Melbourne, Australia, 9 March 2021 -- Greetings from busy Salesian Mission Office, Australia-Pacific Province - ASMOAF (registered as Australia Salesian Missions Oversea Aid Fund). Here at the Province Centre we have a new structure that has been evolving over the past few months with a new ‘Missions Department’.

We are very grateful to Br Michael Lynch, SDB - who brought our ASMOAF to a new dimension with his tenacity and consistent work for more than 20 years.

Although the different offices within the Missions department have existed for many years, it is a new vision to work more collaboratively and cohesively across the different offices. I will continue in the roles of Mission Animation Delegate and the Cagliero Project Director and Ms Tina Newton, who has worked in Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund (ASMOAF) for the last ten years, has taken over from Br. Michael Lynch as Director of ASMOAF. Together, we will both function as the Directors of the new Missions Department.

Tina and I have been collaborating more and more over the past few years and to formalise this collaboration as an actual Department is a very exciting step. Our overarching goal is to build stronger relationships, connectedness, support and commitment through the AUL Province. We have a Missions Team that will support us in this endeavour and we look forward to collaborating more closely with YOU!

This week we received the hard material from Italy for the celebration of Salesian Missions Day. These will be distributed to the Rectors next week at the meeting.

Tina shares her first feelings: "Yes I have had the honour of working with Br Michael for the last 10 years who has prepared me for this rewarding role. I am certainly excited to be working with Lauren, we certainly compliment each other and make a cohesive team."