It’s isn’t always easy to be different from others, but Dominic was. Even as a young boy, he had great faith. His parents taught him how important it was for him to put Jesus first in his life. They had one other goal for Dominic. They wanted him to learn to read and write, something they could not do. They could not afford to send Dominic to boarding school and there were no public schools in his small Italian village. Dominic spent his days on the streets. It did not look like he would have a good future.
A priest named Fr. John Bosco devoted his life to educating poor boys. He helped them to learn a trade so that they could earn a living when they grew up. When Fr. Bosco met Dominic, he was impressed by Dominic’s faith and his eagerness to learn.
Fr. Bosco invited Dominic to attend the school he had recently founded. It would mean moving away from home, but Dominic’s parents gave their permission. It was a wonderful opportunity for their son! Dominick was excited, too. He knew that if he was a good student, he could eventually become a priest and grow even closer to the Lord.
Away at school, Dominic became more religious. He made visits to church several times a day. Sometimes he skipped meals so that he would have more time to pray. The other students made fun of him. Fr. Bosco told Dominic that the way to holiness was to be happy and to help others find happiness. Dominic put Fr. Bosco’s words into action. He became a good friend to all the students and found ways to help them with their studies or chores.
When Dominic was 15, he became very sick. Today we have medicines to treat the illness Dominic had, but there was nothing that could help him in those days. He died peacefully after receiving the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Fr, John Bosco wrote the story of Dominic’s life. He was named a saint in 1954, almost 100 years after he died. Some people thought that he had not lived long enough to be considered for sainthood. But Dominic’s example teaches us that no matter how old we are, we can serve the Lord in small ways every day.
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