ROME: 10th December 2005 -- The annual UPS-based
course for missionaries concluded yesterday, as already announced by
ANS. What may be less known is that amongst the 54 participants
were a number of SDB and FMA from the EAO region: of the SDB's there
was Fr John Ty (Vietnam - goes to Mongolia in 2006), Fr Pawel Glogowski
(Poland - has been 30 years in Japan), Fr Jojo San Juan (Philippines -
has been in East Timor since 1992), Fr Dominic Kachira (India,
preparing to leave for Solomon Islands in February). Fr Julian
Scarparo (Italy - Ecuador) is no longer part of the EAO region, but
worked in Australia for many years.
The concluding talk by the Rector Major was given in
both English and Italian. He spoke strongly on the need for a
spiritual life. C. 12 speaks of the Salesian as a 'contemplative
in action' but so many missionaries find themselves burnt out
instead! Be it John Paul II or Mother Theresa, they kept their
indomitable spirit and service to the end. How? Prayer,
Eucharist. Salvation is not to be conquered but to be
celebrated. Two attitudes are to be deepened: ?I am sent' - John
Paul II did not step down from his cross as he was aware he had been
sent. 'Watch over the flock....gladly? - be eager to carry out the
mission.
In an open forum, two of the four questions came
from the EAO group. Q1 concerned the choice for human
development, then evangelisation, to which the RM replied that that's
fine but we can't stop at human development. Our duty is explicit
evangelisation at any time. Q2. continued the theme - we are so
caught up with work that it came as a surprise to hear of the emphasis
on evangelisation. The RM commented that we learned hard work
from Don Bosco but forgot his second lesson: the grace of unity.
Q3 concerned the experience of a changing mission scene where fewer
come from Europe and more from younger, poorer Churches. In
exploring the nature of missionary commitment in response, the RM
pointed to the need for new evangelisation - how in some of the 'older'
Catholic nations people are baptised but not evangelised. Q$ was
a direct question to the RM - what is his view of the Congregation at
this stage. In response he pointed to the four letters so far written
on regions. He invited his listeners to read these. Then he
indicated that next week at the UPS he will give an hour-long
conference on his view of the Congregation after his experiences thus
far.
The missionaries reflected on their months together:
excellent opportunity to go deeper into mission; excellent opportunity
to put on weight (pasta kilos!); learning from the sharing with older,
experienced missionaries; appreciated the opening up of the course to
Salesian Family and other Congregations.
A number of the group now head out to the Holy Land
for an 8 day concluding tour.
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