John Bosco, the Saint of young people.
The prophetic vision of Rome

January 31st, 2022
Meditation of the day of Pontiff Samuel

(Draft)

Dear faithful, let us remain united in prayer and brotherhood, on this day of commemoration of the liturgical memory of a great Saint, St John Bosco. A Saint who loved Christ so much, who loved young people just as much and spent his whole life for the love of them. And to all of you beloved young people, to all you who want to remain young at heart, I want to remind you today about some prophetic visions that this saint had during his life. This saint was born on 16 August in the year 1815 and on 5 January 1870, the eve of the Epiphany, he had a particular prophetic vision known as the “prophetic vision of Rome”, which he himself describes by these words:

“What shall befall you, ungrateful Rome, effeminate Rome, proud Rome?
You have reached a point when you seek and admire nought in your Sovereign but luxury, forgetting that both your glory and his, are on Golgotha.
Now he is old, frail, defenceless, and dispossessed. Nevertheless, though his slavish words cause the whole world to tremble.
O Rome! ……
Four times shall I come to you!
– The first time I shall strike your regions and the inhabitants thereof.
– The second time I shall bring slaughter and destruction to your very gates. Should not that make you open your eyes?
– A third time shall I come, and I will demolish your defences and defenders and at My Father’s command, terror, dismay and desolation will reign.
My wise followers flee, but My law is still trod underfoot. Therefore, I shall come a fourth time. Woe to you if My law again shall go unheeded. There shall be defections among both learned and ignorant.

Your blood and that of your children shall wipe out the stains of your transgressions to the law of your God. War, plague, and famine are the scourges that will smite human haughtiness and malice. Where are your magnificence, your villas, your palaces, you people of wealth?

They have become the litter of squares and streets! And you priests, why are you not prostrate between the vestibule and the altar, weeping and praying that the scourge may cease? Why do you not take up the shield of faith and bring the seed of my word from the rooftops, in the houses, streets, and squares, and even in inaccessible places?
Are you unaware that this is the terrible two-edged sword that breaks down my enemies and breaks the wrath of God and man? These things shall inexorably come to pass, all in succession. Things follow too slowly upon each other, but the August Queen of Heaven is at hand; the Lord’s power is in Her hands. Like mist She shall scatter Her enemies. She shall vest the Venerable Old Man with all his ancient garments. There shall yet come a violent hurricane.

Iniquity is at an end, sin shall cease, and before two full moons shall have shone in the month of flowers, the iris of peace shall appear on earth.

The great Minister will see the Bride of his King clothed in glory. Throughout the world a sun so bright will shine as was never seen since the flames of the Cenacle until today, nor will it be seen again until the end of time.

These words are written in the biographical memoirs of Don Giovanni Bosco, by Angelo Amadei vol. X edition 1939.
Words on which we meditate, and keep alive in our hearts, to preserve our living love for Christ and for Mary, so that the flame of faith, the flame of love for Christ the Lord may never be extinguished in the hearts of all the faithful who wish to remain anchored to the authentic Christian Faith.

And you, beloved young people, imitate the virtues of these Saints who gave their lives for love of the Lord, for love of Jesus. Now it’s your turn to manifest holiness, by your example of life, and to manifest that the Love made Flesh has come down to take‑up residence here, in this Little Cradle warmed by your love. Love one another. Manifest your fraternal love by your daily example and thus many, who are in search of the Truth, will come here to be able to deserve to receive eternal Life.

And now, together, let us invoke the Father’s blessing.

On this holy day, through the intercession of Don John Bosco, may God the Father Almighty bless all young people who are animated by the living desire to live in Christ, with Christ and for Christ, so to bring the Love of Christ to the heart of all Christians and of all men and women of good will.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.