Monumental Collection of Don Bosco's Letters

The Monumental Collection 
of Don Bosco’s Letters

(ANS – Rome – January 30, 2025) – The first official presentation of the 10 volumes of the Epistolario or Letters of Don Bosco took place on January 28 at the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) in Rome. This is a monumental documentary heritage that will long be at the disposal of anyone who wishes to know the life, work, ideals, and spirit of the holy educator from Turin.

The opening greeting of the event, “Don Bosco chiama, Torino risponde” (‘From Valdocco to the whole world... and back’) by the rector magnificus of the UPS, Prof. Andrea Bozzolo, was followed by an overall perspective of the volumes, according to their expertise, by Professors Carlo Felice Casula, Angelo Giuseppe Dibisceglia, Carlo Maria Zanotti, Giancarlo Cursi, Paolo Restuccia, and Adriana Valerio. Thru their words the large audience in the hall and those who were connected remotely were able to grasp the convictions, ideals, choices, attitudes, and behavior of Don Bosco as they emerge from his 4,682 published letters.

While the first 3 talks focused on the contents, some known, others less so, others completely unknown, of his correspondence, the talks that followed highlighted Don Bosco’s way of relating to his correspondents and his style of writing, as respectful of the classic canons of private correspondence of his time as it was marked by decidedly modern aspects. Each talk was preceded by a very short video-recorded interview, an anticipation of the full video “Lettere im(possibili)” that will be presented in Turin on April 2, during the 2d presentation of the Epistolario entitled “Don Bosco chiama, Torino risponde.”

The cultural event, moderated by Prof. Wim Maria Etienne Collin, naturally concluded with a long and loud applause for the editor of the 10 volumes, Fr. Francesco Motto, SDB, who has dedicated a lifetime to this authentic enterprise” and to whom go the heartfelt thanks of the Congregation, the Salesian Family and, in some ways, the Church itself.

Fr. Francesco Motto (at left)

With the integral publication of the new Letters of Don Bosco, a new step forward has been taken in the understanding of Don Bosco’s being and working: thousands of pages traditionally known and easily found online, but not supported by reliable documentation, must necessarily give way to this reliable source, checked and presented with the scientific intentions proper to the Salesian Historical Institute, which has included it in its own series Sources, first series, published by the LAS in Rome (1991-2024).

A positive spin-off of the enterprise has already taken place with the volume Le lettere più belle di Don Bosco just published by Salesian publisher LDC in Turin (2025) and edited by Fr. Motto, with a preface by Prof. Rossano Sala. A better gift for the general public of the Salesian Family and the many devotees of Don Bosco could not have been offered on the eve of the feast of Don Bosco 2025.