聖道明沙維豪
一八四二年四月二日，道明生於杜林基愛里的里瓦 (Riva)，是家裡十兄弟姊妹的長子。他父親是鐵匠嘉祿‧沙維豪 (Charles Savio)，母親是裁縫彼濟大‧亞加特 (Brigitte Agagliate)。他出生後八小時便領洗，取名道明‧若瑟。雖然家境清貧，但他自小整潔有禮。他的老師常說，道明即使身處貴族家中也不會失禮。道明兩歲時，舉家遷往莫里亞多(Morialdo)，即鮑思高神父的故鄉碧基附近。
道明自幼便明白，青年最大的美德就是潔德，因此他常祈求說：「我寧死也不願犯有違潔德的罪。」他很快便學會自制，懂得控制雙目，只看他願意看的事物。有人問他為何進了城也不到處張望，他答說：「我的眼睛只看聖母。」
道明天性善良，熱心虔敬。他四歲時，便懂得自動自覺做早晚禱、飯前祈禱和誦唸三鐘經。他母親說，有時他會退到房子一角祈禱。一天，道明注意到有個親戚還未祈禱便坐到餐桌旁，於是說：「爸爸，我們還未求天主降福我們的飯菜呢。」然後他便劃十字聖號，朗聲祈禱。另一次，有個訪客也是沒有祈禱便坐下來，他便退到一邊去，後來解釋說，他不願意與沒有作飯前祈禱的人同坐一桌。
這個少年不會為父母帶來麻煩，謹遵父母所有吩咐，而且懂得他們的心意。本堂神父談到五歲的道明時，作證說：「他神色平安，舉止虔敬，獲得許多人愛戴。他認得往聖堂的路後，有時聖堂還沒開門，已在那裡跪在階梯上祈禱，直至聖堂開門，風雨不改。他五歲已懂得輔彌撒。主祭常把經書放在祭台旁邊，讓這個孩子能把經書拿到另一端。」
雖然初領聖體的年齡一般為十一歲或十二歲，但道明神修成熟，且熱切渴望領聖體，因此獲准在七歲初領聖體。他以祈禱和閱讀聖書作好準備，並在初領聖體時作出以下決志：
- 我要勤辦告解，並按告解神師的指引勤領聖體。
- 我要謹守瞻禮主日。
- 我要視耶穌和聖母為朋友。
- 我寧死不犯罪。
1857年3月4日，道明臥病在床，至3月9日安然離世。
1933年7月9日，教宗碧岳十二世稱道明沙維豪為「屬靈的巨人」，其潔德、虔敬和熱誠是基督徒的典範。在1950年3月5日，教宗碧岳十二世將道明沙維豪列為「真福品」，再於1954年6月12日將他列為聖品。
教會宣告聖道明沙維豪為兒童歌詠團(Pueri Cantores)及輔祭的主保。
集禱經
天主，一切美善的根源，祢使聖道明．沙維豪成為青少年愛德與純潔的榜樣；求祢使我們同樣在喜樂和愛德中成長，達到基督圓滿的程度。祂和祢及聖神，是唯一天主，永生永王。亞孟。
Saint Dominic Savio
On a beautiful spring day, April 2, 1842, in the village of Riva, two miles from the town of Chieri, in the province of Piedmont, northern Italy, Dominic Savio was born. He was the second of eleven children born to Charles and Brigid Savio, who were poor, hard-working, pious people. Charles was a blacksmith. Dominic was a remarkable boy. What we know of him comes from a biography written by St. John Bosco and the testimony of family and friends. He attended the Oratory of St. Francis De Sales a school, youth center and hospice founded by Don Bosco.
Dominic was very bright and enjoyed school as well as play. He was well liked and respected by his friends. Dominic had remarkable control over his emotions, and while he could get angry like any of his companions, he was able to control himself in most situations. He was friendly and showed early his leadership qualities and a strong sense of duty. He was a prayerful person and had an ever-maturing spirituality.
The Savios attended church in the town of Murialdo and the pastor, Father John Lucca, knew them well. He saw Dominic in Church often. Once he learned to serve Mass he was there every day. While children of the time customarily received their first Communion in their early teens, Fr. Lucca recognized the boy’s remarkable piety and let him make his First Communion at the age of seven.
As the day of his first Communion drew near, Dominic wrote down four resolutions, remarkably mature thoughts of a seven-year-old:
- I will go to Confession and Communion as often as my confessor will allow.
- I will sanctify Sundays and holy days in a special way.
- Jesus and Mary will be my friends.
- Death, but not sin.
As we shall see Dominic lived by these resolutions.
Dominic had a special love for the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He prayed asking for the grace of keeping his heart like Mary’s, free from every impure desire. "Mary," he would pray, "I always want to be your son. Let me die rather than commit a single sin against chastity."
He died at Mondonio on March 9, 1857. Pius XI called him the “little giant of the spirit”. Pius XII proclaimed him Blessed in 1950 and canonized him on June 12, 1954. He is the patron of the Pueri cantores.
Collect
Lord, God of life and happiness, you have given Saint Dominic Savio to the Church as a model of youthful holiness. Grant that young people may grow like him in love and purity, and that we who are educators may be able to lead them to Christ and involve them in the service of your kingdom. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son Who live and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.