Savio was born on April 2, 1842,
to Carlo and Brigida Savio. They lived near Turin. When he was two years old, his parents
returned to their native place at Murialdo on the outskirts of Castelnuovo
d'Asti (which was the birth-place of John Bosco),[13] and from where
they had gone to Riva in 1841[14] His parents took great care to
give him a Christian upbringing.[15] By the age of four, Dominic was
able to pray by himself and was occasionally found in solitude, praying.[14]
In his biography of Dominic, John Bosco records that Savio's parents recollect
how he used to help his mother around the house, welcome his father home, say
his prayers without being reminded, (even reminding others when they forgot)
and say Grace at mealtimes unfailingly.Fr. Giovanni Zucca from Moriondo, who
was then the chaplain at Murialdo when Dominic was five years old,[16]
notes in a statement to John Bosco that he came to notice Dominic due to his
regular church attendance with his mother, and his habit of kneeling down
outside the church to pray (even in the mud or snow) if he happened to come to
Church before it had been unlocked in the morning. The chaplain also notes that
Savio made good progress at the village school not merely due to his cleverness,
but also by working hard. He would not join the other boys in doing something
that he believed to be morally wrong and would explain why he thought a
particular deed was wrong.[16] At the age of five, he learned to
serve Mass, and would try to participate at Mass every day as well as go
regularly to Confession. Having been permitted to make his First Communion at
an early age, he had much reverence for the Eucharist.
At that time, it was customary for children to
receive their First Communion at the age of twelve.[18] (Pope Pius X
would later lower this age to seven)[19][20] After initial
hesitation, and subsequent consultation with other priests, the parish priest
agreed to permit Dominic to receive his First Communion at the age of seven,
since he knew the catechism and understood something of the Eucharist.[21]
He spent much time praying and reading in preparation,[22] asking
his mother's forgiveness for anything he might have done to displease her and
then went to Church. In his biography of Dominic Savio, John Bosco devotes a
chapter to tell of Dominic's First Communion. He says that several years later,
whenever Dominic talked of the day of his First Communion, he said with joy:
"That
was the happiest and most wonderful day of my life"
Dominic had to go to another
school and it was decided that he would go to the County School at Castelnuovo,
three miles (5 km) from his home.[24] (Castelnuovo d' Asti, now
Castelnuovo John Bosco, was the birthplace of another contemporary of John
Bosco, Joseph Cafasso, also a saint. He was four years the senior of John
Bosco, and was Bosco's mentor and advisor.[25]) Now ten years old,
Dominic walked daily to and from school. In his biography of Dominic Savio,
John Bosco records how a local farmer once asked Dominic, on a hot sunny day,
if he was not tired from walking, and received the reply: "Nothing seems
tiresome or painful when you are working for a master who pays well."[26]
Don Bosco also notes that Dominic refused to go swimming[27] with
his friends since Dominic considered that in such a situation, it would be
"also easy to offend God",[24] he believed that on a
previous occasion his friends behaved in, what was to him, a vulgar manner.[28]
In his biography Bosco records that Fr. Allora, the head of this school, had this
to say about Dominic: "...Hence it may very well be said that he was Savio
(wise), not only in name, but in fact, viz., in his studies, in piety, in
conversation and his dealing with others, and in all his actions. ..."
Dominic's health was steadily deteriorating,
but he spent most of his time with his friends, talking with them, and
encouraging those who were experiencing troubles.[46] He also helped
at the school infirmary whenever his companions were admitted. On the
recommendation of doctors, Dominic was sent home to recover from his ill
health, but a few days later Bosco found him back at the Oratory. In spite of
his affection for Dominic, and his wish to allow Dominic to remain at the
Oratory, John Bosco decided to follow the recommendation of the doctors,
especially since Dominic had developed a severe cough[47] and he
wrote to Dominic's father, fixing the date of his departure on March 1, 1857.
Though Dominic said that he wanted to spend his last days at the Oratory, he
accepted this decision and spent the evening before his departure at John
Bosco's side, discussing spiritual matters. (Bosco recorded a part of this
conversation in his biography of Dominic).[46] On the morning of his
departure, Don Bosco notes that Dominic made the Exercise of a Happy Death
with great zeal, even saying that this would be his final such devotion.[48]
He said his farewell to John Bosco, asking as a keepsake that Bosco add his
name to the list of those who would participate in the Plenary Indulgence that
John Bosco had received from the Pope, to which John Bosco readily agreed.[46]
He then said took leave of his friends with great affection, which surprised
them, for his illness was not considered by many of his companions to be
serious.
In his first four days at home his appetite
decreased and his cough worsened; this prompted his parents to send him to the
doctor, who, at once, ordered bed rest.[49] Inflammation was
diagnosed, and as was the custom at that time, the doctor decided to perform
bloodletting. The doctor cut Dominic's arm ten times in the space of four days
and it is now considered that this probably hastened his death.[50]
In his biography, John Bosco records that Dominic was calm throughout the
procedure. The doctor assured his parents that the danger had passed and now it
only remained for him to recuperate. Dominic, however, was sure that his death
was approaching, and asked that he be allowed to make his Confession and
receive Communion. Though they thought it unnecessary, his parents sent for the
parish priest who heard Dominic's confession and administered the Eucharist.[51]
After four days, in spite of the conviction of the doctor and his parents that
he would get better, Dominic asked that he be given the Anointing of the Sick
in preparation for death. Again, his parents agreed, to please him. On March 9,
he was given the papal blessing and he said the Confiteor. Don Bosco
records that throughout these days, he stayed serene and calm.[52]
On the evening of March 9, 1857, after being visited by his parish priest, he
asked his father to read him the prayers for the Exercise of a Happy Death
from his book of devotions. Then he slept a while, and shortly awakened and
said in a clear voice,
"Goodbye,
Dad, goodbye . . . what was it the parish priest suggested to me ... I don't
seem to remember . . . Oh, what wonderful things I see ...".
Contributions of
Saint Dominic Savio
His Love of the Sacraments
Experience proves without question that the greatest source
of spiritual help lies in the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion.
Boys and girls who receive these Sacraments frequently grow from childhood to
maturity, and so to the end of their lives, always models of Christian
virtue. Would to heaven that children might understand this truth and put
it into practise and also that their teachers might help them to persevere with
it!
Dominic's youth, his delicate health and the innocence of his life, alike dispensed him from all species of mortification but as he knew that innocence is difficult to preserve without doing some kind of penance, the path of mortification seemed to him to be strewn with roses.
By mortification, I do not here mean bearing patiently with the contradictions and insults of others nor the continual mortification of the senses at all times, during prayers, at lessons or recreations, for this was habitual with Dominic. I mean bodily mortification. In the fervour of his soul, Dominic resolved to eat and drink only bread and water every Saturday, in honour of Our Blessed Lady, but his confessor forbade it. Next he wished to fast during Lent but after a week, his director came to hear of what he was doing and put a stop to it. He begged at least to be allowed to go without his breakfast but this also was forbidden, for all these mortifications would have had a very bad effect upon his health.
His Devotion to Our Lady
Among the many graces with which God had been pleased to enrich Dominic's soul, not the least was his fervour in prayer. He had got so into the habit of conversing with God that even in the midst of the noisiest games he would recollect himself in Him and raise his heart heavenwards in pious exclamations. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother of God and every day practised some mortification in her honour. On his way to school, he never let his eyes dwell on any person of the opposite sex but kept them on the ground. Once, when he had been forced to admit having thus missed seeing something that his school-fellows were all discussing, one of the boys lost his temper with him and exclaimed: "What do you think to do with your eyes if you never use them?" "I hope to use them to behold the beauty of our Heavenly Mother, when I shall be worthy to see her in Paradise.
