June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We celebrate the feast day on June 21st, but the Sacred Heart of Jesus never stops burning in love for each of us.
Don Bosco, toward the end of his life, dedicated himself to a project that would glorify the Sacred Heart of Jesus for years to come.
Now, just a short distance from Termini Station in bustling Rome, stands the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims pass by it every day, often without realizing that this church is connected to one of the most beloved saints in the Church.
By the 1880s, Don Bosco had already experienced quite a full life. He had spent decades caring for poor and abandoned boys, founding the Salesians, preaching, writing, traveling, and raising funds for countless projects. His health was not good, and most people would have expected him to slow down.
Instead, Pope Leo XIII asked him to take on yet another challenge.
A church dedicated to the Sacred Heart was being built in Rome, but progress had stalled. Money was scarce, construction was struggling, and the project seemed unlikely to succeed. The pope turned to Don Bosco and asked for help.
Don Bosco accepted.
For years, he worked tirelessly to raise funds and complete the church. He traveled extensively despite poor health and devoted enormous energy to a project that many would have considered impossible.
Yet Don Bosco persevered and the basilica was finally completed in 1887.
Don Bosco returned to celebrate Mass there. During the Mass, he reportedly became overwhelmed with emotion and had to stop repeatedly because he was weeping.
For decades he had carried in his heart the famous dream he received as a boy at the age of nine. In that dream, Our Lady had shown him a mission that he did not yet understand. Then, standing at the altar of the completed church, he suddenly saw how God had been guiding his life all along.
The dream, the boys, the Salesians, the countless struggles and sacrifices, the devotion to the Sacred Heart, and the maternal guidance of Mary all seemed to come together in that moment.
The basilica itself is beautiful, and the image of an elderly saint looking back over his life and recognizing God's hand in places where he may not have seen it before makes it even more so.
Many of us are still somewhere in the middle of our own stories. We do not always understand why certain doors open and others close. We cannot always see how God is working through setbacks, delays, disappointments, or unexpected opportunities.
Don Bosco could not see the whole picture when he was a boy.
He could not see it when he was caring for street children in Turin.
He probably could not see it while struggling to raise money for yet another construction project.
Yet God was working through all of it.
Perhaps that is one reason the Sacred Heart devotion continues to resonate with so many Catholics. It reminds us that Christ's love is not distant or abstract. His Heart remains active in the lives of His people, drawing them forward even when they cannot see where the path is leading.
The story of St. John Bosco's final years is a powerful reminder that God often reveals His plan one step at a time. Sometimes we only begin to understand it when we look back.
One of the beautiful traditions that developed from this devotion is displaying images of the Sacred Heart alongside the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Chaste Heart of St. Joseph. Together, the three hearts remind us of the Holy Family's love, fidelity, and trust in God's providence. This Three Hearts Wall Plaque in multiple finishes is a wonderful way to express our devotion. Find yours today at The Catholic Company!
