4570(V)_First Salesian Parish Priest meeting

4570(V)_First Salesian Parish Priest meeting

Great exeprience - first historical meeting of parish priests PGS Viceprovince

December 2, 2017

By Fr. Joseph Thanh,, SDB

Honiara, Solomon Islands, 30 November 2017 -- One year since the Salesian Mission in the two countries of the Pacific: Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Solomon Islands (SI), became vice-Province (PGS) all three Salesian parish priests were gathered together for the first time at DBTI Henderson - Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The vice-Province is rendering the services and mission in three parishes among the two countries. Two in PNG and one in SI. They are Mary Help of Christians parish Araimiri - Gulf province, PNG (Parish Priest - Fr. Joseph Thanh), Mary Help of Christians parish Sabama - Port Moresby, PNG, (Fr. Sonny Fajardo) and Christ the King parish Tetere - Guadalcanal province, SI (Fr. Albert Lenon)

On Sunday 26th November, the three parish priests together with the provincial superior - Fr. Alfred Maravilla, joined with all the parishioners of Christ the King parish, Tetere on the occasion of their feast day as they were joyfully and gratefully celebrating 50th anniversary of the parish.

The meetings on the 27th and 28th were the mutual sharing about the present situations of each parish and the experiences in parish animation and management in own its strengths and weaknesses. The parish priests were reviewing again the duty statements according to the Code of Canon Law and our General Regulations.

All the efforts are encouraged and appreciated as long as they ensure that the Salesian parish should not being run in the same way with the other diocesan parishes. In such a way that the option for young people in the Salesian parish is not exclusive or discriminatory, but a preferential. The parish is the face of the Church. It is the point reference in its locality which makes the Church visible in everyday life. The parish believes that the Kingdom of God has the poor as its beneficiaries and privileged target.

At the closing of the two days meeting every parish was encouraged to form its own Vision-Mission according the Vision-Mission of the PGS Vice-Province. The Salesian parish priests renew their commitments once again to this mission in the vice-Province with the inspiration of Saint Francis de Sales "Do not speak about God to one who does not ask you to do so. But live in such a way that sooner or later he will ask you about Him."

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