Saint John Bosco’s Oratory had maintained a standard of moral excellence among their students that was unparalleled even for its time. What was their secret? Don Bosco's daily short talk after night prayers. He said that these Good Night Talks were: "Just a few words around one striking thought to impress the boys and send them to bed fully taken up by the truth presented to them."
A surprising variety of topics kept everyone engaged, so that no one tired of listening to him. Being favored with a photographic memory, he had, at his fingertips, an inexhaustible store of anecdotes and sayings from history, whether it be secular or religious. Facts from the lives of saints, philosophers, and artists. He also spoke of contemporary events, drawing moral lessons from them.
So today, I would like to narrate four of these good night talks, just to give you a flavor of what it was like to have this great saint as a mentor. They’re just as beneficial for the boys back then as they are for you right now, in the 21st century. They’re timeless!
Become a Promoter of Saint John Bosco: saintjohnbosco.net/promoter-o...
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Thank you to Salesiana Publishers for their kind permission to use the English translation of The Biographical Memoirs of Saint John Bosco by Fr. Giovanni Battista Lemoyne et al. (New Rochelle, N.Y.: Salesiana Publishers, Inc., 1964-2003).
For further reading on Saint John Bosco: tinyurl.com/SalesianMissions