1.
I will go often to Confession and Holy Communion.
2. I will be most exact in keeping holy Sundays and holy days of obligation.
3. Jesus and Mary shall be my friends.
4. Death rather than sin.
What is
remarkable about these resolutions is not their originality, but
the tenacity with which Dominic kept them, renewing them at important
moments of his life.
October
2, 1854, was a red-letter day for Dominic because it was on that day
he met Don Bosco for the first time. Later, Don Bosco testified that
he was
amazed to see the wonderful workings of grace in one so young.
"Will
you take me with you to study?" Dominic asked him.
"You
look like good material to me" responded Don Bosco. "Good
material for
what?" "To make a beautiful garment for the Lord.
"OK,
I'm the cloth then you are the tailor. Take me with you and make me
into a beautiful garment".
So it
was that Dominic went to the oratory in Turin where Don Bosco had
begun his work for young people.
For Dominic
and his companions, holiness consisted in being always cheerful,
and in doing well their ordinary school duties. He had a tremendous
love for
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and for Mary Immaculate. They were, indeed,
his life-long friends.
A trial
is always a test of faith and for Dominic this trial came in 1857
when he had to leave Don Bosco and return home to recover from an illness
He knew
that he would never return to the priest and the place he loved so
much. He died at home on March 9, 1857.
One of
Dominic's sisters tells us: One day Dominic came to Don Bosco and
asked: " May I have the day off?"
"Where
do you want to go?" asked Don Bosco.
"I
want to go home because my mother is ill and Our Lady wants to cure
her."
"How
do you know she is ill? Have you received a letter?"
"No,
but I know that she is not well."
Dominic's
mother was expecting a baby and was in great pain. Experienced
women neighbors did everything they could to help, but it was of no
avail.
Dominic's father decided to call the local doctor. When he arrived at
the
outskirts of the town, to his great surpise and consternation, he saw
Dominic coming along the road.
The last
thing on earth he wanted was for Dominic, to be at home with his
mother and to see his mother in that condition, so he took him to his
grandmother's house in a little village nearby. He then hurried on to
find
the doctor. Dominic, determined to see his mother, went straight home.
His
mother was surprised to see him and said "Go to the neighbors for
a while."
Dominic smiled, put arms around his mother, kissed her and said "I
am going
back to school, but first I just want to hug you." He then left.
He had
hardly left the house, when his mother felt completely well. All her
pain was gone and her baby girl was born safely. When the doctor arrived
a
little later, he found there was nothing for him to do. There was great
wonderment about the whole event, because, from the moment Dominic put
his
arms around his mother she started to improve.
It was
later discovered that when he did put his arms around his mother, he
fastened a piece of ribbon, with a scapular of Our Lady on it, around
her
neck.
When he
arrived back at school he went straight to Don Bosco to thank him
for letting him go home and he said to him "Mother is quite all
right now:
Our Lady cured her: I put her scapular around mother's neck".
Some months
later when he was on his deathbed, he told his mother not to
lose that scapular he gave you she was ill. "Keep it carefully,"
he said",
and lend it to the women who become ill as you were. It will cure them
as it
cured you. Lend it out generously."
In fact
it, made the rounds of the country until the moment came when
Dominic's sister, by this time married and living in Turin, was in the
same
condition as her mother had been. Her sister came to help her and seeing
her
state, she wrote to her brother for the scapular. He searched the
countryside until he found it . When it did reach Turin his sister,
whose
condition was now considered hopeless, fastened it around her neck and
from
that time on, she made a rapid recovery.
That scapular
which Dominic placed around his mother's neck no longer
exists. In remembrance of that precious scapular and in order to spread
devotion to this young Saint, in 1956 the Salesian circulated a scapular
containing the relic of the Saint to be used by expectant mothers and
sick
children.
This initiative
is only a means by which to implore God's graces. It is not
enough to wear the scapular, it is necessary to pray with faith, receive
the
Sacraments frequently and to live as good Christians. In order to obtain
heavenly favours.
The scapular
of St. Dominic Savio is associated with extraordinary favours
from the time it was first circulated. In all parts of the world it
is known
and sought after by mothers who will wear it with faith.
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