The Preventative System of Education As Implemented by St. John Bosco

Fr. Bing Arellano of the Alliance of the Holy Family talked about education of our children during St. John Bosco's time and in the present time. His show is aired on EWTN in the afternoons here in Hawaii.

Don Bosco's method of the Preventative System of Education according to the Blessed Virgin Mary produced in his boys, holiness, purity and saints. The education system forced on our society today which includes emphasis on sex education produces as its fruits homosexuality and child molestation.

Fr. Bing says we have to counter the harmful education system we have today. One way of doing so is through homeschooling.

This Preventative System of Education comes from the Four Pillars of Salesian Spirituality.

First pillar: devotion to Mary Help of Christians

For Don Bosco, the Immaculate Virgin, Mary Help of Christians, was the ever-present Mother who helps her children daily, going to their rescue and leading them to Jesus. "Be devoted to Mary Help of Christians", he would habitually say, "and you will see what miracles are!".

Second pillar: devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist

The second pillar of Don Bosco's spirituality was devotion to Jesus in the
Eucharist, which he saw as the heart of every Salesian house. He used to remind young people: "If you want many graces, pay many visits to Jesus in the Sacrament; if you want few graces, pay him few".

Don Bosco was a "vir eucharisticus", that is, a saint formed through and through by the Eucharist. He was so passionate about the Eucharist that he communicated his passion to the young people he carefully prepared for communion with the Lord through the sacrament of Reconciliation. For Don Bosco, Confession and the Eucharist were the two sacraments that inculcated in young people the Christian virtues and holiness.
On this topic he wrote in 1877:

"Frequent Confession, frequent Communion and daily Mass are the pillars that must support an educational building that we desire to protect from threats and scourges. Never force youngsters to receive the holy sacraments, but only encourage them and make it easy for them to do so" (John Bosco, Il sistema preventivo nella educazione della gioventù [1877], n. 4).

The 15-year-old St Dominic Savio is a shining example of this sacramental pedagogy which strengthened his virtuous habits and his union with Jesus, witnessed by his Eucharistic ecstasies during Holy Communion.

Third pillar: educational system based on joy, hope

The third pillar of Don Bosco's spirituality was his educational system of joy and hope. Dominic Savio, who once said to Don Bosco: "I am the fabric, you are the tailor; make me into a beautiful suit for the Lord!", had fully grasped this when he suggested to his young companions: "Let's make holiness consist in being very cheerful!"...

..."Run, jump, amuse yourselves as much as you like, but for pity's sake, don't sin!"...

Fourth pillar: devotion to Church and Vicar of Christ

Don Bosco's fourth and last pillar is his devotion to the Church, to her Pastors and especially to the Holy Father. His love for the Pope was extraordinary and is an integral part of the Salesian formation and apostolate.

To read the above text in its entirety please visit EWTN's Library: The Four Pillars of Salesian Spirituality.