An old retired priest met young John returning with his mother, Margaret, from a village service. Fr. Colosso was impressed by the boy’s brilliant memory. He volunteered to tutor John privately. All went well for a few months until the priest died. At the age of twelve, John went to live and work on a farm in a nearby village. At 15 he left for the town of Chieri, where he attended school. After school he took on every job he could find, learning a number of trades: tailor, carpenter, blacksmith, waiter – anything for a little money to buy food or clothing. In 1835 he entered the seminary. Six years later he was ordained a priest.
Don Bosco’s work with young people began on December 8th, 1841 while he was vesting for Mass. He heard a commotion in the sacristy, where the sacristan was beating a poorly dressed boy with his cane, and driving him out of the church. The boy’s name was Bartholomew Garelli a 16 year old orphan who was working as a bricklayer. Three days later Bartholomew brought eight of his companions to Don Bosco. With this simple encounter Don Bosco’s work for young people began.
But like all beginnings, it was hard and painful. He and his boys wandered about looking for a place to hold the catechism lessons, Mass and confessions, and for a space to play. The work was misunderstood by the local clergy and looked upon with skepticism by the local police. There were harsh words and even insults at times. But Don Bosco never lost faith and kept his dream alive. He received much encouragement from Fr. John Borel who helped him in his work and from Fr. Joseph Cafasso, his friend and confessor. The dream that Bosco has as a nine year old - where a beautiful Lady showed him the way of kindness as a means of reaching out to youth – kept coming back to reassure him.
Don Bosco’s first permanent school was
a broken down shed in Valdocco, Turin’s underdeveloped tenement district.
Today there stands the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians, a Youth Centre
(The Oratory), a boarding school, a technical school and a publishing house.
Don Bosco’s dream was coming true. People who would sneer at him, now held
him in high admiration. 
The name “Don Bosco” became famous throughout Italy.
On the advice of Pope Pius IX, Don Bosco drew up the Constitutions
of his Society, and on 18th December, 1859 eighteen young men - once
his boys – became the first members of the Salesian Society. Don
Bosco called them “Salesians” after St. Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva,
whom he always admired for his kindness and religious zeal.
In 1872 Don Bosco, together with Mary Mazzarello,
founded the Salesian Sisters, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
In 1876 he formed an association of lay people who shared his concern for
youth. These are the Salesian Cooperators, who are Salesians, single,
married, lay or clerical.
Don Bosco lived 72 full years of hard labor for God and for young
people. Even in his last days, though almost blind, bowed with fatigue,
and scarcely able to walk, he kept in close touch with all his Salesians.
He advised, directed and encouraged them.
On 31 January 1888 Don Bosco died. His last words were characteristic of his whole life: “Tell my boys I shall be waiting for them in Paradise!” On Easter Sunday 1934 Pius XI declared Don Bosco a saint. In 1951 Sister Mary Mazzarello was declared a saint by Pius XII.