EAO Good Night Talk (46)
Rome – Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart)
January 1, 2018
2018 – Happy New Listenful Year!
Dear Friends and Salesian Family members,
Receive my heartfelt greetings on the New Year Day of 2018! I wish each and all of you truly blessed and grace-filled year 2018!
Many of us start this year with a special resolution. For example, the PGS (PNG and Solomon Island) Vice-province has chosen as main thrust - ‘Let our Good Night or Good Morning talks become an explicit group accompaniment of youngsters and of our Salesian communities!’ Indeed it’s one simple, wise, effective and very Salesian resolution!
I’m very happy to share with you my excitement at the beginning of this year. All around the world the young people are disappointed with the lack of listening by the Salesians! In 2018 we are invited to move forward, to embrace this important challenge and become more listenful!
The whole Catholic community around the world is invited this year to learn how to listen the young! Pope Francis is asking all bishops to listen to the young, in order to strengthen their faith and accompany them well on their vocation discernment journey. Next October the Synod of Bishops will explore the dynamics of ‘Young – Faith – Vocation Discernment’.
The Rector Major is asking the whole Salesian Family to ‘Cultivate the Art of Listening and of Accompaniment’ in his Strenna 2018 ‘Lord, give me this water!’ (John 4,15). And each group of Salesian Family gives a special touch to this listenful year!
The Salesian Mission Day 2018 is focused on the ‘Whispering the Gospel’ to the soul of Asia, especially in the Vocation training centers! We know from our own experience, there is only one way if we like to whisper to the ears to our youth: We need to be closely present among them and listen well to their life, their likes and their heart!
How to listen well? How to listen enough? How to listen to the heart of God, heart of our fellow confreres and to the heart of each of the youth entrusted to our care? Yes, we accept this wonderful invitation as our journey for the whole year of 2018!
Yours listenful in Don Bosco
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB
EAO Regional councillor
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For download:
Strenna Commentary 2018 in English STRENNA 2018 - Comment ENG.docx
Strenna Poster - Japan version (caption) 2018 strenna poster GIA caption.docx
thank you for the regular "good Nights" including the last one just arrived.
Attention to the Strenna among the members of our individual communities would make a great improvement to many lives!
Buon anno. Fr. John (AUL)