5338(I)_Goodnight Talks: East Asia-Oceania 2014—2020
Farewell with a collection of Goodnights 2014-2020
March 15, 2020
EAO Region, 14 March 2020 -- Since April 2014 we have been accustomed to monthly 'Goodnights' shared by the EAO regional councillor online (email) and posted on Boscolink (website). Now that his term has ended, we have the digital version of 72 Goodnights available.
From the 'Introduction' to the digital edition of this 'Goodnights' collection by Fr. Vaclav Klement:
"At the end of this six-year period (2014–2020) we offer this collection of 72 regional Good Night Talks to the 1500 Salesians of our East Asia-Oceania region and all members of the different groups of the Salesian Family.
After so many visits to our 12 provinces and almost 200 communities, I am more aware than ever of the charismatic importance of the ‘Goodnight’ in our daily community or pastoral life. It makes a huge difference – just compare a Don Bosco school without a good morning talk or Salesian education with a daily good morning talk.
It is amazing how these brief but powerful daily moments transform the lives of many young people, Salesians and members of the Salesian Family. What makes the difference?
Don Bosco believed that this short daily opportunity brings many fruits: it helps to wrap up our life on a daily basis, builds up the community, trains us to take a faith perspective on our reality. We need this constantly renewed experience of sharing, storytelling in the life of a community (school, family, religious community, group home or boarding school). Listening to a personal life sharing daily or not listening to one – those two daily experiences are very different! As different as it is to interpret our complex world each day from a faith perspective, or not to do so. We are convinced that thanks to this invention of Mamma Margaret’s our life becomes richer and we find its meaning and deeper joy in living it.
Some 18 years after the establishment of our East Asia-Oceania region, I am happy to share this simple collection of ‘goodnights’, the result of ongoing monthly reflection, prayer based on some heart-touching events, encounters or deeper insights along my journey.
Our hope is that this simple collection could inspire our Salesian community rectors, leaders, lay mission partners or Salesian Family members to treasure this deep and charismatic opportunity of the 'goodnight' or 'goodmorning' talk. And we are also grateful to everyone who has made the publication of this collection possible in digital and paper form."
We give thanks who did contribute with their own sharing (entries to these 'Goodnight's), to all who were translating into Vietnamese, Japanese or Chinese during past 6 years and to all those who encouraged the author during this 6 period to carry on or send send or posted their feedback.
