austraLasia #2607 Aus-Pac: Visit from Rome Formation team
MELBOURNE: 11th March 2010 -- Immediately following their
presence at the meeting of the Provincials of the EAO Region in Port
Moresby, Frs Francis Cereda and Chrys Saldanha flew off to visit the
formation centres of the Australia-Pacific Province. This is not as
easy as it sounds. From Port Moresby to Sydney takes about 5 hours.
From there they had another 6 hours to fly to Fiji (after a night with
the Salesian community at Engadine, Sydney). Even on arrival in
Nadi, Fiji, they had to board another aircraft to eventually arrive in
Suva, where Don Bosco House is located. They were able to spend
two days in Suva, speak to the young men in formation (6 Novices, 2
Post Novices and 1 Theologian) and the three formators in the
community. They visited the Pacific Regional Seminary, and were able to
share their hopes and concerns with the Rector of the Seminary, Fr
Michael O’Connor, SM. While in Suva, the whole community celebrated Fr
Cereda’s birthday – in Pacifican style!
On Sunday, 7 March, they trekked back to Melbourne,
via a 6 hour wait at Nadi airport, and a 6 hour flight to
Melbourne. A further busy time was ahead. On March 8 they were
able to visit Catholic Theological College, the centre for theological
formation in Victoria, attended by Salesian students. They spent a full
afternoon at the house of formation in Clifton Hill. They gathered with
young Salesians from all parts of the Region now studying in Melbourne:
Australians, Samoans, Koreans, Thais and Vietnamese. The day closed
with prayer, a Good Night from Fr Cereda, and a further joyful
celebration at table with the Provincial, Fr Frank Moloney, and the
Salesian Bishop, Bishop Tim Costelloe, a former Rector at Clifton Hill)
present. Fr Stephen Nam, Provincial of Korea, was also in Australia,
visiting his 2 confrere studying here (one doing a PhD at Australian
Catholic University; the other an Mtheol at the Melbourne College of
Divinity). Fr Nam joined the various visits and encounters.
On March 9 they paid a visit to the Australian
Catholic University where they were guided through the campus by the
Dean of Theology and Philosophy, Professor Anne Hunt, and were the
guests of the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Gabrielle McMullen, for
lunch. A brief, but rich experience came to a close that
afternoon, as they headed off to visit the formation communities in
Indonesia-East Timor. The Australia-Pacific Province was delighted to
have Frs Cereda and Saldanha with them. It was a time of mutual
encouragement and appreciation of the work being done for the formation
of the next generation of young Salesians in the Region. _________________ AustraLasia is an
email
service
for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions
as an
agency for ANS based in
Rome.
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