Early in my twenties, I went on a pilgrimage to Turin, Italy. My main goal was to visit the tombs of Blessed Pier Giorgio and Saint John Bosco. As I walked into the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, where Saint John Bosco was buried, I was filled with wonder at the stunning beauty of it. The architecture and artwork of that church is a deep reflection of the majesty of our Catholic faith. Our Lady Help of Christians is the title of Mother Mary that Saint John Bosco loved so dearly and for whom he had built the Basilica I was entering in her honor.
As I knelt before Saint John Bosco’s body, that is partially incorrupt, I felt a strong desire to ask his intercession for my future. Through his intercession, I entrusted to God my vocation: my future husband and children. The moment I did this, I felt such peace and excitement.
Several years later, I met my husband Mike through a young adult group I helped create in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. A few months after our wedding, we found out I was going to have a baby, and my due date was May 24, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. All throughout my pregnancy I prayed for my son through the intercession of those two holy men from Turin, Italy: Blessed Pier Giorgio and Saint John Bosco My son was born on his due date, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.
A few months ago, I was able to return to Our Lady Help of Christians, to the exact place I had prayed ten years prior. This time, instead of prayers of petition, I offered joyful prayers of thanksgiving. God, through the intercession of Saint John Bosco and Mother Mary, the help of Christians, fulfilled the desires of my heart. After years of infertility I know the miracle of my son’s life—the power of their intercession, and the life changing reality of prayer.
A Prophetic Dream
Though the Marian title “Help of Christians” had been used for years, it was Saint John Bosco who helped promulgate it. He often had prophetic dreams (you can read some of them HERE), and one in particular led him to a greater devotion to our Lady.
In his dream, he saw the Church represented by a ship on a stormy sea, passing through two pillars into safety. On the top of one of the pillars was an image of our Lady with the words “Help of Christians” and on the other was a Eucharistic Host with the words, “Salvation of the Faithful” underneath. The imagery is clear: Saint John Bosco knew that through the Eucharist and the Intercession of Our Lady Help of Christians, our Church will find refuge, safety, peace, and joy in the storms of this life.
Our Lady Help of Christians
Saint John Bosco helped build the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians and created a religious order, the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. Thousands come each year to ask our Lady’s intercession. I think back to a few months ago, when I was blessed to have the Sacrament of Confession in this Basilica, built by Saint John Bosco and many of his faithful friends. After confessing my sins the priest replied, with a smile, “Turn to our Lady; she wants to help you. She will help you! She is the help of all Christians!”
In our sin, sorrow, suffering, and storms—let us hold these words of my confessor at our hearts’ helm: our Lady is the help of all Christians! On this feast day of Saint John Bosco, may we ask our Lady’s intercession and share in the glory of Saint John Bosco and all the Saints.
Claire Couche is a wife, etiquette instructor, blogger, homeschooling mother, and registered nurse. She is passionate about sharing content that helps her community live a beautiful and virtuous life. Using her degrees in theology and history, Claire shares about the Catholic faith often on her IG account @findingphilothea and her website, Finding Philothea. You can often find her reading a good book in a beautiful dress! Learn more about Claire and all things etiquette here.
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