EAO Good Night Talk (70)                           

Sacro Cuore, Rome

           1 January 2020

                                                                                                            

Would you like to tell your story?  

 

Dear confreres, friends and Salesian Family members!

              

    On the first day of the new year 2020 I wish you a Happy and Blessed New Year! At the end of this period 2014-2020, just a few weeks before the next General Chapter 28 (16 Feb–4 Apr) we traditionally dedicate time and energy to reflection and evaluation. When we look at the dynamics of animation during the past 6 years in our Region, we discover an interesting experience – the attraction of Salesian storytelling.

    We give thanks to all who contribute to the ongoing sharing within our EAO region on  Boscolink (www.bosco.link) through the AustraLasia news over the past 22 years.  And we give thanks also to the present team of three Salesians (Vietnam, Korea, Australia) who are making this service possible also for this new year 2020!

 

 The Salesian missionary stories have been shared by Cagliero11 since 2009 every month, as the best dynamics of missionary animation. Usually a new missionary vocation is born from listening to another missionary’s life story.

 The Salesian translator stories, normally not very visible, are the fruit of two EAO workshops and help us to discover their spirituality and models, like Fr. Hilario Passero (88 years old) who is still translating the Salesian news and materials in the General House from Italian to Portuguese.

   The Salesian Brother stories enhanced the visibility of the Salesian consecrated vocation before and during the 7^{th EAO Salesian Brother Congress in 2018. Indeed, 52 Brothers printed interviews and 50 YouTube online interviews offer spiritual food or spiritual reading for many!}

    The Salesian Cooperator stories and their Delegates became the main inspiration for the first ever ASC Formation of Formators workshop (Cambodia, 2019)

   The Salesian lay missionary volunteers stories are not known among us very much. After the recent Youth Ministry and Mission animation delegates meeting in Timor we started another ‘round’ of interviews both of volunteers and the religious communities who have received them.

   

    Dialogue is at the heart of our charism, and the interview is a kind of dialogue we use to get these stories shared. Already Don Bosco, in his dialogue with Bartolomeo Garelli on 8 December  1841 (Memoirs of the Oratory, Chapter 12) used no fewer than 15 questions! We give thanks to all who do not hesitate to share their story; may they continue also during this new year! These stories help us to enter the heart of life; we get inspired or attracted to follow Jesus more closely, with more energy and enthusiasm.

 

My wish this year is that we become more open to sharing our stories and take time to listen to them! 

                                             

Fr. Václav Klement, SDB

EAO Regional Councillor