demon came forward and exclaimed: - Those means that you have proposed turn out to be quite useless, because the superiors can dismiss the rebels. It is true that some will allow themselves to be dazzled by the desire to have an exaggerated freedom, but you will see that the majority of these religious will remain faithful to the fulfillment of their duty. I propose to you a means whose danger these men will not be able to discover so easily. It consists in CONVINCING THEM THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE VERY WELL INSTRUCTED, that their principal glory will be to become persons of much science. And for that they must be convinced that they should study much to acquire fame, and not to achieve great good for souls or to become more Saints. They should be instructed for their own benefit and not for the benefit of their neighbor who needs their apostolate. It is necessary to lead them to despise those who are not very educated and that they are interested only in science, and not in exercising the priestly ministry and the apostolate that a good religious has to do. That they do not like to teach catechism to children, nor to give classes to the poor, nor to spend long hours in the confessional. Let them dedicate themselves only to preaching in which they can show off all their pride and obtain praise from mankind, but not to simple preaching in which they truly help the salvation of souls.
This proposition was received with great applause by all the devils. And I began to think with sadness that our Congregation (and many others) could run the terrible danger that some believe that what is really important is to be very educated and to acquire a reputation of brilliance before others, and meanwhile they neglect their duties as priests and religious, those simple and humble duties of teaching catechism, of hearing confessions, of preaching in an easy way to the ignorant people and of dedicating themselves to works of apostolate that do not shine before human eyes but that do have a great value before the eyes of God.
And I thought: what a great danger that can come to us: that our people desire only the science that puffs them up and makes them proud and that brings praise from the people, and that this leads them to despise the good advice of those whom they consider inferior to them in knowledge! Suddenly one of the devils saw me hiding there in a corner listening to them and then they all rushed at me trying to tear me apart. I began to shout: Help! Help! And... I woke up very excited and very tired.