5600(III)_From Melanesia to the Holy Land: Our Ratisbonne Experience

By Br. Bernard Kaiau and Br Sylvester Kuli

       Jerusalem, Israel, 19 April 2021 -- Brs. Bernard Kaiau and Sylvester Kuli are the first Melanesian Salesians to study in Ratisbonne. Here they share their reflections on their formative experience:

       Br. Bernard Kaiau shares: “To be given a chance to study theology in the Holy Land is something I had never ever imagined. As I think of this privilege, I am grateful to God and to my Superiors of the PGS Vice-Province for believing that we Papua New Guinean Salesians are intellectually capable of studying theology in the Holy Land.

       “This is a humbling experience but at the same time it challenges me to appreciate the historical places of the Holy Land, deepen my faith and connect myself closer to God, so that I will be better prepared for the mission that is awaiting me back in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

       “The experience of being in an international community of Salesians who are journeying towards the priesthood helps me understand and live the Salesian Charism as God’s special gift. It is a gift I have to fully embrace wholeheartedly with an undivided heart and spirit, by following the footsteps of our Father and Founder Don Bosco. My formation experience here in Ratisbonne helps me to value the different faces of Don Bosco from different cultural backgrounds, learn from each other and share our different talents and skills in our common journey to fulfil the will of God through our mission among the young.”

       Br. Sylvester Kuli says: “Indeed, it is a privilege to study theology in the Holy Land. I am grateful to my Superiors for giving me this challenge by sending me to the Holy Land, although I know that I am not academically the best. I believe it is through God’s grace that I am able to achieve what I thought would be impossible.

       “When my Provincial asked me to study Latin at the Catholic Theological Institute, Port Moresby in preparation for my theological studies, I enrolled although I was not convinced of its importance at all. Now I realised that some knowledge of Latin helps me better understand theological concepts about our Christian faith as well as juridical terms of Canon Law. How I wish I had more time to study Latin!

       “Had I not been given the privilege to study in a truly international Salesian study centre like Ratisbonne, I would have lived in my own culture and continued seeing our faith and our Salesian charism only from my own cultural perspective. I consider this experience as a call to move from cultural seclusion to radical transformation of my own worldview that gives rise to deeper faith and clearer charismatic identity.

       “Living in an international community of Salesians, I believe, is a privilege given to me by God’s grace. It is almost encountering Salesians from a quarter of the world. For me this is a time to deepen my own Salesian identity by seeing how confreres from other countries think and live. Here I learnt to appreciate the beauty of working together, by overcoming superficial relationships. In our multicultural community I am learning when it is time to be silent and when it is time to speak, how and when to speak!”

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