Morning meditation transforms the life of Don Bosco students

By St. Dominic School

Bankok, THaland, 16 September 2018 -- Since the times of Don Bosco the Salesian Family educators were always challenged about the way how to pray with the young people. Especially in the countries, where the Christians are a very small minority, almost diaspora Church, this challenge triggers many wonderful creative ways of prayer. Compared to other EAO countries the Thai Salesian Family schools still keep daily morning assembly, including also short meditation.

In all Don Bosco schools (both Primary and Secondary, academic of technical) in Thailand, where the Catholics count for 0.3% of the total population, are kept 3 minutes of silent meditation with the guidance of one teacher for the whole school Assembly. At the end of the short meditation is recited the following prayer:

Oh, Don Bosco, We pray to you to protect us, your children

To be good citizen and good young people for the country.

To be people with righteousness like you

So that one day, we will meet you in heaven!

One of the Thailand born groups of the Salesian Family - a secular institute of Daugthers of Queenship of Mary (DQM) made a choice to dedicate in their Kinderagten and Primary school not less than 20 minutes to guided 'moral - Gospel values based meditation and sharing' with the following steps: (1) Hail Mary opens the morning prayer, (2) Students silent time for meditation under in the small groups under the teachers guidance; (3) teacher will give a short talk about one moral - Gospel value (e.g. Compassion), (4) students are asking the question about the 'moral' and finally (5) the teacher will ask the students how do they apply the moral in their daily life, and will record.

In many Salesian schools this short 'meditation' time really transforms the mindset of the young people during few months of their school attendance. And what is important, for many of 'Bosconians' this short but essential practice remains as life-long treasure to go deeper in their life.

Would you try?

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