Large numbers of young pilgrims and pilgrims of all ages flocked to venerate the relics of St John Bosco at the Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St Chad, Birmingham, this week.
Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham celebrated Mass in the Cathedral, packed to capacity with primary schoolchildren and their teachers, from schools throughout the archdiocese.
Fr Martin Coyle SDB, provincial of the Salesians in Britain, emphasised that St Don Bosco, who is the patron saint of schoolchildren and young people, “was a great saint who was always cheerful”.
Fr Coyle asked each of the pilgrims present to turn to the person next to them and smile at them for five seconds. He said: “It is infectious and it spreads. People have to try very hard not to smile back. It makes a difference to someone else’s life.”
He concluded: “It’s quite simple to be holy – by being happy, not long faces. We need to share joy with one another. Try to be cheerful each day and smile at someone. Others will join in and it will make a difference!”
St John Bosco died in Turin on January 31 1888, aged 72. A large proportion of the population of the Northern Italian city turned out for his funeral. He was declared Blessed in 1929 and canonised by Pope Pius XI on Easter Sunday, April 1 1934.
Having been unable to sell in churches for well over a year due to the pandemic, we are now inviting readers to support the Herald by investing in our future. We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values.
Please join us on our 130 year mission by supporting us. We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching. For more information from our chairman on contributing to the Herald Patron's Fund, click here
Make a Donation
Processing ...
Donors giving £500 or more will automatically become sponsor patrons of the Herald. This includes two complimentary print/digital gift subscriptions, invitations to Patron events, pilgrimages and dinners, and 6 gift subscriptions sent to priests, seminaries, Catholic schools, religious care homes and prison and university chaplaincies. Click here for more information on becoming a Patron Sponsor. Click here for more information about contributing to the Herald Patron's Fund