Can angels take the form of animals?

As we know, everyone who is in heaven is a saint. But there are also "official" saints, those recognized for all the good they did here on earth. One who couldn't have succeeded without a particular heavenly helper was St. John Bosco, whose feast day we observed on January 31st.

John was born in Becchi, Italy in 1815, and although he grew up in poverty, he had a wise and loving mother, who saw that he got an education. Before John had reached his teens, he was already experiencing wonderful dreams about his future. It seemed clear that he was to become a priest, and work with homeless boys, saving them from the streets, educating them and teaching them about God. Just how this was all to come about was not explained in the dreams. John set out to accomplish the task anyway.

The street kids that he dealt with were rough, angry and not all that interested in reforming their lives. Often they would rob John when he approached them. Gradually, he won over the younger ones, and established group homes for them. But the assaults continued. And because many of John's rescued boys were hard to handle, the citizenry was not exactly thrilled with his mission. Often, they too attempted to drive him out of the area. (Teenagers were considered a pain by many then too.)

One autumn evening in 1852, John Bosco was making his way across the most broken part of the slum district. He was alone and depressed. (Yes, even saints get depressed.) "Lord," he prayed, "I know you want me to care for the least of your children, but I can't go on being mugged and robbed, and still do the work you've assigned me. How about a little help?"

Suddenly John noticed a dog behind him. Or was it a wolf? The creature was huge and grey...but friendly. Timidly John called it, and the dog trotted up and took his place alongside John, as if he had been trained to do so. "I'll call you Grigio," John told the dog (Grigio" means "grey" in Italian). The two strolled along in silent companionship until John reached his house, and the dog left, as if his job was done. But it wasn't. A few days later, John had to travel through a dangerous area, where he had once been beaten by street thugs. He was apprehensive but…there was Grigio! Again, the canine bodyguard stayed next to John, until he reached his home. How had he known?

Thus began a tender pattern - John walking alone, the dog suddenly appearing and escorting him to safety. On one occasion someone behind a tree fired two shots at John. They missed, and the shooter aimed again. But Grigio raced at him, teeth bared, and the man fled. Another time, as John was walking down a dark and unfamiliar street, two men threw a sack over his head, obviously intending to kill him. Suddenly John heard barking. Yes, although he hadn't seen his faithful companion, here came Grigio again,growling and driving the men away. A few days later, Grigio saved John's life in an ambush. A dozen men had surrounded him with their sticks raised to strike when Grigio arrived upon the scene. Of course everyone fled.

The animal became popular, for he sometimes came into John's house, and allowed the smaller boys to play with him. But his appearances always had a purpose. Sometimes it was to meet John at the door before some journey; sometimes to escort John safely home, even when John was unaware of danger. At least once, Grigio even prevented John from going out. He lay down on the threshold and barred the exit. "Grigio, move aside!" John commanded, but the dog resisted, and John eventually gave up and took off his coat. About an hour later, John's neighbor rushed in to warn John that another trap had been set for him. Grigio had saved him again.

By now, John realized that something heavenly was going on. And as if to confirm it, the dog appeared as John was on his way to visit a farmer. When they arrived, John brought the dog inside. Grigio lay down quietly in a corner while the family ate. But when they had assembled leftovers for Grigio's dinner, they could not find him! No doors or windows had been open, yet he had vanished.

For over thirty years, as John Bosco traveled Italy, saving boys and establishing the Salesian Society, a new order of priests, faithful Grigio continued his inexplicable but wondrous mission (and never grew any older!). To this day, if a Salesian priest is in danger, a large grey dog sometimes appears, just at the right time.

God sends angels in many forms. Even dogs? You decide.