St. Dominic Savio was born on 2 April 1842 to Charles Savio and his wife Bridgid in Riva, Italy. A peaceful Christian home environment helped prepare his soul to receive great light and grace from God. Dominic went to Church every morning and served at Mass. The four resolutions the saintly youngster made on the day he received his First Holy Communion at the age of seven stand out as an important legacy for children of all time- (1) I will frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive Holy Communion as often as my confessor permits. (2) I will sanctify Sundays and holy days in a special way. (3) Jesus and Mary will be my friends. (4) Death rather than sin.
Young Dominic joined St. John Bosco as a student at the Oratory in Turin at 12. Don Bosco helped enkindle in Dominic's heart a deep love for God and devotion to the Virgin Mary. He was a prayerful person and had an ever-maturing spirituality. St Dominic Savio said, "I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God."
In his zeal, he tried voluntary mortification and other voluntary penances, hoping that they would help him to grow closer to Jesus and help him to be less concerned with his own needs. Fr. Bosco corrected Dominic and advised him to devote himself to his studies and to be cheerful. Dominic started the Sodality of the Immaculate Conception with Don Bosco's support for promoting devotion to Mother Mary.
Saint Dominic's frail health led to lung problems, and he was sent home to recuperate. On 9 March 1857, the youngster, who longed to be a saint, burst into ecstatic exclamation: "Oh, what a beautiful sight I see!" before passing to his reward. St. Pius X said of him, "A teenager such as Dominic, who bravely struggled to preserve undefiled his baptismal innocence to the very last, is indeed a saint!" Dominic was canonized in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. He is the patron saint of Choirboys and Juvenile delinquents.
St. Dominic Savio, a model of purity, piety, penance, and apostolic zeal for youth; pray that we may serve God in our ordinary duties with fervent devotion.
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Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
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