Group interview with ASC Center in Kokopo - Rabaul, PNG.
Vunabosco, Papua New Guinea, 23 April 2019 -- What makes you happy as Salesian Cooperators?
All members are happy because of the self-satisfaction that we gain being a member of the group. One had answered he is extremely happy with what we become as a group; all our actions are done not individually but by group action and the fulfillment we receive in every mission we have makes us happy as a person and deepens our faith.
What help you walk in the Salesian Cooperators vocation?
Our style in Kokopo (PNG) is different: we attract possible new Salesian Cooperators by letting them join us in our apostolate every Sunday. We let them experience going to various villages to teach catechism, and medical missions. That way they will experience the joy of being with us together and let them feel the self esteem that it brings to us. Helping others and imparting our knowledge with the village people. Every 2nd Sunday we go to Volavolo Parish in Rabaul, and on the 3rd Sunday we are in Matupit and on the 4th Sunday we go to Kuragaga. All places are 45 minutes drive from Kokopo and we goe there after we attend mass at Vunabosco. We also attend the formation every 3rd Sunday of the month, together with the new aspirants, and in that way we share ideas together. That way we achieve our vocation growth.
What are your challenges on your vocation journey?
The major challenge we have is convincing Papua New Guineans to join the group despite what they saw what we we doing for the benefit of the people. We still only have one newcomer, but we are not sure if she can continue. [NB: the majority of this centre's members are expatriate Filipino nationals living and working in PNG]
What kind of exchange among the EAO Salesian Cooperators do you dream about?
What we need are an exchange of printed materials and not social media exchanges because in this place not everyone has access to media. We are a long way behind the modern world.
What do you expect from the EAO Cambodia Formation workshop 2019?
I have learned that this time PGS Viceprovince SDB has a representative at the Formators workshop and I hope that she will bring up the difficulties we are facing in this part of the world where unification is not possible because of our geographical locations. Our circumstances are distinct from other countries. For example in the capital where rascals prevail, it is very difficult for people to do what we do here in Kokopo like going to distant villages and reaching out to the people.
How do you put into practice the four pillars of formation (Form. Guidelines ASC ed. 2015)?
We put the four pillar of Formation into practice as follows:
The new recruits are being told by us showing them the works that we do for them to know what kind of group they will be joining. With the new recruits joining us on our apostolate they already know if they can continue being with the group. The formation lessons will be their guide in knowing how to be a Salesian cooperators. And lastly we all live in communion with the others: We are together in praying the rosary every Saturday, daily during the month of October. We are together during our Annual gift-giving every 26th of December to the 75 families nearby Vunabosco (SDB community near Kokopo, Technical boarding school), we play with the children and the Mamas before we distribute the gifts. We are together during our annual hospital visitation to the sick (Easter Monday) and we are gathered together every 2nd Sunday at Volavolo, 3rd Sunday at Matupit, 4th Sunday at Kuragaga and soon at Ramale Parish on the first Sunday. Salesians in Kokopo have a monhtly celebration Mass of Mary Help of Christians or Benediction if it is Sunday, Rosary and Eucharist if 24th falls on Saturday followed by dinner together.
From all of us Salesian Cooperators in Kokopo - East New Britain (Papua New Guinea)
