St Domonic Savio - the boy saint who wore holiness like the clothes on his back

"I can't do big things, but I want everything to be for the glory of God."

Dominic Savio (1842-1857) the boy-saint who died at the age of fifteen, was one of the great hopes of St. John Bosco* for the future of his congregation, and was canonized in 1954.

He was one of ten children of Carlo and Birgitta Savio. Carlo was a blacksmith and Birgitta was a seamstress. During those days First holy communion was given at the age of 12, but Little Dominic was allowed to receive it at the age of seven. whenever Dominic talked of the day of his First Communion, he said with joy: "That was the happiest and most wonderful day of my life."

Dominic's  plan of life was "I will go to confession very often and go to communion as often as my confessor gives me permission. I will celebrate Sundays and feast days as holy days. Jesus and Mary will be my friends. Death rather than sin". He remained faithful to his plan throughout his life and inspired others to stay close to blessed sacraments.

When Don Bosco* was looking for young men to train as priests for his Salesian Order, his parish priest suggested Dominic Savio. Dominic became more than a credit to Don Bosco's school—he single-handedly organized those who were to be the nucleus of Don Bosco's order.

St Domonic Savio ( 1842-1857 )

• Feast day: 6th of May
• Nationality : Italian
• Born: 2 April 1842
• Place of Birth : Riva presso Chieri, Italy
• Died: 9 March 1857 (14 years)
• Place of Death : Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Italy
• Parents : Carlo Savio, Brigitta Savio
• Mentor / Teacher : Saint John Bosco
• Beatified: 5 March 1950
• Canonized: 12 June 1954,
• Canonized by : Pope Pius XII at Rome
• Biography : The Life of Dominic Savio by Saint John Bosco
• Last words of St Dominic Savio : "Goodbye, Dad, goodbye . . . what was it the parish priest suggested to me ... I don't seem to remember . . . Oh, what wonderful things I see ..."

St. Dominic Savio was twelve when he met Don Bosco and organized a group of boys into the Company of the Immaculate Conception. Besides its religious purpose, the boys swept and took care of the school and looked after the boys that no one seemed to pay any attention to. When, in 1859, Don Bosco chose the young men to be the first members of his congregation, all of them had been members of Dominic's Company.

For all that, Dominic was a normal, high-spirited boy who sometimes got into trouble with his teachers because he would often break out laughing. However, he was generally well disciplined and gradually gained the respect of the tougher boys in Don Bosco's school.

St John Bosco*

In other circumstances, Dominic might have become a little self-righteous snob, but Don Bosco showed him the heroism of the ordinary and the sanctity of common sense. "Religion must be about us as the air we breathe," Don Bosco would say, and Dominic Savio wore holiness like the clothes on his back.

He called his long hours of prayer "his distractions." In 1857, at the age of fifteen, he caught tuberculosis and was sent home to recover. On the evening of March 9, he asked his father to say the prayers for the dying. His face lit up with an intense joy and he said to his father: "I am seeing most wonderful things!" These were his last words.

Thought for the Day: "I can't do big things," St. Dominic Savio once said, "but I want everything to be for the glory of God." His was the way of the ordinary: cheerfulness, fidelity in little things, helping others, playing games, obeying his superiors. This heroism in little things is the stuff of holiness.

Famous Quotes by St Dominic Savio
"I can't do big things, but I want everything to be for the glory of God."

"I need nothing in this world in order to be happy. I only need to see Jesus in heaven, Whom I now see and adore on the altar with the eyes of faith."

"If I can succeed in saving only a single soul I can be sure that my own will be saved."

"Ask Jesus to make you a saint. After all, only He can do that. Go to confession regularly and to Communion as often as you can"

"The day I received my First Holy Communion was the happiest and most wonderful day of my life."

"Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given for love of Him."

"Mary, I give you my heart. Always keep it yours. Jesus, Mary, always be my friends. I beg you, let me die rather than be so unfortunate as to commit a single sin."

"The future will be resplendent, and an untold number of souls will be saved, but on one condition: that your sons be devoted to the Blessed Virgin."

Prayer to St Dominic Savio

O Saint Dominic Savio, model of purity, piety, penance and apostolic zeal for youth; grant that, through your intercession, we may service God in our ordinary duties with fervent devotion, and attain the grace of holy joy on earth, that we may one day love God forever in Heaven.

Amen.

*St John Bosco (Saint Giovanni Bosco [ Aug 16, 1815 - Jan 31, 1888 ] ) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest, writer and educator. He was popularly known as Don Bosco.