Listen, appreciate and give thanks!

by vaclav posted Jan 28, 2017
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EAO Good Night Talk (35)                                                                  

    February 1, 2017

 

Listen, appreciate and give thanks!

 

Dear friends and confreres,

 

We have started another year, for us the Year of the Family. During last January we try to make the Strenna of the Rector Major our own: “Family a school of Life and Love!” Indeed the recent 35th Salesian Family Spirituality Days in Rome touched deeply our hearts with an old-new mission toward FAMILY around the Exhortation of Pope Francis – Amoris Laetitia. Main trust – How to accompany the families in difficulties!

 

Entering the month of February we congratulate and pray for three Salesians of our Region: Bishop elect of Kerema diocese (PNG) Fr. Peter Baquero (episcopal ordination on March 25), the second Superior of the PGS Vice-province, Fr. Alfred Maravilla (installation on March 19) and the 16th Provincial of THA (Thailand, Cambodia and Laos) Fr. John Bosco Theparat Pitisant (installation on February 2).

 

Last year during animation meetings and personal dialogues I treasured especially a hope-filled attitude of many rectors, delegates, provincials or others in service of leadership. In spite of many great challenges they look honestly on the reality with smile, joy, faith - always with encouraging words.

 

In one not-so-easy country of our Region I found truly wise approach of the Superior, who asked the confreres to use ‘only future oriented talks’!  When we asked our young people: What is your life-dream? - Usually we may enter a life-moving dialogue. It’s not by chance that Don Bosco shared many dreams with his Salesians and the young. When we dream together as a local community, as a provincial community during our sharing, assembly, chapter or well prepared planning - evaluation meeting – we are growing and moving forward!

 

Probably most of us started one month ago this year with some simple and concrete resolution. I would like to share my resolution: “Listen, appreciate and give thanks!” More and more I’m deeply convinced that our most necessary life attitude is listening – listen more to God, listen with empathy to our fellow brothers and sisters and especially to our young people. Yes, listening is never enough!

 

I would like to invite all of us to waste more time in listening, listening with calm, with empathy and with a prayerful heart. Mary, Mother of Listening, pray for us!

 

Fr. Václav Klement, SDB

EAO Regional councillor