EAO Good Night Talk - September 2019
Anisakan - Myanmar
September 1, 2019
A culture of vocation grows (only) only through attraction
Dear Friends and Salesian Family members,
Receive my heartfelt greetings from Anisakan-Myanmar, this year remembering 80 years from the arrival of the first missionaries in Mandalay in 1939. We have had an excellent time here, during the recent 2nd EAO Salesian Translators Workshop just a few days ago involving 30 diligent and patient translators, young and seniors; SDB – FMA – Salesian Cooperators and lay mission partners from 9 different EAO provinces!
Attraction! This has been one of my frequent meditation points over the past few months. When we share our faith through stories of vocation, when we ask our young Salesian missionaries about that first moment that sparked their vocation – what we always find are the dynamics of attraction. Wow! That’s cool, that’s beautiful, that’s wonderful – in different ways we express our attraction to Jesus, his People of God, his Saints or some of his disciples!
Reading the Salesian Brothers interviews (2018) or the Salesian Cooperators interviews (2019) over and over again, I am constantly struck by the similarities in the dynamics of attraction:
Simply, because there has been one joyful Salesian Brother (John Baptist) present among the Aspirants or Prenovices, the province of Vietnam – Mongolia has so many young Brothers!
Yes, today too, the simplicity of Salesian consecrated life still attracts!
Simply, because we encourage our Salesian missionaries to share their vocation story in our formation houses or through Cagliero11, we generate new missionary generations among us! Yes, the beauty of an outreaching life is still very attractive!
Simply, because we share, as Don Bosco shared his vocation story among the youth or Catholic communities, we may once more find new generations of Salesian Cooperators. Yes, the most attractive pillar of the Salesian vocation culture is always a priceless life story of Don Bosco!
What and who attracted you to Jesus or to Don Bosco’s family? Family spirit or simple fellowship you experienced in some Salesian community? A courageous and always available missionary model in your parish or school? A patient and accompanying teacher always ready to listen – a Salesian Cooperator perhaps – who dedicated time to you during your school years? The always smiling and welcoming face of your rector or catechist in front of your Don Bosco school?
The culture of vocation, including in our Salesian environment, grows everywhere through the narrative of attractive stories. Which attractive story will you share during September with your friends, with the young people you are able to meet in your daily life and mission? I wish you good times of attractive story-telling, a humble but very important brick in the large vocation building process of the whole Catholic community around the world.
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB
EAO Regional Councillor
--------------------
Photo of Nino (Antonio) Baglieri, Servant of God (1951-2007)
CDB (Con Don Bosco) - 'Volunteers With Don Bosco'
Salesian secular institute member
CDB secular institute does celebrate 25th (Silver) Jubilee of Foundation
First EAO based group of CDB is located in the Philippines - Manila
(1994-2019)
Would you like to become a Mission?
Lord, send me out of my comfort zone!
