austraLasia 1440
EAO Provincials meet for wide-ranging discussions at Cheung Chau HK
(on a separate note: the server being used in Rome changed over 24 hours ago to a different provider .... one of the reasons I chose a 'throwaway' topic yesterday for austraLasia, in the knowledge that many might not receive it, and to test the waters! In fact, at the moment, ANS and austraLasia are being classified as SPAM by the home server even before they leave Rome, let alone how the receiving server might treat them! It is hoped this will be rectified soon. In the meantime we trust that the coverage of the RM's visit to China Province will surmount these difficulties)
CHEUNG CHAU HK: 10th February 2006 -- Following the meeting of Youth Ministry Delegates, and in the lull before the arrival of the Rector Major on the morrow, EAO provincials met for their annnual gathering to review, to plan - and to share. This meeting is itself an important element of continuing formation for a group whose Salesian and spiritual well-being is vital to that of the confreres they lead. It would be impossible to adequately summarise a meeting that had eight separate 'moments' to it, and from hastily scrawled notes made by another, so here we limit our selves to the broadest of coverage
The gathering began with a personal sharing by each provincial on the experience of being 'father' to so many confreres. The group contains those who are towards the end of their term, like Fr Savio Hon, CIN, those who are mid-way like Fr Julius Sanchez FIN and those just beginning like Fr Frank Moloney AUL. They moved on to a reflection on responses to a 2005 questionnaire on ongoing formation in the region, in an effort to see what regional possibilities there could be - a preference for some concrete targets emerged, such as knowledge of Don Bosco, seminars for the likes of Rectors and maybe the establishment of a mobile team, rather than expecting all provinces to always be sending candidates for whatever purpose somewhere else.
Lengthy discussion took up the question of the Salesian Brother, given that there is already a seminar due in August of this year in Cambodia. Here the discussion considered the proposal that there be a regional centre and structure, duly financed - places such as Manila, Hong Kong and Bangkok all offer possibilities. At various moments in the day the discussion came back to the Brothers, since the topic appeared under other guises - the Rector Major's 'executive summary' of the region, animation of the next several years, and Fr Cereda's formation report. One thing is fairly clear - the forthcoming meeting of Brothers will be more far-reaching than a simple fraternal Congress. It will take up crucial theological, pastoral, Salesian issues.
The Rector Major's summary of the region is part of a study of all regions done within the Council. The EAO study was finalised in the months just passed. There was an acknowledgment of the value of the region, but this does not take away from the fact that the region is still finding its way in the midst of enormous cultural and situational diversity. There was a discussion of the merits and demerits of this very medium you are now reading, austraLasia, as an instrument to 'promote news exchange and foster a Salesian culture in EAO' as one of the contributors to the discussion put it.
AUL has had some adjusting to do as an EAO member, since its history and cultural attachments have lain elsewhere in the past and it is in some respects a 'cultural outsider' with a wide range of cultural diversity to manage internally (Australia, plus Melanesia - Fiji, Polynesia - Samoa). But it also has much to offer to the region, with well-prepared personnel and a solid theological study structure.
The provincials shared meaningful achievements over recent years - and there were many of these. They looked at animation occasions 2006-8, central amongst these being the coming GC26 with its concomitant provincial chapters. If the Rector Major and Council are looking for ideas - and they are - on focus points for GC26, then what appeared to be emerging from this discussion was a preference for a Chapter based more on the RMs report on the state of the Congregation (which would include the state of the provinces, obviously for their local focus) than on any a priori 'theme'.
Fr Cereda's 12 page report on formation with a strong focus on initial formation gave rise to much discussion. This report was delivered by Fr Chrys Saldanha. If we are looking for a central point in this discussion it has to be that of enculturation of formation, the pros and cons not of that as an issue, but how best to see it happen in the context of EAO. That there will be changes within the region as provinces look to ways of working together on this one, is evident. The discussion found its way back to the Salesian Brother again, but now from a Congregation-wide perspective, since Fr Cereda's report is the result of having visited all formation communities the world over. By the end of 2006, pretty much all of the Salesian world will have moved to a situation where the formation of the Brother is more organised, with common content but also respecting regional and local differences.
As you can see, there would be little more that we could give room to in such a rich exchange of views. The many topics and issues will emerge again in a dozen different circumstances, and there are some forthcoming events to note, so keep tuned!
__________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
EAO Provincials meet for wide-ranging discussions at Cheung Chau HK
(on a separate note: the server being used in Rome changed over 24 hours ago to a different provider .... one of the reasons I chose a 'throwaway' topic yesterday for austraLasia, in the knowledge that many might not receive it, and to test the waters! In fact, at the moment, ANS and austraLasia are being classified as SPAM by the home server even before they leave Rome, let alone how the receiving server might treat them! It is hoped this will be rectified soon. In the meantime we trust that the coverage of the RM's visit to China Province will surmount these difficulties)
CHEUNG CHAU HK: 10th February 2006 -- Following the meeting of Youth Ministry Delegates, and in the lull before the arrival of the Rector Major on the morrow, EAO provincials met for their annnual gathering to review, to plan - and to share. This meeting is itself an important element of continuing formation for a group whose Salesian and spiritual well-being is vital to that of the confreres they lead. It would be impossible to adequately summarise a meeting that had eight separate 'moments' to it, and from hastily scrawled notes made by another, so here we limit our selves to the broadest of coverage
The gathering began with a personal sharing by each provincial on the experience of being 'father' to so many confreres. The group contains those who are towards the end of their term, like Fr Savio Hon, CIN, those who are mid-way like Fr Julius Sanchez FIN and those just beginning like Fr Frank Moloney AUL. They moved on to a reflection on responses to a 2005 questionnaire on ongoing formation in the region, in an effort to see what regional possibilities there could be - a preference for some concrete targets emerged, such as knowledge of Don Bosco, seminars for the likes of Rectors and maybe the establishment of a mobile team, rather than expecting all provinces to always be sending candidates for whatever purpose somewhere else.
Lengthy discussion took up the question of the Salesian Brother, given that there is already a seminar due in August of this year in Cambodia. Here the discussion considered the proposal that there be a regional centre and structure, duly financed - places such as Manila, Hong Kong and Bangkok all offer possibilities. At various moments in the day the discussion came back to the Brothers, since the topic appeared under other guises - the Rector Major's 'executive summary' of the region, animation of the next several years, and Fr Cereda's formation report. One thing is fairly clear - the forthcoming meeting of Brothers will be more far-reaching than a simple fraternal Congress. It will take up crucial theological, pastoral, Salesian issues.
The Rector Major's summary of the region is part of a study of all regions done within the Council. The EAO study was finalised in the months just passed. There was an acknowledgment of the value of the region, but this does not take away from the fact that the region is still finding its way in the midst of enormous cultural and situational diversity. There was a discussion of the merits and demerits of this very medium you are now reading, austraLasia, as an instrument to 'promote news exchange and foster a Salesian culture in EAO' as one of the contributors to the discussion put it.
AUL has had some adjusting to do as an EAO member, since its history and cultural attachments have lain elsewhere in the past and it is in some respects a 'cultural outsider' with a wide range of cultural diversity to manage internally (Australia, plus Melanesia - Fiji, Polynesia - Samoa). But it also has much to offer to the region, with well-prepared personnel and a solid theological study structure.
The provincials shared meaningful achievements over recent years - and there were many of these. They looked at animation occasions 2006-8, central amongst these being the coming GC26 with its concomitant provincial chapters. If the Rector Major and Council are looking for ideas - and they are - on focus points for GC26, then what appeared to be emerging from this discussion was a preference for a Chapter based more on the RMs report on the state of the Congregation (which would include the state of the provinces, obviously for their local focus) than on any a priori 'theme'.
Fr Cereda's 12 page report on formation with a strong focus on initial formation gave rise to much discussion. This report was delivered by Fr Chrys Saldanha. If we are looking for a central point in this discussion it has to be that of enculturation of formation, the pros and cons not of that as an issue, but how best to see it happen in the context of EAO. That there will be changes within the region as provinces look to ways of working together on this one, is evident. The discussion found its way back to the Salesian Brother again, but now from a Congregation-wide perspective, since Fr Cereda's report is the result of having visited all formation communities the world over. By the end of 2006, pretty much all of the Salesian world will have moved to a situation where the formation of the Brother is more organised, with common content but also respecting regional and local differences.
As you can see, there would be little more that we could give room to in such a rich exchange of views. The many topics and issues will emerge again in a dozen different circumstances, and there are some forthcoming events to note, so keep tuned!
__________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
