THE VENERABLE DON BOSCO
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
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