Port Moresby, PNG, 30 April 2016 - Fr. Pedro is the first Salesian missionary from Angola. Since 2005 assigned to the Papua New Guinea - Solomon Islands Delegation, ordained after his theological studies at Ratisbone (Jerusalem) in 2014. At present he is assigned to the Savio House formation community in East Boroko (Port Moresby, PNG). This is the first Oceania sharing in our Journey in the Spirit.
Do you feel confident to accompany other in their spiritual journey?
My answer is yes and yes! Firstly, I must say that as young Salesian priest I can only offer what I have learned and observed from my spiritual directors, formators and also what I was taught and helped to assimilate and interiorize. I have been exposed to a rich and vast reading material on spiritual direction and confession, offered by the Magisterium of the Church and of our Congregation, the life of Saints and love for the Word of God (Lectio Divina). There is therefore, certain degree of confidence judging from what I have been experiencing in these first years of my priesthood.
My ministry so far has provided me with wonderful occasions such, daily homilies, accompanying young aspirants, preaching retreats, sitting for confessions, teaching in class and others. From these venues many people would come and open their hearts, share their dreams and aspirations, their fears; they would ask questions, advice and even for direction, or they would simply come for a friendly chat…as a Son of Don Bosco I have tried to make the best of these occasions and speak to their hearts, lead them to develop a good and lasting friendship with Jesus, to include God in their dreams Who is very much interested in their joy and happiness here and the hereafter.
The second yes concerns the strong need for a better preparation. Preparation is indispensable, “nemo dat quod non habet” (you cannot give what you do not have). I do feel the need for a more specific and qualitative preparation, get in touch with technicalities of this field (technical qualities of a spiritual director), a good training in listening skills and discernment etc. The fact is that people want to see in us salesians qualified and holy spiritual guides, not so much managers of our works schools and offices. Important as they are, these tasks do not and should not relegate our call to offer spiritual direction to oblivion or to a secondary place. The youth await our spiritual guidance, it is imperative to be prepared.
Concrete steps: Make good use of the formation offered during the initial and specific formation. During theology a good dose of interest should be invested in the disciplines of spiritual theology and pastoral theology.
During the first quinqueneo, Provinces should see to it that priests are offered more inputs on spiritual direction and occasions to exercise such a ministry. Provide a kind of “Convitto ecclesiastico”to new priests spread in the first five years of their priesthood.
In a typical Salesian environment the community and personal spiritual direction goes together?
Yes, I believe very much in the community. It is in the community and with the community that we discern God’s will for us and for the mission. My experience tells me that in communities where confreres come together for prayers (more so for lectio divina), meals, meetings, planning and faith-sharing, there emerges an environment of fraternal love and reciprocal trust, a predisposition and openness to accept the decisions taken by the community with faith and joy, even if at times this entails the giving up of our personal ideas and certainties. Naturally this healthy environment of the Salesian community fosters the spiritual growth of its members. And reciprocally the spiritual depth of each member, acquired from a good practice of spiritual direction enriches the community and enables it to be more attentive to God’s promptings.
How is the passage from the formation house to the first full apostolic experience in PNG?
I can describe my transition from the formation house to the first full apostolic experience as being generally smooth. I thank the support and assistance of my community, the understanding of the superiors who assign me here and there, the guidance of my spiritual director and many good salesians in the delegation whose example inspires emulation. Even so, there have been some challenges and difficulties concerning the overwhelming demands of the mission and specific tasks entrusted to me versus my little experience as a new priest. And this is the missionary environment here in PGN-SI: The scarcity of personnel both quantitatively and qualitatively against the needs we are called to attend to. But this teaches me that we need to keep growing and keep learning, keep seeking for spiritual direction.
Advice to the young Salesian regarding the journey in the Spirit with some 'Cafasso' at your side?
My humble advice is this: in our integral human formation, in discerning our Salesian and consecrated vocation, in our striving for holiness we need a friend who supports us, who can help us assess ourselves and find the path meant for us to follow. A spiritual guide is this sort of friend.
Spiritual Direction is so important and crucial in our formation that it should become the object of our faith and matter of our prayer. God’s providence puts people in our journey to make the journey meaningful and more happy. We are to pray that the Lord will give us good and holy spiritual guides and, we will learn to appreciate this precious means for our Christian perfection.
