Prayer to Saint John Bosco

A priest helps two young people build a birdhouse at a table in a sunny courtyard.
Patient guidance gives young people room to learn and grow.

O glorious Saint John Bosco, who in order to lead young people to the feet of the divine Master and to mould them in the light of faith and Christian morality didst heroically sacrifice thyself to the very end of thy life and didst set up a proper religious Institute destined to endure and to bring to the farthest boundaries of the earth thy glorious work, obtain also for us from Our Lord a holy love for young people who are exposed to so many seductions in order that we may generously spend ourselves in supporting them against the snares of the devil, in keeping them safe from the dangers of the world, and in guiding them, pure and holy, in the path that leads to God. Amen.

Further reading

This prayer asks for a generous love of young people and the willingness to guide them toward God. F. A. Forbes's St. John Bosco: The Friend of Youth introduces the life and work behind that concern.

St. John Bosco: The Friend of Youth by F. A. Forbes (paperback) on Amazon (paid link)