Decoding John Bosco's dream at the age of nine.

Read the dream in Don Bosco's own words then listen to the podcast below.

Decoding Don Bosco's Dream at 9David O'Malley

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When I was about nine years old, I had a dream that left a profound impression on me for the rest of my life. I dreamt that I was near my home in a very large playing field where a crowd of children were having fun. Some were laughing, others were playing, and many were cursing. I was so shocked at their language that I jumped in their midst, and I started swinging my fists wildly shouting at them to stop. At that moment, a man appeared, nobly attired with a manly, imposing bearing. He was clad with a white flowing mantle and His face radiated with such light that I could not look directly at him. He called me by name and told me to place myself as leader over those boys. He went on to say, “You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows but with gentleness and kindness so begin right now to show them that sin is ugly and virtue beautiful.”

 I was confused and afraid. I replied that I was only a boy unable to talk to these youngsters about religion. And then the fighting and shouting and cursing stopped, and the crowd of boys gathered about the Man who was now talking. Almost unconsciously, I asked, “But how can you order me to do something that seems so impossible?” And he said, What seems so impossible you must achieve by being obedient and acquiring knowledge.” “But where and how?” I begged. “I will give you a teacher under whose guidance you will learn that without whose help all knowledge becomes foolishness.” “Who are You?” I asked. And then He said, “I am the Son of Her whom your mother has taught you to greet three times a day.” I said, “My mother told me not to talk to strangers without her permission so please tell me your name.”

Just then I saw beside him a Lady of majestic appearance wearing a beautiful mantle, glowing as if adorned with stars. She saw my confusion mount, so she beckoned me to Her - taking my hand with great kindness she said, “Look!” So, I did. All of the children had vanished, and, in their place, I saw many animals – goats, dogs, cats, bears, and a variety of others. “She said to me, “This is your field; this is where you must work. Make yourself humble, steadfast, and strong and what you see happen to these animals, you will have to do for My children. I looked again and all the wild animals had turned into as many lambs, gently playing, crying out a welcome for that Man and Lady.

At this point in my dream, I started to cry. I begged the Lady to explain what it all meant because I was so confused. She placed Her hand on my head and said, “In due time everything will be clear to you.” After she had spoken these words, some noise woke me up and everything vanished. The next day, when I shared this dream with my family, everyone had their own opinion of what the dream might have meant: For example, my brother Joseph thought that I might someday become a shepherd. My stepbrother Anthony thought that it meant I might join a circus or become the leader of a gang. But you know, it was my mother who knew the true message. She said, “Who knows - maybe someday you'll become a Priest.”[1]

Questions:

If this were your dream, what title would you give it?

Could you say what the theme of the dream is in one sentence?

What is the dominant emotion in the dream?

What questions does this dream raise for you?

[1] Don Bosco recounted this dream to Pius IX who asked him to write it down, which he eventually did. Since the dream recurred a number of times he may have conflated some elements of the original dream with later and slightly different repetitions.