Dominic Savio

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Dominic Savio bigraphy, stories - Italian saint

Dominic Savio : biography

April 2, 1842 – March 9, 1857

Dominic Savio ( April 2, 1842 – March 9, 1857Salesianvocation.com: ; Retrieved on 24 November 2006.Santiebeati.it: ; Retrieved on 24 November 2006.) was an Italian adolescent student of Saint John Bosco. He was studying to be a priest when he became ill and died at the age of 14, possibly from pleurisy.Bosconet.aust.com: ; Retrieved on 24 November 2006.

His teacher, John Bosco, had very high regard for Savio, and wrote a biography of his young student, The Life of Dominic Savio. This volume, along with other accounts of him, were critical factors in his cause for sainthood. Despite the fact that many people considered him to have died at too young an age – fourteen – to be considered for sainthood, he was considered eligible for such singular honour on the basis of his having displayed "heroic virtue" in his everyday life.Stthomasirondequoit.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006 He is the only saint of his age group, which includes Maria Goretti (age 11) and Ponticus of Lyons (age 15),Earlychristianwritings.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006 who was declared to be a saint not on the basis of his having been a martyr, but on the basis of having lived what was seen as a holy life. He was canonised a Saint on June 12, 1954 by Pope Pius XII,Catholic-forum.org: ; Retrieved on 24 November 2006. making him the youngest non-martyr to be canonised in the Catholic Church.Donbosco-torino.it: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006

Biography

The major part of the biographical information known about Dominic Savio comes from his biography written by John Bosco, in addition to the testimonies given by Savio’s family and friends.Donboscowest.org:

Early life

At home

Dominic Savio was born on April 2 1842, to Carlo and Brigida Savio. They lived near Turin. When he was two years old, his parents returned to their native place at Murialdo on the outskirts of Castelnuovo d’Asti (which was the birthplace of John Bosco),Donboscokhmer.org: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006. and from where they had gone to Riva in 1841Traditionalcatholic.net: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006. His parents took great care to give him a Christian upbringing.Bosconet.aust.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006; By the age of four, Dominic was able to pray by himself and was occasionally found in solitude, praying. In his biography of Dominic, John Bosco records that Savio’s parents recollect how he used to help his mother around the house, welcome his father home, say his prayers without being reminded, (even reminding others when they forgot) and say Grace at mealtimes unfailingly.

At the village school

Fr. Giovanni Zucca from Murialdo, who was then the chaplain at Murialdo when Dominic was five years old,Bosconet.aust.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006; notes in a statement to John Bosco that he came to notice Dominic due to his regular church attendance with his mother, and his habit of kneeling down outside the church to pray (even in the mud or snow) if he happened to come to Church before it had been unlocked in the morning. The chaplain also notes that Savio made good progress at the village school not merely due to his cleverness, but also by working hard. He would not join the other boys in doing something that he believed to be morally wrong and would explain why he thought a particular deed was wrong. At the age of five, he learned to serve Mass, and would try to participate at Mass every day as well as go regularly to Confession. Having been permitted to make his First Communion at an early age, he had much reverence for the Eucharist.Traditionalcatholic.net: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006.

First Communion

At that time, it was customary for children to receive their First Communion at the age of twelve.Bosconet.aust.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006; (Pope Pius X would later lower this age to seven)30Giorni.it: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006.Consideringpiusx.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006. After initial hesitation, and subsequent consultation with other priests, the parish priest agreed to permit Dominic to receive his First Communion at the age of seven, since he knew the catechism and understood something of the Eucharist.Bosconet.aust.com: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006. He spent much time praying and reading in preparation,Traditionalcatholic.net: ; Retrieved on November 24, 2006. asking his mother’s forgiveness for anything he might have done to displease her and then went to Church. In his biography of Dominic Savio, John Bosco devotes a chapter to tell of Dominic’s First Communion. He says that several years later, whenever Dominic talked of the day of his First Communion, he said with joy: