IMPORTANT FACTS:
He was a beautiful child with an angelic soul.He enjoyed praying and loved Jesus and Mary with
an unexplainable love in his heart.At age 4,he already knew all his prayers by heart and he said
them daily without being bored of it!
He desired to be a priest and most of all a Saint!He followed closely the teachings of John Bosco
and never complained when there was sufferings in his life.He did things cheerfully.
The only thing he despised the most is when someone does not say grace before meals.He would
remind those who forget to say it.One day before dinner could start,his parents was busy
talking and the grace before meals was forgotten;but he was too attentive.He said, "Father,we have
not yet asked God's blessing on our food" and he made the Sign of the Cross and began the usual
prayer.Another time,a stranger was staying with them and he sat down to have his meal without
any act of religion.Dominic did not like to speak of it openly so he moved from the table and went
to one of his quiet corners.When his parents asked him about his unusual attitude,he replied:
" I could not remain at table with one who eats as do the animals without a thought of God."
He loved John Bosco and that was his best friend.Dominic followed him everywhere and he obeyed
all that he said.Dominic found John Bosco when he entered the school run by John Bosco.
John Bosco examined him first and at the end of the questions, Dominic asked,
"What do you think of me?" John Bosco answered him, "I think you're good material,"
Dominic said, "Well, then,you are a good tailor,so if the material is good, take me and make
a new suit out of me for Our Lord!"
There was once,the Rector wanted to show his gratefulness for the boys and wanted to give them
little gifts so he said that they could ask for what they wished and, if it were possible,he would give
it to them.Requests were to be written down,and there were some strange and bizarre requests made
by some of the boys.Dominic took a piece of paper and wrote these words:
John Bosco and Saint Dominic Savio
He loved John Bosco and that was his best friend.Dominic followed him everywhere and he obeyed
all that he said.Dominic found John Bosco when he entered the school run by John Bosco.
John Bosco examined him first and at the end of the questions, Dominic asked,
"What do you think of me?" John Bosco answered him, "I think you're good material,"
Dominic said, "Well, then,you are a good tailor,so if the material is good, take me and make
a new suit out of me for Our Lord!"
There was once,the Rector wanted to show his gratefulness for the boys and wanted to give them
little gifts so he said that they could ask for what they wished and, if it were possible,he would give
it to them.Requests were to be written down,and there were some strange and bizarre requests made
by some of the boys.Dominic took a piece of paper and wrote these words:
"I ask one thing only, that you help me to save my soul and make me a saint”.
There was one time,he stopped a massive stone-throwing fight between 2 angry boys.Holding up
a little crucifix between them,he said, "Before you fight,look at this and say,'Jesus Christ was innocent and He died forgiving His murderers.I am a sinner,and I am going to hurt Him
by not forgiving my enemies.' Then you can start - and throw your first stone at me!"
Besides stopping great arguments,he enjoyed frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament and he tried
to bring others along with him.He prayed hours at there and enjoyed talking to Jesus through prayer.
In 1856 he set up the Sodality of Mary Immaculate with a group of his friends,to carry out
apostolic work together.Don Bosco’s mother (Mamma Margaret),who had come to Turin to
help her priest son in his school, said one day:“You have many good boys, but none can
match the good heart and soul of Dominic Savio. I see him so often at prayer,
staying in church after the others;every day he slips out of the playground to make
a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.When he is in church he is like an angel living
in paradise.”
Resolve to Become a Saint:
Around six months after Dominic had come to the Oratory, he had the occasion to listen to a talk on sainthood. John Bosco records that the talk had 3 main points that impressed Dominic:
1.)That it is God’s will that each one should become a saint.
2.)That it is easy to become a saint.
3.)That there is a great reward waiting in heaven for
those who try to become saints.
There was a custom in this House for the boys to make the exercise for a Happy Death each month
which was created by John Bosco.This exercise consists in making a Confession and Communion
as though they were to be the last. Pope Pius IX in his goodness has enriched this exercise with many indulgences.Dominic used to make it with great earnestness.It is the custom at the end of the exercise
to say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father for 'the one amongst us who
will be the first to die'. One day Dominic said smiling:
a little crucifix between them,he said, "Before you fight,look at this and say,'Jesus Christ was innocent and He died forgiving His murderers.I am a sinner,and I am going to hurt Him
by not forgiving my enemies.' Then you can start - and throw your first stone at me!"
Besides stopping great arguments,he enjoyed frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament and he tried
to bring others along with him.He prayed hours at there and enjoyed talking to Jesus through prayer.
In 1856 he set up the Sodality of Mary Immaculate with a group of his friends,to carry out
apostolic work together.Don Bosco’s mother (Mamma Margaret),who had come to Turin to
help her priest son in his school, said one day:“You have many good boys, but none can
match the good heart and soul of Dominic Savio. I see him so often at prayer,
staying in church after the others;every day he slips out of the playground to make
a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.When he is in church he is like an angel living
in paradise.”
Resolve to Become a Saint:
Around six months after Dominic had come to the Oratory, he had the occasion to listen to a talk on sainthood. John Bosco records that the talk had 3 main points that impressed Dominic:
1.)That it is God’s will that each one should become a saint.
2.)That it is easy to become a saint.
3.)That there is a great reward waiting in heaven for
those who try to become saints.
Dominic came up with a program...
There was a custom in this House for the boys to make the exercise for a Happy Death each month
which was created by John Bosco.This exercise consists in making a Confession and Communion
as though they were to be the last. Pope Pius IX in his goodness has enriched this exercise with many indulgences.Dominic used to make it with great earnestness.It is the custom at the end of the exercise
to say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father for 'the one amongst us who
will be the first to die'. One day Dominic said smiling:
"It should not be for the one amongst us who will be
the first to die, but for Dominic Savio who will
be the first to die amongst us”.
He said this many times.
This came true and he soon died on March 9,1857.The whole school was sad and things came back normal.Dominic was not around but they talked about him all day like he was around.His parents were
filled with deep sorrow.His father missed him so much that he could not do anything.He just thought
of his caring son and the love Dominic gave him.One day his father had a vision of him and his father
wrote it down :
" I was in the greatest affliction at the loss of my son,and was consumed by a desire to
know what was his position in the other world.God deigned to comfort me.About a month
after his death,during a very restless night,I saw,as it were,the ceiling opened,and Dominic appeared in the midst of dazzling light.I was beside myself at this sight,and cried out:
"O Dominic,my son,are you already in Paradise?" "Yes",he replied,"I am in Heaven".
Then pray for your brothers and sister,and your mother and father,that we may all come
to join you one day in Heaven"."Yes,yes,I will pray",was the answer.Then he disappeared,
and the room became as before".
The veneration of Dominic Savio grew with the vision of his father and with John Bosco's
written biography,The Life of Dominic Savio,by which brought to his canonization.Though some
were of an opinion that Dominic was too young to be canonized, Pope Saint Pius X insisted that this
was not so,and started the process of his canonization.Dominic Savio was declared Venerable in 1933
by Pope Pius XI,was beatified in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, and finally declared a SAINT in 1954.
That day,Saint Dominic Savio must have been the most satisfied Saint in Heaven for during his lifetime
he kept saying,"If I am not trying to be a Saint,I am doing nothing at all.I will not have any
peace if I don't keep on trying." Pope Pius XI described him as “small in size,but a towering giant
in spirit.”
Quotes of Saint Dominic Savio:
The veneration of Dominic Savio grew with the vision of his father and with John Bosco's
written biography,The Life of Dominic Savio,by which brought to his canonization.Though some
were of an opinion that Dominic was too young to be canonized, Pope Saint Pius X insisted that this
was not so,and started the process of his canonization.Dominic Savio was declared Venerable in 1933
by Pope Pius XI,was beatified in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, and finally declared a SAINT in 1954.
That day,Saint Dominic Savio must have been the most satisfied Saint in Heaven for during his lifetime
he kept saying,"If I am not trying to be a Saint,I am doing nothing at all.I will not have any
peace if I don't keep on trying." Pope Pius XI described him as “small in size,but a towering giant
in spirit.”
Quotes of Saint Dominic Savio:
- If I do not become a Saint,I am doing nothing.
- I am not capable of doing big things,but I want to do everything,even the smallest things,for the greater glory of God.
- I feel a longing and a need to be a Saint.I did not know it was so easy to be one,but now I see that one can be holy and happy too.I feel I simply must be a Saint.
PRAYER TO SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO:
O Angelic Saint Dominic Savio,one who made great efforts to be a Saint through simple good works.
Pray for us to follow your simple ways and help us to understand the path to Sainthood is through
simplicity and not to complicate our minds with great works.May we always know that Jesus is
always interested in our efforts and not on the results of accomplishments in our lives.Amen
Saint Dominic Savio,who achieved a simple way to Sainthood through simpleness of life,pray for us!
O Angelic Saint Dominic Savio,one who made great efforts to be a Saint through simple good works.
Pray for us to follow your simple ways and help us to understand the path to Sainthood is through
simplicity and not to complicate our minds with great works.May we always know that Jesus is
always interested in our efforts and not on the results of accomplishments in our lives.Amen
Saint Dominic Savio,who achieved a simple way to Sainthood through simpleness of life,pray for us!