By Cl. Anthony Pun, SDB
Turin , Italy, 8 January - At the age of five, Callisto Caravario moved from Courgne, his birthplace, to Turin with his family. When he was seven years old, he studied in a nearby school Raineri. He spent the first three years of primary schooling there.
Little Callisto came to in contact with the Salesian in the Oratory of St. Joseph, which was the fourth oratory founded by Don Bosco. It was in this oratory that he knew Don Garelli and Cleric Carlo Braga. Both of them were future missionaries to China. It was testified that little Callisto was not so game-oriented. He liked to help putting things in order and do the chores in the church. It was also commented that he was like a little apostle among his companions.
At the meantime, of unknown reason, Callisto was not doing well at school. His mother decided to enrolled him into a Salesian Primary school named St. John the Evangelist. Cleric Braga was the teacher of Callisto for 2 years. And now, Callisto spent his whole day with the Salesians in the school and oratory.
In 1914, at the age of 11, he pursued his studies in Valdocco. However, he continued to visit the Oratory of St. Joseph. He was an ardent altar server and a active member of the Companion of St. Louis. He continued to animate the group when Cleric Caravario had his apostolic work in the same oratory in 1921-22.
In the April of 1922, Cleric Caravario had a chance to meet Mons. Versiglia in Turin when the latter attended the 12th General Chapter. Caravario expressed his eagerness of going to the mission in China. He was not sent to the mission until 1924 because he has to continue his formation in Valsalice.
The vocation and sanctity of St. Caravario began from his initial encounters with Salesian. Particularly for his enthusiasm for the China mission, Don Garelli and Don Braga played an important role in its cultivation as well as realisation. "
