Priest · Feast day January 31
St. John Bosco
The feast day of St. John Bosco is January 31, a memorial in the US Catholic calendar. Traditionally invoked as patron of youth, apprentices, and editors. Below: a short life and 3 sourced quotations in their own words.
| Feast day | January 31 |
|---|---|
| In the US calendar | Memorial |
| Title | Priest |
| Died | 1888 |
| Patron of | youth, apprentices, editors |
| In their own words | 3 sourced quotations |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
A juggler, acrobat, and farm boy of Piedmont who became the apostle of Turin’s street children. He gathered them by the hundreds — Mass, bread, trade schools, and a playground — founding the Salesians on ‘reason, religion, and kindness’ instead of the rod.
His dreams guided him all his life; his boys included a saint, Dominic Savio. He died worn out at seventy-two, and Turin closed for his funeral.
Patron of
Tradition invokes St. John Bosco as patron of youth, apprentices, and editors.
Saints with the same patronage
- St. Aloysius Gonzagayouth · June 21
- St. Maria Gorettiyouth · July 6
Patronages are traditional, not an official list. All patron saints in Bless, A to Z.
In their own words
Each quotation names the work it comes from. Bless quotes these in the comments beside the verses listed under In Scripture.
Do not try to gain the hearts of the young with punishments, but with love.
It is not enough to love the young; they must know that they are loved.
Enjoy yourself as much as you like, if only you keep from sin.
In Scripture
In Bless, St. John Bosco’s words appear in the comments beside these verses. This page’s labels say how each is linked: “on this verse” means the saint wrote about that very verse; “on this theme” means the quotation shares its theme. Scripture is quoted from the Catholic Public Domain Version.
On this theme
So then, rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart remain in what is good during the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and with the perception of your eyes. And know that, concerning all these things, God will bring you to judgment.
Ecclesiastes 11:9 · CPDV Beside their words: “Enjoy yourself as much as you like, if only you keep from sin.”
On this theme
By this, all shall recognize that you are my disciples: if you will have love for one another.”
John 13:35 · CPDV Beside their words: “It is not enough to love the young; they must know that they are loved.”
On this theme
Charity is patient, is kind. Charity does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated.
1 Corinthians 13:4 · CPDV Beside their words: “Do not try to gain the hearts of the young with punishments, but with love.”
On this theme
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but educate them with the discipline and correction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4 · CPDV Beside their words: “Do not try to gain the hearts of the young with punishments, but with love.”
On this theme
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice.
Philippians 4:4 · CPDV Beside their words: “Enjoy yourself as much as you like, if only you keep from sin.”
On this theme
My little sons, let us not love in words only, but in works and in truth.
1 John 3:18 · CPDV Beside their words: “It is not enough to love the young; they must know that they are loved.”
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. John Bosco. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. John Bosco keeps January 31 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of January.
All the saints of January Born on January 31? A saint for every day
Spotted a mistake in a date, a patronage or a quotation? Report an error and we’ll fix it in the app and here.