THE APOSTLE OF YOUTH
CHAPTER VIII
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. A CATECHISM CLASS. SIGNOR URBAIN RATAZZI. PRISONERS
December 8th of that eventful year, 1854, was a day of high festivity at the Oratory—the day on which the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady was proclaimed by Pius IX. A solemn Te Deum was sung; and Don Bosco preached a sermon that was a model of eloquence and teeming with sound doctrine, every word of which was a flame that shot forth from the fire of love that consumed his heart for Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God.
On one of the following Sundays Don Bosco was teaching catechism. To his explanation of dogma and morals, he was accustomed to add remarks upon the history of the Church. Suddenly one little boy rose to his feet and questioned the Father.
"If Trajan was unjust in banishing Pope St. Clement, what must we think of our government exiling Archbishop Franzoni?"
There was a large congregation; no doubt strangers were there. Don Bosco, never disconcerted, answered the question clearly and briefly, concluding with the words: "Let us leave the problems of the present epoch to the decision of the catechism class of a hundred years to come,
47
