The St. John Bosco Chapel, near the walkway to the Woods dormitories, may not catch the eye of many people who are non-religious or practice a different religion. However, those interested may learn that it is an open environment that is ready to both have tough talks about religion and make lighthearted jokes with those in attendance.
The history behind St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco was an incredibly accomplished priest, educator and writer. While there is plenty in his history that could be discussed, he is ultimately known for his prophetic vision during a time of Catholic decline.
One website describes St. John Bosco’s Vision by using his testimony account and then explaining what we can gather from his telling.
In the vision, the Catholic church is at war on the sea, and the strength of the Church is quickly weakening; in fact, the Pope dies during the vision. Another Pope takes his place and sails the ship between two pillars, each with their own religious depictions: the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary. The war is soon won after convening between the pillars.
“We see from this prophetic vision that it is through the grace and power of the Holy Eucharist, the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, and the courageous leadership of the Pope, that the Church will weather the storms and attacks of this age and be guided safely to the haven of salvation,” the website concludes.
He also was known for having the stigmata, which are the wounds of Christ, on his palms, and these wounds often bled. As a result, he is often depicted as wearing gloves; many saints with the stigmata will wear similar gloves.
Saint Rita of Cascia is known for also having a stigmata, but different from the common punctured palms. She is depicted with a single thorn from Jesus’ crown of thorns in her forehead.
“She asked to suffer as he suffered, and he basically responds, ‘you can’t handle it, you couldn’t handle the suffering.’ And she says ‘Lord, just give me one thorn on your crown…’ and so she forever has this little scar [from the] crown,” Davis explained.
Catholic practices
The St. John Bosco Chapel features a busy entranceway, as well as a small kitchen and larger dining hall for attendees to stop and eat after Mass. However, some may wonder what Mass actually is; this website offers an in-depth explanation of what happens during Mass, but the overall mission can be explained easily.
“Mass is the central act of worship in the life of a Catholic. Going to Mass is about spending time with God, but also receiving his graces. The name 'Mass' comes from the final blessing said by the priest in Latin, ‘Ite missa es,’ meaning ‘to send out’ as Jesus Christ sent his disciples out to the world to take his teaching to them,” the website explains.
Mass has four basic parts, also known as rites, in which Catholics recognize God’s importance in their lives, pray, sing and give thanks. The chapel at Wright State University holds Mass multiple times a week, including before their Wednesday Bosco Nights.
The sanctuary, located furthest away from the entrance, is an upheld space where the priest usually preaches, but it also contains the tabernacle and the altar. The tabernacle is used to store the Eucharist, or sacred bread; some people may recognize the Eucharist as small white wafers that are typically eaten with wine during Mass or similar religious gatherings.
While some may not recognize the significance of the sanctuary, it is of the utmost importance in the Catholic Church.
“For us, we believe that we are entering into the holiest space, because it's kind of close to the tabernacle [and] where the altar is. So there’s a lot of significance in that,” Davis said.
Above the sanctuary sits the statue of Jesus Christ on the cross. This sculpture has the appearance of “floating” above the sanctuary due to the strong wire that it hangs off of in the middle; it features the cross and Jesus Christ on it as he is being crucified. Unlike some churches, this sculpture captures the painful, visceral details to really represent the intense moment in his life.
Surrounding the sanctuary is a recently-completed mural of yellow and gold that retells the dream of St. John Bosco. The mural features two pillars: one with the Eucharist and one with the blessed mother Mary and her spouse St. Joseph carrying Jesus as a child. Mary is featured with a crown in the mural.
“Mary is often represented with a crown. Catholics, we believe she’s the queen of heaven, because in Jewish culture, the queen was never the wife of the king. It was always the mother of the king,” Davis said.
Within the Eucharist on the mural is the initials “IHS,” which is explained to be the Greek numbering of Jesus’ names.
Bosco Nights
Bosco Nights, named after the Saint of the Chapel, is a weekly event held on Wednesdays after Mass. These events, like most events through the Chapel, are open to the public. They can also be found on the “Raider Catholic” Engage page.
These nights can include activities, like bouquet making, or serious talks about topics like scrupulosity, a religious term that relates to excessive worry and doubt on moral issues as a result of religion. Father Tim Fahey, who led the discussion that night, explained what scrupulosity may feel like.
“If you get to the place where you’re constantly fearful that if you die right now, you’re going to go to hell because you [think] you haven’t done a good enough job. [And] you’re worrying that these small things are actually really big deals, and you can’t be certain where you are in your relationship with God… that’s kind of what scrupulosity is,” Fr. Fahey said.
While it may be difficult to find the events on Engage early– as they often appear a few days before the event itself– Bosco Nights occur every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. without fail. Please feel free to stop by the Chapel if you are interested!
You can also visit their official website to learn more about their mission.
Overall, the Chapel offers a welcoming environment for those who wish to get involved with a religious community, or to simply learn more about Catholic life.
