~by Susi Pittman

Saint John Bosco is perhaps one of the most gifted theologians in history. Because he was given the gift of dreams and visions, his life existed on both the natural and supernatural levels.

Saint John Bosco founded the Salesian Society, and was called by God to care for and teach the catechism to the rowdy, destitute, and neglected boys of his time, starting with his own village. He built oratories to educate them, and later expanded his curriculum to include teaching these young ruffians a trade, such as shoemaking or tailoring. His highest objective was to bring new priests to Christ through the Salesian order. The order also conducted educational programs for impovereished girls.

God gave to Saint John Bosco a mysterious dog that became the protector of this great saint for much of his life. Where the dog came from and where it went was of no consequence to the saint; he genuinely accepted the friendship of the dog as part of divine providence.

Saint John Bosco died so much good saving the young boys of his time that I am sure it was the influence of the devil that riled people up to try to kill the saint on more than one occasion. It was in response to that danger that a huge gray dog appeared one day when Saint John Bosco was being threatened by murderers. The dog, fearsome to behold, was described as a German shepherd standing three feet tall. Grigio, as he was name by Saint John Bosco, would always appear where trouble waited for the saint. When these ne’er-do-wells finally stopped trying to hurt Saint John Bosco, the dog disappeared. He appeared only one other time. When the saint was lost, to lead him safely to a Salesian home.

Was the dog a wandering wolf who just irrationally took it upon himself to play protector to Saint John Bosco? Or was the dog perhaps sent from heaven? Many asked Saint John Bosco what happened to the dog, to which the saint was said to have responded, “What does it matter? It was my friend.” This was truly an expression of confidence in the reciprocal friendship between humans and animals accorded them by their Creator.

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Susi Pittman is founder of CatholicStewardsofCreation.com and Owner-President of Twin Oaks Publishing; she is author of Animals in Heaven? Catholics Want to Know!; an advocate for the Florida Catholic Conference; a member of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Council of Women in Jacksonville, Florida; an Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Augustine;a member of the Florida Publishers Association, Independent Book Publishers Association, the National Association of Professional Women, the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States and the National Audubon society.