John Bosco

John Melchior Bosco (; 16 August 1815, 31 January 1888), popularly known as Don Bosco , was an Italian Roman Catholic priest, educator, and writer. He worked in Turin, where the population suffered of illnesses because of industrialization and urbanization, he dedicated his life to the education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other youth. He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method that became known as the Salesian Preventive System. 

Canonisation
Pope Pius XII proclaimed John Bosco a patron of Catholic publishers in 1949. Bosco had been popularly known as the patron saint of illusionists, on 30 January 2002, Silvio Mantelli petitioned Pope John Paul II to declare Bosco formally to the patron of stage magicians. Catholic stage magicians who practice gospel magic venerate Bosco by offering free magic shows to underprivileged children on his feast day.

Bosco's work was carried on by an early pupil, collaborator, and companion, Michael Rua, who was appointed rector major of the Salesian Society by Pope Leo XIII in 1888.

He is remembered in the Church of England with a commemoration on 31 January.

References

Category:1815 births
Category:1888 deaths
Category:Christian saints
Category:Italian Roman Catholic priests