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austraLasia #3411

  

Listen!

8 April 2014 
--  
Again another collection of bits and pieces.
  • The EAO Regional, Fr Klement, has taken the Chinese character for 'Listening' with all its multiple connotations, as a special watchword for these six years.
  • Meanwhile the Chapter is till going! Close work being done on the final document. Once something is final and ready, we can give some further info on it.
  • Fr Angel writes a note to ITM on the death of their oldest missionary Bro José Ribeiro. It begins to give us a small insight into his style.
  • And meanwhile, the events in the Solomon Islands have not, thank God, prevented all students from returning to school.
  • Deacon Joseph Vu will be ordained priest this coming Friday (11)  He studied theology in Manila, not in HK. Please pray for him.
Listening to serve
Dear brothers and friends!
   Heartfelt greetings from Rome, where we are busy trying to bring the General Chapter 27 to a successful end  in a week’s time. Thank you  for all your prayers before and during the GC27. 
  Our new General Council is complete with the arrival of Fr. Ivo Coelho (Formation Councillor) from Jerusalem. All in all, now Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime as the 10th successor of Don Bosco has thirteen (13) councillors (one fewer than Fr. Chávez). And we are very proud to have amongst us the first African confrere - Fr. Americo Chaquisse (Mozambican), with only 2.5 Italian confreres in the Council (Frs. Francesco Cereda, Stefano Martoglio and Natale Vitali - who was living and working as a missionary in Chile since 1975). 
  First of all I would like to share with you some personal insights after 50 days of the General Chapter experience. The whole 'Chapter community' breathes a very nice family spirit in daily life, well animated by different people (liturgy, communications, sports, secretaries, translators, infirmarians, document drafting). Among the main daily 'rituals' is the reading of the Gospel at the beginning of the Assembly and installation of the Bible on the main stage, sports animation by the Congolese 'chaplain' at the end of each lunch time, prayers and serious work in the commissions and personal reflections.
  Apart from the whole 220+ confreres at the General Chapter, we were able to enjoy some special regional moments. There are some 'famous' speakers at this GC, among them also Fr. Lanfranco (CIN), Fr. Eli (FIN), Fr. Mariano (MYM), Fr. Alex (FIN), Fr. Boedi (ITM), Frs. Andy and Václav (RMG). Especially many deep, radical and joyful interventions  from the CIN provincial were appreciated quite often (5 diamonds)!
   We have already twice celebrated the EAO regional Eucharist and will continue until April 11. The new Rector Major will preside and all Councillors for the sectors will participate in our EAO Mass next Monday. During the election time we met a few times for our regional contribution to discernment and  celebrated the new Regional Councilor and a few days later the Silver jubilee of profession (Br. Raymond Callo, FIN - Regional).
So all of us could appreciate the nice family spirit within our region, be interested in getting to know each other more, to link and try to share more among our 10 provinces and 4 delegations.
Now I'm handing over to the new Councillor for the Missions - Fr. Guillermo Basaňes: multiple tasks, contacts and information about the sector (starting with Cagliero11 newsletter, blog, AGORA on www.sdb.org) and slowly connecting to our main available EAO regional digital platforms: 
http://blogs.sdb.org/eao.php (EAO BLOG); 
http://agora.sdb.org/index.php?board=59.0 (EAO Agora reserved area for sharing)
http://www.bosconet.aust.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php (EAO documentation website) 
http://sdl.sdb.org/cgi-bin/library (Salesian Digital Library) - sections available in Bahasa, Burmese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Tetum, Thai and Vietnamese 
http://eaosalesianbrothers.wordpress.com/ (EAO Salesian Brothers, Manila)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1576979272526655/ (Salesians EAO region)

Last week when my life changed overnight from the global attention and care for the missionary spirit in the Congregation, again to the beloved EAO region, I tried to figure out how to animate the Region more effectively. Indeed within the past 12 years, when I was elected for the first time as the Regional councillor, a lot of communication tools and approaches have significantly changed. And my conclusion? Probably the Cagliero11 newsletter effect suggests to me that the best way might be one "Good Night " for all confreres in the EAO Region.
   In this first EAO regional 'Good Night' I would like to share just one of the General Chapter 27’s key words - 'Listen'. 
  Already the three-step method of GC27 discernment process (Listening - interpreting - way ahead) starts by listening to life as it is. 
  The new Rector Major Fr. Ángel Fernandez Artime in his first homily (March 27) invited us many times: 'Listen to His voice today... Listening together to the Word of God helps us to go out of ourselves, to overcome our self-centredness and listen to the needs of other, especially to the young.'
  Also the Rector Major emeritus
East Timor, Fr. Pascual Chávez in his deep and passionate homily for the EAO members today: 'Everything depends, hinges on our ability to listen to Jesus and to accept him, and our willingness to make him 'Our Living Rule'. This is the only way our Salesian life can become relevant, credible, visible and fruitful (April 5).

   I should honestly acknowledge that a solid Salesian life and mission depends on the listening attitude in any sense of this term: Listening is the start of any solid communication amongst us (community building, personal talk to the rector), listening is the basis of serious discernment (obedience), listening is the first step of Gospel proclamation (if we want to listen, first we should listen to others), listening is the first step of effective youth ministry (youngsters are strongly asking: 'Listen to us!'). To listen well is not easy!
  Starting my service as the 'recycled' Regional councillor I'm asking you to pray for me especially to be a good listener to the all of 1400+ EAO confreres and many other Lay Mission partners, Salesian Family members and youth that I will meet during the next 6 years. The Chinese letter 'Ting - Listening' in the attachment is part of my personal plan of life for these six years!
In Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco, yours,
Fr Václav Klement sdb

Fr Ángel writes a note to ITM on the passing of Bro Ribeiro
Dear confreres of the ITM Vice Province (Indonesia-Timor). 
Your dear Provincial, Fr Joao Paulino has told me of the death, today, Sunday, of our confrere Bro Jose Ribeiro, 89 years of age, originally from Portugal.
Although the death of one of our confreres is always a loss and a sorrow, at the same time it is a great day. “a great triumph" for the Congregation as our Constitutions, Article 54 say.
I know that our dear Bro. Josè has been a great missionary, that he worked for many years in the community at Lospalos as catechist, worker and assistant, a model of prayer. I know too that he worked in the fields and in construction for many years as well.
He was always very close to the people and their culture and language.
I know that he was one of the Salesian pioneers who arrived as part of the second expedition after the war in 1946, following Saint Callistus Caravario and others.
An entire life dedicated to the young, the people and the Gospel.
With great joy I greet you all, dear confreres and all of our beautiful Salesian Family.
I am praying for you and let us pray for our dear confrere José. Without a doubt, our Mother, Mary Help of Christians has received him, along with Don Bosco, and brought him to the Father.
My affection and an embrace for you all with a great desire to be able to meet you all personally.
May the Lord bless you. With all my affection,
Fr Ángel Fernández Artime

Students lead the way
8th April, Honiara: Don Bosco Technical Institute, Henderson commenced Term 2 on Tuesday 8th April, with 80% of its students in attendance.
Motivated and inspired they demonstrate their ability, despite the odds, to put in their best and do all they can to acquire skills and knowledge and return to their daily study and routine of life.
Heads bowed in prayer they recalled the tragedy of the past week and remembered their own families, relatives and friends who have lost lives, houses and property.  Every one has been personally affected - directly or indirectly - and the week long floods have left painful memories that will be hard to heal.
It came as a welcome announcement for the students of the school as Fr Rector welcomed all those who are struggling to travel each day to reside at the school campus.  The boys will reside in the gymnasium and the girls will reside in the Savio Aspirantate. "It is important that your studies are not hampered due to long hours of exhausting and tense travel" - said Fr. Dominic Kachira sdb, Rector.  Principal of the Institute, Fr. Srimal Priyanga sdb is keen that the normal school programme gets on its way as soon as possible.
The only main road leading to Honiara has now become a three-lane road with traffic moving at a gentle pace.  The trip, which would take three quarters of an hour from Henderson to the center of town, now takes two hours and more.  While motorists wait their turn to cross the bridge in a single file, several hundred pedestrians are seen walking - right through the day in the heat of the blazing sun - till late at night.
"I recall my days in 1999, when I would walk from Honiara to the centre of town or SIBC on a daily basis.  It's sad that the country that progresses so gradually has now slid back several years", recalled Fr. Ambrose Pereira sdb.
We seek the help of the Lord and spiritual strength to enable us look for solutions, do what is needed and give hope to our people and our country.  Thank you for your support.