6. He dreams that he should not enter as a religious 1834
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In the meantime, the end of the highschool was approaching, a time when students were accustomed to decide their vocation. The dream of the age of nine was always fixed in my mind; indeed, it had been repeated to me on other occasions in a much clearer way, so that, if I wanted to give it faith, I had to choose the ecclesiastical state, towards which I felt, in fact, an inclination; but the little faith I gave to dreams, my lifestyle, certain habits of my heart and the absolute lack of the virtues necessary for this state, made such a deliberation doubtful and rather difficult.
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Oh, if only I had had a guide who would have taken care of my future! It would have been for me a great treasure; but this treasure I lacked. I had a good confessor, who thought of making me a good Christian, but who never wanted to interfere in matters of vocation.
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Taking advice from myself, after having read some good books, I decided to enter the Franciscan order.
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If I become a secular priest, I thought to myself, my vocation is in danger of being shipwrecked. I will embrace the ecclesiastical state, I will renounce the world, I will enter the cloister, I will give myself to study, to meditation, and thus, in solitude, I will be able to fight the passions, especially pride, which has taken deep roots in my heart".
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So I made the request to the Franciscan Fathers, presented the corresponding examination, they accepted me, and everything was ready to enter the friary of Peace in Chieri.
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A few days before the date set for my entrance, I had a rather strange dream. It seemed to me that I saw a crowd of religious with torn habits, running in the opposite direction from one another. One of them came to tell me: "You are looking for peace, and you will not find it here. Look at the attitude of your brothers. God is preparing another place for you: another harvest.-- I wanted to ask some question to that religious, but the rumor woke me up, and I heard no more. I explained everything to my confessor, who did not want to hear about dreams or friars.
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In this matter," he replied, "it is necessary that each one follow his own inclinations and not the advice of others.
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In the meantime, something happened that prevented me from carrying out my project. Since the obstacles were many and long-lasting, I decided to present the matter to my friend Comollo. He advised me to make a novena, during which he would write to his uncle, the parish priest. On the last day of the novena, in the company of my unforgettable friend, I went to confession and received Holy Communion. I then heard a Mass and helped another at the altar of Our Lord of Graces in the Cathedral. On our return home we found a letter from Father Comollo, conceived in these terms: - Having carefully considered all that has been said, I would advise your companion not to enter a convent; take the cassock and, while he pursues his studies, he will know better what God wants of him. He must not be afraid of losing his vocation, because with recollection and the practices of piety he will overcome all obstacles.
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Up to this point, the words of Don Bosco in his "autobiography". All his life he will have a great respect and admiration for the Franciscan Community, but his vocation was not to belong to that Religious Order, but to dedicate himself to poor children and to found a new religious community to educate them.