On May 25, at the „Mitropolitul Dosoftei” Orthodox High Theological Seminary in Suceava, took place the launch of the book „Letters from Father - sharing with God”, signed by Father Archimandrite Iustin Taban and published by Crimca Publishing House. The event was held with the blessing of His Most Reverend Father Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților, and gathered people close to culture, literature and spiritual life of Bucovina.
During the presentation it was emphasized that „Letters from my Father” is a book of religious reflection, deeply confessive and literary, built in the form of a dialogue between the Heavenly Father and the man who is trying to understand his life, his wounds and his meaning.
The poet and essayist Alexandru Ovidiu Vintilă, PhD in history, member of the Romanian Writers„ Union and president of the Society of Writers from Bukovina, spoke about the deeply personal and authentic dimension of the book. He described the book as ”a poetics of the self„, its structure resembling the famous epistolary model of Kafka's ”Letter to the Father", but in a spiritual and luminous key.
In his speech, Alexandru Ovidiu Vintilă emphasized that the book proposes „a lived, authentic dialogue” in which man is called to „a continuous deciphering” of his own existence and his relationship with God. He also noted that one of the great successes of the book is the light it transmits and the way in which the author masters and develops the theme of communion and dialog. „It is a book about mysteries,” he said.
Mrs. Alis Niculică, head of office at the Bucovina Library „I. G. Sbiera” in Suceava, spoke about her personal encounter with the texts of Father Iustin. She confessed that when she received the first letter by e-mail from the author, she had the feeling that the text was addressed directly to her. In her intervention, she emphasized that in the pages of this book, love is discovered in people, in nature and in the simple things of everyday life.
At the same time, Mrs. Alis Niculică noted how the author transforms his own inner emptiness „into an academy of meanings”, pointing out that, although he speaks about himself, Father Justin speaks, in fact, about the experiences and wounds of many people.
The writer Paraschiva Abutnăriței, president of the „Arboroasa” Branch of the „Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina” Association from Vatra Dornei, emphasized the importance of inner and spiritual progress, showing that man is called to grow in understanding and sensitivity.
In the final part of the meeting, Fr. Archimandrite Justin Taban spoke about the discreet way in which God works in human life, saying that „God conquers your thoughts before you understand it”.
During the event, excerpts from the book were also read, including the passages „Know, first of all, that you are a happy idea of Mine” or „He wrote me letters in peacetime, in the peace of His heart”, which set the tone for a meeting that spoke about man's search, his wounds, love and the mysterious way in which God continues to draw near to each soul.
The volume „Letters from Father - sharing with God” continues the direction cultivated by Father Justin Taban in other publications published by Crimca Publishing House, such as „Do you believe that I love you?” or „Thoughts from Father to Son”, books that explore the relationship between God and contemporary man in a warm, poetic and deeply personal language.
The volumes can be found in the Crimca online shop.
Priest Dr. Ștefănel-Stelian Ciurciun,
Director of the Publishing and Printing Department
