Image of Saint John Bosco By Edward Matulanya  Explore the inspiring life of Saint John Bosco, his devotion to Mary Help of Christians, founding of the Salesians, and his legacy as a patron saint of youth and students. 1. Saint John Bosco; Father and Teacher of Youth in the Roman Catholic Church Saint John Bosco (1815–1888), popularly known as Don Bosco , is venerated by the Roman Catholic Church as a priest of exceptional pastoral charity, an innovative educator, and a saint wholly devoted to the salvation of young people. Canonized in 1934, he is officially described by the Church as “Father and Teacher of Youth” because of his lifelong dedication to forming young people spiritually, morally, and socially (John Paul II, 1988; Catholic Church, 2000; Wirth, 2009). For example, in  industrial-era Turin, thousands of boys were homeless, unemployed, and vulnerable to crime. Don Bosco gathered them into oratories where they experienced faith , education, recreation, and lo...