Friday, September 16, 2011

St. Dominic Savio's Vision and the Conversion of England

I posted this last year as we were praying for the Holy Father's visit to England.  We might recall an experience of St. Dominic Savio who prayed for the conversion of England.  In 1857 St. John Bosco related to Blessed Pius IX a vision had by St. Dominic Savio:

'One morning, while I was doing my thanksgiving after Holy Communion, I was taken by a strong distraction. It seemed that I was on a very vast flat land surface, full of people surrounded by thick darkness. They were walking, but did so as though they had lost their way and could not see where they set their feet. Someone beside me said, "This region is England."

'Then I saw the Supreme Pontiff, Pius IX. He was dressed in a majestic fashion, carrying in his hands a splendorous light, and advancing amidst the multitude of people. As He advanced, the darkness gradually disappeared and the people were bathed with so much light that it seemed noon time.

'The friend said, "This light is the Catholic Religion, which must illuminate England." '
Pius IX said to Don Bosco: "This narration confirms in me my determination to work without rest in favor of England, which is already the object of all my solicitudes."


(From the Biographical Memiors of St. John Bosco)

3 comments:

Lisa Graas said...

Powerful.

Love your blog. I'm auto-tweeting your posts on Twitter.

http://www.twitter.com/LisaGraas

JB said...

Fr. Steve,

Thanks for the this.

P.S. Do you know of any theological/ecclesiological reflections on St. John Bosco's dream of Pope steering the Church to safety between the twin pillars of Mary and the Eucharist?

Rose said...

Thanks for that and the blog I had no idea Dominic Savio prayed for England so much