austraLasia #3410
Chapter, Solomons, Pope, Timor ...
6 April 2014 -- So much can happen in a handful of days!
The General Chapter news is simply that a lot of work is being done (over this weekend) to attend to all the 'iuxta modums' (adjustments) that need to go into the various sections of the final document that will be voted on in the coming and final week.
Fr Pascual Chavez, RM emeritus, celebrates with EAO members at the Chapter.
The Solomon Islands - the main island of Guadalcanal in particular - have been through traumatic times. read a note from Fr Ambrose on this.
A group of young Belgians from Bishop Luc Van Looy's Diocese meet the Pope in person and get to spend time asking him questions - he also asks them one!
Bishop Carlo Ximenes Belo has launched a 4 volume history of the Church in Timor Leste (East Timor)
Also in Timor - Bro Jose Ribeiro, the oldest ITM missionary, doies at 89 years of age.
In Australia there is a major event just concluding - Ozbosco - which brings together several hundred young people from all over Australia. This year it is being held in Hobart, Tasmania. More about this in a future edition
Solomon Islands - a note from Fr Ambrose Pereira
Dear friends,
Thanks for the remembrance and for supporting us as we went through these past days of struggle. It was a difficult time for all of us.
Saturday, has been a bright morning and together with the few boys and girls that are with us we did a bit of cleaning the gym and chapel as both
were flooded and filled with mud and silt.
It rained in the afternoon, but we are well at Don Bosco. The people - especially the China Town area, Tetere area and other parts are affected badly.
The water has receded and hopefully things will settle.
We had a few people who spent the night (2nd April) here at Don Bosco - we put them in the classrooms on the 1st floor as the gym was flooded. They left the next morning.
Many wanted to come - but were not able to - due to lack of transport.
We mourn the loss of the ones who died and are sad to hear of the destruction to houses and property. We trust help will be underway for them.
We are just back from Tetere (6th April) and it is good that the students have already cleaned up the place and are all set to start and even help out if needed. The Good Samaritan Hospital has lost an ambulance that got caught in the flood, overturned and got stuck in the mud. They are pulling it out today.
Do keep us in prayer as we strive to rise from yet another disaster.
Blessings.
Ambrose sdb.
Fr Pascual celebrates with EAO
I thank Fr Vaclav Klement for the invitation to preside at this Eucharist for the Chapter Members of the East Asia-Oceania Region. I accepted gladly, because it gives me the opportunity to give praise and thanks to God for the gift of the Salesian vocation of each one of you and all the members of the Region.
As we draw near to the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the message of the Word of God urges us more and more to contemplate the Lord and the Cross, which are inseparable. To contemplate the Lord means to know him more deeply, to love him more intensely, imitate him more faithfully and follow him more radically. I think this is perfectly in tune with the theme of our Chapter which calls us to be "witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel.” ...
Belgian youth from Ghent Diocese meet Pope Francis in person
The video is in Flemish; the Pope is speaking Italian. Bishop Luc Van Looy organised for five young Flemish people (late teens early twenties) to sit down with Pope Francis on 3 April and ask him whatever they wanted to! At the end he asks them a question - what or who is really the centre of their heart's attention?
You don't need to understand Flemish or Dutch or Italian for that matter - just watch the interaction! The video is lengthy - they tell their own story, which includes WYD at Rio, being around Rome, just doing what young people like doing. But you can easily find the beginning and final sections with the encounter with the Pope.
East Timor
Bishop Belo has launched a 4 volume History of the Church in East Timor, from 1562-2012. The link will take you to its presentation (but in Portuguese). The Portuguese Salesian Bulletin for April-May has further info.
The death of Senhor Jose Ribeiro, the oldest missionary in East Timor, brings a long and dedicated missionary life to an end- he died today (Sunday 6 April) at the age of 89. The funeral will be held on 7 April at Lospalos.
Chapter, Solomons, Pope, Timor ...
6 April 2014 -- So much can happen in a handful of days!
The General Chapter news is simply that a lot of work is being done (over this weekend) to attend to all the 'iuxta modums' (adjustments) that need to go into the various sections of the final document that will be voted on in the coming and final week.
Fr Pascual Chavez, RM emeritus, celebrates with EAO members at the Chapter.
The Solomon Islands - the main island of Guadalcanal in particular - have been through traumatic times. read a note from Fr Ambrose on this.
A group of young Belgians from Bishop Luc Van Looy's Diocese meet the Pope in person and get to spend time asking him questions - he also asks them one!
Bishop Carlo Ximenes Belo has launched a 4 volume history of the Church in Timor Leste (East Timor)
Also in Timor - Bro Jose Ribeiro, the oldest ITM missionary, doies at 89 years of age.
In Australia there is a major event just concluding - Ozbosco - which brings together several hundred young people from all over Australia. This year it is being held in Hobart, Tasmania. More about this in a future edition
Solomon Islands - a note from Fr Ambrose Pereira
Dear friends,
Thanks for the remembrance and for supporting us as we went through these past days of struggle. It was a difficult time for all of us.
Saturday, has been a bright morning and together with the few boys and girls that are with us we did a bit of cleaning the gym and chapel as both
were flooded and filled with mud and silt.
It rained in the afternoon, but we are well at Don Bosco. The people - especially the China Town area, Tetere area and other parts are affected badly.
The water has receded and hopefully things will settle.
We had a few people who spent the night (2nd April) here at Don Bosco - we put them in the classrooms on the 1st floor as the gym was flooded. They left the next morning.
Many wanted to come - but were not able to - due to lack of transport.
We mourn the loss of the ones who died and are sad to hear of the destruction to houses and property. We trust help will be underway for them.
We are just back from Tetere (6th April) and it is good that the students have already cleaned up the place and are all set to start and even help out if needed. The Good Samaritan Hospital has lost an ambulance that got caught in the flood, overturned and got stuck in the mud. They are pulling it out today.
Do keep us in prayer as we strive to rise from yet another disaster.
Blessings.
Ambrose sdb.
Fr Pascual celebrates with EAO
I thank Fr Vaclav Klement for the invitation to preside at this Eucharist for the Chapter Members of the East Asia-Oceania Region. I accepted gladly, because it gives me the opportunity to give praise and thanks to God for the gift of the Salesian vocation of each one of you and all the members of the Region.
As we draw near to the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the message of the Word of God urges us more and more to contemplate the Lord and the Cross, which are inseparable. To contemplate the Lord means to know him more deeply, to love him more intensely, imitate him more faithfully and follow him more radically. I think this is perfectly in tune with the theme of our Chapter which calls us to be "witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel.” ...
Belgian youth from Ghent Diocese meet Pope Francis in person
The video is in Flemish; the Pope is speaking Italian. Bishop Luc Van Looy organised for five young Flemish people (late teens early twenties) to sit down with Pope Francis on 3 April and ask him whatever they wanted to! At the end he asks them a question - what or who is really the centre of their heart's attention?
You don't need to understand Flemish or Dutch or Italian for that matter - just watch the interaction! The video is lengthy - they tell their own story, which includes WYD at Rio, being around Rome, just doing what young people like doing. But you can easily find the beginning and final sections with the encounter with the Pope.
East Timor
Bishop Belo has launched a 4 volume History of the Church in East Timor, from 1562-2012. The link will take you to its presentation (but in Portuguese). The Portuguese Salesian Bulletin for April-May has further info.
The death of Senhor Jose Ribeiro, the oldest missionary in East Timor, brings a long and dedicated missionary life to an end- he died today (Sunday 6 April) at the age of 89. The funeral will be held on 7 April at Lospalos.
