4010_Salesians are asked to start a new youth center in Suva Archdiocese
Australia - Pacific province animation visit 2016
May 20, 2016
Suva, Fiji, 20 May 2016 -- After Korean province the Regional councilor was able to attend to the animation visit also in the Province of Australia - Pacific (May 14-20). The focus was to follow the Road map (=letter of the Rector Major) of the 2015 extraordinary visitation, participate in the OzBosco 2016 (Sydney, May 14-15), meet with the provincial council (Sydney, May 16) and visit the formation house in Fiji Islands (Suva, May 18-20).
Revival of the youth ministry in all 4 countries of the province has its most dynamic expression in the OzBosco (since 2009, the Salesian Youth Day in Australia), followed already by SamBosco (since 2010 in Samoa) and BulaBosco (since 2015 in Fiji). The massive presence of more than 50 Auckland (New Zealand) Salesian youth in Sydney (Australia) was the most visible sign of preparation for the first KiwiBosco (hopefully since 2017 in New Zealand).
In the provincial council meeting the Regional councilor was able to follow up recent developments and processes in the AUL province: path towards establishment of the Pacific delegation (Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa), fruits of the recent Provincial Chapter (PC 20) and two projects (Samoa - Saleleloga school hall, andFiji - Suva first apostolic work starting phase).
The Pacific leg of this visit was limited to Fiji - Suva in order to pay visit to the Archbishop Peter Loy Chong, who asked the Salesians to start a new parish - youth center and other apostolic work in his archdiocese. This year the 11 Salesians in Don Bosco House (formation) are without novices. However for next year 2017 with a possible intake of 6-8 novices from Samoa and Australia the facilities of this formation house will be not enough. Also the two new Fijian aspirants (so far we have only 1 professed Fijian SDB) brings a lot of joy.
