Freemasons Allegedly Plotted to Assassinate St. John Bosco

An article published in Bollettino Salesiano, the official bulletin of the Salesian Family, recounts that in 1880 St. John Bosco, the renowned priest dedicated to the education and care of young people, faced at least two assassination attempts allegedly linked to the Freemasons.

According to the Bollettino Salesiano (June 1, 1980 edition), the first incident occurred in late June 1880. A former student of Don Bosco, named Alessandro Dasso, requested a private meeting. The article describes the young man as visibly tense and agitated. Don Bosco welcomed him with his characteristic gentleness and asked directly:
“What do you want from me? Speak freely! You know that Don Bosco loves you.”

At those words, Dasso broke down in tears and confessed the burden he had been carrying. He admitted to having ties with the Freemasons and revealed that, according to the Salesian account, the organization had condemned Don Bosco to death. A group had reportedly been selected to carry out the plan, and Dasso himself had been chosen to act first.

However, Dasso told Don Bosco that he could not commit such an act. He was willing, he said, to “bear disgrace in place of others,” fully aware that revealing the secret could put his own life in danger—but “killing Don Bosco was never an option.”

After his confession, Dasso threw the concealed weapon he had been carrying onto the ground. Don Bosco attempted to calm him, but the young man quickly left. The Salesian publication later notes that Dasso fell into severe psychological distress and at one point attempted self-harm, though he was saved in time. Don Bosco is said to have helped arrange for him to leave Italy and live in seclusion for the rest of his life.

The second incident reportedly took place several months later, in December 1880. A man about 25 years old came to see Don Bosco. The article describes his gaze as “unsettling” and his manner of speaking as that of a “radical extremist.” During their conversation, a handgun slipped from the man’s pocket onto a chair.

According to the account, Don Bosco calmly placed his hand over the weapon and discreetly removed it without the man noticing. When the visitor nervously searched his pockets, Don Bosco asked, “What are you looking for?” He then went to the door, showed the gun, and said, in effect: “Is this what you are looking for?”

Caught off guard, the would-be assailant froze. Don Bosco immediately opened the door, called others in the house to escort the man out, and firmly ordered him to leave and never return. The article states that accomplices were waiting outside in a vehicle, and the plan ultimately failed.

Recounted from internal Salesian sources, these episodes once again highlight the figure of Don Bosco: steadfast in the face of danger, yet marked by calmness, compassion, and pastoral intuition when confronted with violence.