Lysterfield, Australia, March 30, 2016 - The 20th Provincial Chapter of the Australia-Pacific Province (AUL) commenced on Easter Monday afternoon at the Salesian Retreat Centre at Lysterfield. It will run until Friday 1 April.
The 35 members came from all corners of the Province including from Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand, and includes confreres from nine different nations of origin.
The overarching theme for the Chapter is ‘I am the vine, you are the branches’ which continues the reflections of General Chapter 27.
The Opening Ceremony involved a short pilgrimage around the courtyard pausing at four ‘stations’ where time was spent reflecting on aspects of the theme – 1. The Vine, 2. Nurturing the Vine, 3. Labouring in the Vineyard, 4. Bearing Fruit – that then led into the celebration of Eucharist presided over by the Provincial, Fr Greg Chambers.
During his homily Fr Greg encourage the Chapter members to be men of courage, faith, openness and vision at this important time in our Province as we addressed the two key issues – ‘Implementing the deliberations and recommendations of GC 27’, and considered how to ‘Reshape the Salesian Presence and Mission in the Province’.
He also reminded us of the call of the Rector Major, following on from the three themes of GC 27, that we need to be men who ‘Belong more to God, Belong more to our Brothers, and to ‘Belong more to the young’.
