Hajja Salesjana - Oct-Dec 2021

28 H AJJA S ALESJANA followed him with unimaginable joy.They were the best boys of the Oratory. For all of them, it was a reward to be with Don Bosco for a few days on vacation. In the beginning there were only a few, but soon they numbered more than 100. His first stable destination was the land of his birth and his beloved family home. Joseph, his brother, gladly welcomed that horde of boys and accommodated them as best he could in barns and stables, taking care to provide what was necessary. Certainly, there would be inconveniences, but good Joseph knew how to look the other way and make things run as smoothly as possible. After 1858, Don Bosco established true“marches” through the villages of Piedmont and the neighboring provinces. He himself planned the itineraries and entrusted his boys to friends and benefactors who welcomed them into their homes or prepared some snacks for that “battle-ready army”— whenever it came to quelling hunger. Fruit, freshly baked bread, or a piece of cheese was generously offered by the locals, who were enthusiastic about the hustle and bustle that this priest brought for he had the reputation of being a saint. Though he tried to downplay this fervor, more often than not it was without much success. The farmers left their tasks Beautiful testimonies of those joyful days of celebration and of unforgettable experiences when accompanying Don Bosco for so many young people have been passed down to us. One of these boys, Anfossi, wrote this: I always remember those trips. They filled me with joy and wonder. I accompanied Don Bosco through the hills of Monferrato from Photo by Jed Villejo - www.unsplash.com