PORT MORESBY: 11th May 2006 -- When Amy William passed to
her eternal reward on 14th April this year, she, who was dubbed by her
husband Colonel Bernard William as 'truly an Iron Lady and true
Salesian Cooperator' could not have fully appreciated the legacy she
would leave - her death wrote a page in the history of the fledgling
Salesian Cooperator Movement in PNG. The Association has decided
to commemorate the day of her passing, 14th April, as an annual
occasion for remembrance of "All Souls of Salesian Cooperators".
Amy Williams and her family's Salesian links were to
become very strong by God's design. Her real home is in Alotau, a
diocese now led by Salesian Bishop Francis Panfilo. She and her
husband were amongst the second batch of enthusiastic aspirant
Cooperators who were accepted into formation under the guidance of Fr
Albert Lennon, Rector of Don Bosco Gabutu - they made their promise on
15th May last year, Pentecost Sunday at Murray Barracks where they
lived. Their eldest son, Fabian, is doing his first year in
electronics at Don Bosco Technological Institute PM, while one
daughter, Nellie, attends nearby Caritas Technical Secondary
School. Two other children, Joseph and Nathan, are doing grades 7
and 8 respectively back in Alotau.
As a Cooperator, Amy was deeply involved in the way
a Salesian Cooperator is involved, ideally - with her own family and in
apostolic activity. She was Catechist Coordinator of Murray
Barracks Chaplaincy, Deputy Catechist Coordinator of the Archdiocese of
Port Moresby. On weekdays she found time to volunteer for
teaching Religion at nearby Ted Diro Community School. After
Sunday Mass she would take classes for pre-sacramental preparation.
One of her hopes was to start up a Don Bosco school
back in Alotau. She planned to take steps to realise this dream
after her husband would finally be retired from the PNG Defence
Force. In her region's matriarchal society, she would have had
the power or at least the upper hand in deciding which piece of land
would be given to the Bishop for that purpose. She wanted this to
be a legacy, but in the end she left another, more precious legacy
still....
Her 'Iron Lady' constitution not only gave her the
energy for all these tasks, but made the final months of her short
illness a demonstration of strength and self-possession. Even
when generally bed-ridden she would make the effort to get up, joke,
laugh and make tea and coffee for visitors. The Coordinator of
the Murray Barracks Unity writes that "Her passing has inspired and
given us Salesian Cooperators renewed strength, vigour and vision to
promote and ensure that the spirit of Don Bosco will live and grow in
our midst because we believe she is now in heaven with St. John Bosco
in the Salesian Garden which St. Dominic Savio showed Don Bosco in his
vision".
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