EAO Good Night Talk (60)                                                                 

 

 

  

Cebu, Philippines,

       1 March, 2019

 

 

In what ways do you love Salesian saints?

 

Dear Friends and Salesian Family members,

 

    Receive my heartfelt greetings a few days before the beginning of the Lenten season. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on 6 March. In 52 days time from now we will celebrate the Christian heart of each year, the Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

     We have embarked on the ‘Holiness for You Too!’ journey since 1^st January 2019. This Strenna message helps us to discover so many official Salesian saints as well the ‘next door holiness’ in our daily life. I’m grateful to the 2019 Strenna video that easily inspires even young people to take this path of holiness seriously in the headaches and challenges of everyday life, and its often gray, daily duties.

 

How do we express or make visible our love for our Salesian saints?

 

     Yes, without getting to know each of the 168+ Salesian Family Saints a little bit more, we can’t talk about our love for them.

   In some provinces, each classroom in our schools is named after one Salesian Family saint, or important Salesian personality of the past. This way our students 

have a chance to know them better.

   In many of our houses we keep the poster of Salesian holiness in a place of 

honour with its photos of the 168 Salesian Family Saints.

   Many Salesians dedicate their time and energy to translating biographies into their mother tongue, in order to make our Saints known more.

   Some of us put on photos of their favorite Saints on their FB page or on a

wall, with some typical saying or short story from their life.

    I was surprised to know that one Salesian confessor asked someone as a 

penance after confession to buy and read the Biography of Mamma Margaret.

 

     To know, love, imitate, pray to and make known our Salesian Family Saints is a sure way to be more faithful in our following of Jesus, encouraging each other and motivating ourselves on this earthly journey.

 

 

Fr. Václav Klement, SDB

EAO Regional Councillor