History has been in charge of reflecting how much the Freemasons hated Saint John Bosco, founder of the Salesian Family, although his assassination attempts are not as well known.
The account of two assassination attempts ordered by Freemasonry against Don Bosco was collected in an article that appeared on June 1, 1980 in the Bollettino Salesiano, the official publication of the Salesian Family.
The title of the article was "Purpose: to get our Don Bosco out of the way", and it was published on a date close to 100 years after those attempts by the Freemasons to kill the religious.
According to the story, a former student of Don Bosco named Alessandro Dasso showed up at the gatehouse at the end of June 1880, asking to speak to the priest.
“Her eyes on him were anguished,” the publication recalled. "Don Bosco received him with his usual kindness", but faced with the "growing agitation" of the young man, the founder of the Salesian Family asked him: "What do you want from me? Speaks! You know that Don Bosco loves you”.
At these words, Alessandro Dasso "fell to his knees, burst into tears and sobs" and revealed the truth.
“The young man himself was attached to Freemasonry; the sect had sentenced Don Bosco to death; twelve men had been drawn; twelve individuals had to succeed with that order, to carry out the sentence”, reads the Bollettino Salesiano.
Dasso told Don Bosco that “it was my turn to be the first, just me! And I came for this! I will never do it. I will load on myself the revenge of the others; Revealing the secret is my death, I'm lost, I know. But never kill Don Bosco!"
After confessing what his mission was, the young man threw the weapon he was hiding on the ground.
Despite Don Bosco's attempts to comfort him, the young man quickly left the house. On June 23, Dasso tried to commit suicide by throwing himself into the Po River, but he was rescued in time by policemen.
Some time later, Don Bosco helped him escape from Italy and he lived in hiding "until the end of his days," says the Salesian publication.
Months later, in December 1880, another "young man of about twenty-five years of age visited Don Bosco."
The young man's eyes gave the holy priest “very little confidence”, showing a “sinister” glow.
The boy, says the Bollettino Salesiano, expressed himself as "an exalted man." As he spoke, "a small six-shooter slipped out of his pocket onto the sofa."
"Don Bosco, without him noticing him, skillfully placed his hand on it and slowly put it in his pocket."
The young man would then unsuccessfully search for the weapon in his own pocket, showing a gesture of astonishment.
Don Bosco, very calm, asked him: "What are you looking for, sir?" The boy replied confused: "He had something here in his pocket... who knows how... But where did he go?"
“Don Bosco, quickly approaching the door and taking his left hand to the handle in order to be ready to open it, pointed the gun at him and, without getting angry, said: 'This is the tool you were looking for, isn't it? So?'. Seeing this, the scoundrel was stunned.” And he “wanted to seize his revolver. But Don Bosco told him energetically: 'Come on, get out of here right away! And God have mercy on him!'”
“Then he opened the door and asked some of those who were in the anteroom to accompany the gentleman to the lodge. The assassin hesitated, but Don Bosco replied: 'Get out and don't come back!'” And the boy who wanted to end his life had to leave along with other companions who were waiting for him outside in a car.
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