ROME: 11th December '04 -- The annual missiological course conducted under the auspices of the UPS (Fr Gianfranco Coffele) concluded on 10th December.  It was in session for 3 months and involved 72 current, intending or returned missionaries, 23 of whom were SDB and one of whom, Fr. Rafael Galve, comes from the East Asia-Oceania Region - FIN, working in PNG since 1986.

    Fr Rafael, despite struggling still with the malaria contracted over his many years of service in the Gulf country, found the course a marvellous experience, in particular the time spent revisiting the origins, the Salesian 'holy places' in Piedmont.

    The main language group for Salesian parrticipants this year was English, though in the group as a whole Spanish was by far the dominant language. 

    SDB participants gathered at the Salesian General House on the evening of the 9th for a wind-up session with Fr Alencherry, General Councillor for the Missions, and a Goodnight and Supper with the Rector Major.

    During the Goodnight, the Rector Major drew on two experiences that had touched him deeply this year.  One was his reflection on the Rwanda-Burundi experience, which demonstrated a negative aspect of inculturation of faith; 'Catholics' including Religious and clergy had obviously not imbibed Gospel values and could not bring them to bear on the situation, even themselves betraying these values in some cases.

    But the prominent positive experience was his own one of visiting the Sisters of Charity of Mother Theresa in Sierra Leone just recently - his visit began with an invitation to the chapel to pray, then a visit to terminally-ill patients, some 3-4 of whom die each day.  The only means of survival for the Sisters in this atmosphere has been their practice of two hours per day before the Blessed Sacrament.  Prayerful missionaries, then, the source of motivation and strength.

_________________________