By Fr Tarcizio Paulo Odelli
And so Don Bosco, taking advantage of his talents as a great communicator, launched himself into the publishing field, becoming a remarkable and successful publisher. He had a captivating personality, his works were highly topical and he had a vast network of relationships cultivated through letters, publications, travel. He always made excellent use of his “image” as an educator, social worker, miracle worker and “saint”.
Already at the beginning of the festive Oratory, Don Bosco realised that his work with young people would be effective if he had books suitable for poor and abandoned youth available. For this reason he began to write small works for the people in general and for young people. In 1848 he launched a small newspaper for young people, “The Friend of Youth”, with the aim of promoting “religious, moral and political interests.” The periodical, which came out every three weeks, was short-lived. Then came the “Catholic Readings”, published not only in Turin, but throughout Italy. Not content with these individual publications, in 1861 he obtained permission to have his own printing press.
The Salesian Bulletin, which came into existence in August 1877 is, we could say, the crowning achievement of all this publishing enterprise. Don Bosco saw, reflecting similar publications of the time, that there was a need to create a bulletin that would generate connections and information for the people in society at that time who were interested in Salesian work. The Salesian Cooperators would have been the main addressees of this bulletin. In 1877 he wrote to them: “A monthly Bulletin is called for, one that in time would be published to give you an account of the things done or to be done in order to achieve the end we have set ourselves.”
As time passed, Don Bosco realised that the Salesian Bulletin would be the means for listening to the Salesian voice outside his Work, transforming this vehicle of communication into a messenger of the Salesian mission beyond the walls of the Oratory at Valdocco. Thus the Salesian Bulletin became an instrument for getting to know the life of the Congregation, its members’ and readers’ activities and also to know, from an historical, geographical, cultural and ecclesial point of view, the territories and world of Latin America’s indigenous peoples.
In his letter on spreading good books, Don Bosco refers thus to the mission of the Salesian Bulletin: “Finally, through the Salesian Bulletin I wanted, among other things, to keep alive the spirit and teachings of St Francis de Sales in the young people who had graduated from our schools and had returned to their families. My hope was that they would be apostles of other young people. I am not saying that I have achieved the goal I set for myself. I just want to insist that it is now up to you to continue the project and coordinate all efforts to complete it in all its phases.” And at the end of the letter he showed his displeasure regarding those who were not interested in the dissemination of good books: “Let me express my displeasure at knowing that in some of our homes the books we publish specifically for young people are either quite unknown or very little appreciated.”
Today the Salesian Bulletin is a Salesian Work which is active on most of the world’s continents. Thus Don Bosco’s prophecy was fulfilled that the Salesian Bulletin would be “a powerful weapon” because it would reach many people (cf. Circular 172 on the dissemination of good books, Turin 19/03/1885). It is an institutional magazine, has a charismatic identity and a professional quality in step with the times. Today the SB is no longer just on paper, but also navigates the digital world. It deals with current issues, studied from a Salesian perspective. It seeks to integrate with the various Bulletins of the countries in which the Salesian Family of Don Bosco is to be found. Our effort will therefore be to carry out this Work, despite the many challenges that the world offers us today, aware of how much our Founder was committed to it so that the Salesian mission could adapt to the times, contexts and different cultures.
