This young saint who was taught and guided by Don Bosco himself, reminds us that we are all called to be saints.

Born on 2 April 1842 in a small village near Chieri, not far from Turin, Dominic showed great devotion to the sacraments from a very early age. After meeting Don Bosco, he became a student at the Oratory, and famously asked Don Bosco how he could become a saint: 'It is easy,' Don Bosco replied, "The way to be a saint, Dominic, is to be always cheerful, do your duties to the best of your ability, and give your classmates good example. Keep in mind that the Lord Jesus is always with you and wants your happiness."

Dominic followed his advice, doing the ordinary, everyday things in an extraordinary way, and encouraging others with his cheerfulness and devotion. He showed great courage in standing up to those whose behaviour conflicted with Catholic teaching, gently correcting them and persuading them to change their ways. Many of Don Bosco's boys were tough street kids who had often been on the wrong side of the law, but this slight, quiet, pious boy was able to influence and inspire them. On one occasion, Dominic silently accepted the blame for the actions of another boy, because he knew the bad reputation of the real offender would have led to a more severe punishment than the one he himself was given. He was popular among the boys, and was a great support to those who were going through difficult times.

In his biography of Dominic, Don Bosco tells us that he would often enter a deeply spiritual state in prayer, which he referred to as his 'distractions'. He told his mentor, "I get a distraction and lose the thread of my prayers and then I see such wonderful things that the hours pass by like minutes." In one of his spiritual experiences, he told Don Bosco he had a vision of England, lit up anew by the Catholic faith.

Dominic did not live to see the Salesian mission arriving in England in 1887. With his delicate health failing, he was sent home to recover, but on 8 March 1857, aged 14, he died, after receiving the Sacrament of the Sick and the Papal Blessing, and surrounded by his family. His last words were "Oh, what wonderful things I see."

Dominic's exemplary life of holiness led to him becoming the first young person to be made a saint, who had not been martyred for their faith. He was canonised by Pope Pius XII on 12 June 1954.

Dominic is the patron saint of altar servers, the wrongly accused, and juvenile offenders. His feast day is 6 May.

I can't do big things. But I want all that I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God.

St Dominic Savio

For more information about Dominic's life, visit sdb.org

Image by Mario Caffaro-Rore via sdb.org