By Ms. Arlene Abital

Port Moresby, PNG, October 12, 2015 - Graduating students at Don Bosco Technological Institute, East Boroko listened enthusiastically to Fr. Anthony Paul Bicomong, SDB-Provincial Superior of the Philippines-North Province (FIN) as he addressed them at the morning assembly on the 12th of October. The Salesians, staff and students were happy to welcome the Provincial Superior for his canonical visitation.

Fr. Provincial shared the story of the mythical Chinese bamboo plant. He said that in the first four years after planting the seed, little seems to happen. Surprisingly, in its fifth year, the tree grows to 90 feet tall in just six weeks! During the first few years the plant is deeply rooted. He metaphorically said that Bosconians need to be rooted in Don Bosco and grow in faith, competence and character to face the real world.

Fr. Anthony Paul Bicomong, SDB visited Vunabosco Agro-Technical Secondary School, Rabaul, October 5-7; Don Bosco Technical School, Gabutu, October 7-9; Don Bosco Araimiri, Gulf Province, October 9-11; Don Bosco Simbu Technical College, October 12-14; Don Bosco Technological Institute/Delegation House, East Boroko, October 14-16. He will visit Don Bosco Henderson, Solomon Islands on October 16-17; Don Bosco Tetere, Solomon Islands on October 18-19; Savio Haus Aspirantate, Boroko on October 19-20 and will have the Delegation Council meeting on the 21st before his departure for Manila, Philippines.

During his visitation, he has had the chance to meet the schools’ assembly and give the ‘good morning talk’. He was able to interact closely with the staff at their staff meeting and formation, spend time with confreres at the ‘rendiconto’, afternoon tea with the sisters of St. Anne, Caritas and FMA Sisters, courtesy visit to Archbishop of Port Moresby and Apostolic Nuncio of PNG and gave a ‘good night talk’ to the boarding students.

In his meeting with the DBTI staff at East Boroko, he shared insights about Don Bosco’s Letter from Rome, and encouraged the Salesian Educators and collaborators to walk in the footsteps of Don Bosco. In his presentations, he shared about the conversation of Don Bosco with Valfre and Buzzetti (Oratorians of Don Bosco in 1870 and 1884) and how the Salesians’ animating presence impacts the lives of the young at the Oratory during the time of Don Bosco as well as at the present time. He said that ‘presence’ consists in sharing the day-to-day lives of the young creating trust, confidence, the right attitude, empathizing and creating a climate of ‘Holiness’ not only at the Eucharistic celebration but even in the classrooms and playground.

Recalling the words of the former Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chavez, he said, ‘the best gift for Don Bosco’s 200th Birth anniversary will be to remain faithful to Don Bosco and his style of education’. He stressed that the ‘Competence and Character’ formation makes us different from other schools as we live the true Bosconian ideal. He concluded by saying, ‘many saints in Heaven have been the products of Don Bosco’s Oratory. We need to create new saints out of our DBTI Graduates.’

Later, he informed the staff that that there is a possibility that PNG/SI Delegation will soon be a Vice-Province detached from Philippine North Province (FIN), and have its own Provincial Superior directly under the Rector Major.