Death Rather Than Sin! Save Your Soul!
Who Was Dominic Savio?
On a beautiful spring day, April 2, 1842, in the ham-let of Riva, two miles from the town of Chieri, in Piedmont, northern Italy, Dominic Savio was born. He was the second of eleven children born to Charles and Brigid Savio, who were poor, hard-working, pious people. The father was a blacksmith.
Dominic was a remarkable boy, a real boy among boys, and in a true sense an apostle among his companions and friends. He felt the surge of anger and the attraction of the good things in life, but he knew how to control the rebellion of nature against its Maker.
Young Dominic was unusually bright and good for his age. Therefore, the pastor, Father John Zucca, of the town of Murialdo, decided to admit him to first Holy Communion when he was only seven years old. This was very remarkable in an age when it was the norm to put off first Communion until the child was eleven or twelve.
It was a fervent Communion the boy made. At that time he formed the program of his whole life. It comprised four resolutions:
- I will go to Confession and Communion as often as my confessor will allow.
- I will sanctify Sundays and holy days in a special way.
- Jesus and Mary will be my friends.
- Death but not sin.
This last resolution was ever before him, and he kept it faithfully.
Nelson MCBS 