The Goodnight

Hello all! Last Friday night, I had the opportunity to give the Goodnight. The goodnight is a long custom in Salesian Houses. It is a short thought given after Night Prayers to round off the day. The custom was started in the very beginning of Don Bosco's work, the tradition was started by Mama Margaret, Don Bosco's mother. The topic of the Goodnight was Faith in Myself. We have two groups of young people that come to the Youth Center. The first group that we have is for the younger kids from ages 10-14. They come from 6:30 pm-9:00 pm. The second group that we have is for older kids from ages 15-20. We have two separate goodnights that are age appropriate. The first one for the younger kids, I talked about the life of St. Dominic Savio. St. Dominic Savio was a young person who met Don Bosco at age 12, in the same age range as the young people that the goodnight was being given to. I talked about the way in which Dominic strived for holiness. How he put it above everything in his life. How he help his motto to the utmost;Death but not sin! I told the kids that Don Bosco had told Dominic to do the ordinary things in an extra ordinary way. I told them the story of Dominic when he was in the yard when two boys were having a rock fight, and which Dominic, Crucifix in hand, broke up the fight, and told them that Jesus loved them, and what would Jesus think of their behavior? The kids asked some questions, but they were more anxious to go and play than listen to me talk. So the good night lasted about 7 minutes.
The Goodnight for the older people came on later in the night. The theme for the goodnight was the same, Faith in Myself. This time however I did not talk about St. Dominic Savio. I talked about my vocation and how I did not have the full support of my family. My father did not have all the support that I wanted him to have for me. My mother was hesitant, but she gave me her complete support because I was happy, and this is what I wanted to do. So in order to do what I feel that God is calling me to do, I first, need to have faith in Him. Second I need to have faith in myself, and third, which is not always necessary if you have the first two, is to have the complete support of my family.
Of course I was very nervous giving the goodnight because it was my first time giving it. So all of this nicely prepared talk never happened because I was nervous. Next time will be better though.

God Bless,
Adam Dupre.

Happy Feast Don Versiglia & Don Caravario

Luigi Versiglia was born at Oliva Gessi (Pavia) on 5th June 1873. He came to Don Bosco's Oratory when he was twelve years old and went on to become a Salesian Priest. After his ordination in 1895 he spent ten years as novice master at Genzano di Roma. In 1906 he led the first Salesian missionary expedition to China, fulfilling a prophecy often repeated by Don Bosco. Once he had established a 'mother house' in Macau, he opened a mission in the area of Shiu Chow. He became its first bishop on 22nd April 1920.
He was a man of wisdom and tireless energy, a real shepherd totally dedicated to his flock. He gave his Vicariate a solid infrastructure with a seminary, houses of formation, various residences, an orphanage and old people’s homes. He was more of a father than an authoritarian. He led by his example of hard work and Christian love and never asked people to do anything without first weighing up their capabilities.
On 25th February 1930 he was with Don Caravario and five others, all young people, on the way to visit the small Christian Community at Lin Chow (Li Tau Tseu). They were stopped by a group of armed men, who first demanded protection money and then made to take away the three women in the party. Don Versiglia and Don Caravario stood in their way and were knocked to the ground and tied up. Their crucifixes were ripped away and, as they prayed, they were shot dead.
Don Versiglia and Don Caravario were canonized by Pope John Paul II on 1st October 2000 and their Feast Day is on 25th February.

Intro

Hello to all who may read this blog, it is now under construction. The purpose of this blog is to inform all prospective Salesian Seminarians, on what life in the house is like, there will be a number of contributors to this daily Blog. May God Bless all of you!

Yours in Don Bosco,
Adam Dupre