Ryan Turallo, volunteer missionary in
Gizo Diocese: R. I. P.
GIZO: 31 July
2012 -- Bishop Luciano Capelli SDB, Bishop of Gizo,
Solomon
Islands, had the sad task today of writing to family,
authorities, and
those who had been working closely with Ryan Turallo, Filipino
volunteer missionary, to inform them that at 7.00 am this
morning,
Ryan's body was washed ashore at Aleang village in the
Shortlands group.
Ryan, 30 years of age, was the Student Affairs Coordinator at
St John
Bosco Senior Technical School on Nila, in the Shortlands
Islands. The
school, named for St John Bosco, also has a number of alumni
from Don
Bosco Henderson on staff.
Eyewitness reports from some of the six known survivors (there
were ten
people on board, including children, two of whom are confirmed
dead,
and one young men still missing) indicate that the boat was
taking on
too much water from rain and sea. The young man still missing
failed to
reach shore when he and another swam to a nearby island for
help. The
other managed to raise the alarm. Local SI Search and Rescue,
as well
as Australian Maritime Safety aircraft have joined in the
search for
the missing people.
The boat, which belonged to the Diocese, had waited a week for
weather
to improve to make the crossing, and on Saturday weather and
see
appeared to be suitable for the trip.
Bishop Capelli today immediately wrote to Ryan's parents, his
archdiocese, and friends both in the Philippines, PNG and
Solomon
Islands, expressing the deep loss everyone was feeling,
describing Ryan
as a "lover of youth, life, with dreams and plans for himself,
his
beloved ones and the youth entrusted to him". He went on to
say that as
Student Affairs Coordinator, Ryan "has given his life as a
Volunteer
Missionary in a very isolated place, with great joy and
enthusiasm for
life". Addressing himself at one point to Ryan, he expressed
the wish
that "many Solomon youth may find the courage to follow in
your
footsteps at the service of the Church and the youth".
