The Venerable Don Bosco, the Apostle of Youth/Chapter XXXII
CHAPTER XXXII
DON PAUL ALBERA. THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE SOCIETY
Don Michael Rua died in the odor of sanctity in 1910, in his seventy-third year; and his mortal remains lie in the same tomb at Val Salice with those of his father and model, the Venerable Don Bosco. His successor, the Very Reverend Paul Albera, was also one of the saintly founder's early children and emulated his master and his companions in the strife after perfection; so that in France they called him another Don Bosco. He was Don Rua's assistant for many years, and was frequently deputed to visit as his representative the various houses of the Institute. I have before me a record of his arrival and splendid reception at the great Salesian house, Battersea, London, "after his journeys in America of nearly three years duration, journeys which extended over every point of the Salesian missions, from the frosty shores of Tierra del Fuego up to the Lazarettoes of Colombia"—where he gave missions to the poor lepers—through Central America and Mexico, on to California, and thence, by way of Chicago, to New York. They were leisurely visits, teeming with consolation and help to his brethren, while to himself they brought not only consolation, in spite of weariness and frequent suffering, but that wisdom, bought by experience, that comes only from loving and sympathetic appreciation of the virtues, the hardships and the struggles of one's brethren. On his return to Turin he chose to represent America at a great Salesian Congress, where three Cardinals, eight Archbishops and fifty Bishops were present.
I might add that like his zealous predecessor, Don Albera has frequently visited the Salesian Institute in London, which by its phenomenal progress has amply fulfilled the prophecy of Don Bosco that Battersea would become "one of the largest and most important houses of the Congregation." Not long ago I heard that he had made a similar prediction concerning an extensive and populous city of our own country, where, however, the Salesian ship has not yet cast anchor.
It may be in place here to give a few statistics which will tend to show the present status of the Congregation. The Church numbers over four thousand five hundred of these harvesters of God; of this army, Europe claims three thousand, the Americas fifteen hundred, fifty of whom carry on Don Bosco's work in the United States,—Asia, eighty-five, and Africa, twenty-five. The prelates of Australia and Canada have long been desirous of Salesian foundations; but owing to the lack of members the Superior General has been forced regretfully to decline their liberal offers.
The Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians, organized by Don Bosco, are somewhat less in number; but they are accomplishing the same work for girls that the Salesian Fathers are achieving in their various establishments for boys, and are generally found, as we have said, co-workers with them side by side.
The Church has manifested her affection and esteem for the Society of St. Francis of Sales by choosing from its ranks many able prelates. The first Salesian bishop is now a prince of the Sacred College, the venerable Cardinal Cagliero, Apostle of Patagonia. The second bishop, the saintly and eloquent speaker and writer, Msgr. Louis Lasagna, after incredible missionary labors in South America, was killed in a train wreck in Brazil, November 6, 1895.
Other zealous Salesian Missionaries whose labors in the vineyard have been crowned with the mitre and crosier, are the Most Reverend Felix Ambrose Guerra, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba; the Right Reverend John Marenco, Bishop of Massa Carrara, Italy; the Right Reverend Francis de Aquino Correa, Auxiliary Bishop of Cuyaba; the Right Reverend James Costamagna, Titular Bishop of Colonia; the Right Reverend Louis Olivares, Bishop of Nepi and Sutri, Italy; the Right Reverend Anthony Malan, Titular Bishop of Arniso; and the lamented Prefect Apostolic of Southern Patagonia, the Right Reverend Joseph Fagnano, whose virtues and saintly death, September 18, 1916, I have briefly recorded on a preceding page.
In the field of science among many names that have brought renown to the Society may be mentioned, Father Ubaldi, founder and director of "Didaskaleio", a magazine devoted to research in the works of the Fathers of the Church; Father Mezzacasa, the first priest to receive the degree of Doctor in Sacred Scripture at the new Institute of Biblical Studies, founded by the late Pius X; Father Piscetta in Theology; Father Munerati in Canon Law; and Father Carmagnola as a sacred orator and author of many ascetical works. In the arts Father Vespignani has become celebrated as the architect of Don Bosco's Tomb, and of many beautiful churches and schools in Italy and South America; Father Grosso is an authority in Gregorian Chant; and Father Pagella is held in honor by sacred musicians over the world as a composer of polyphonic music and writer of theoretical works.
In the Industrial Arts, Trades and Agriculture the Salesian Fathers are initiating a series of textbooks, based on their long years of experience, which they hope to present ere long as models in this new department of pedagogy.
The Very Reverend PAUL ALBERA
Superior General of the Salesian Congregation