Enriching Mind and Heart

Don Bosco himself taught catechism in various schools in town on weekdays. Soon, he had an idea to tap older boys to teach catechism on Sundays and holy days.

Don Bosco started to organize classes whose progress so far had been hampered by the nomadic life of the oratory. And his own long illness. Because of lack of space, one class was taught in the kitchen and another in Don Bosco's own room. Another was held in the sacristy while still another met behind the main altar and several in the chapel itself.

When space became more suitable (Pancrazio Soave vacated some of the rooms at the ground floor as per their agreement) Don Bosco grouped the students according to their intellectual ability.

The Sunday classes were helpful to all, but insufficient, because during the week, many slow learners forgot what they had learned the past Sunday. To avoid this, Don Bosco encouraged them to attend the weekday evening class.